Which Clubs Have the Toughest Opening Fixtures This Season?

Posted on September 23, 2025 by SoccerPunter

Fixture Ease Ratings really identify which Premier League clubs face the most initial-season challenges. Teams entering the 2025/26 season must start strong to overcome the initial gauntlet.

A rough beginning to the football season can really determine club morale, impact transfer policy and decide subsequent outcomes. Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) can offer some telling insights into which clubs have uphill struggles in store from kickoff. Produced using opposition strength in the initial ten games, these ratings can be used to gauge pressure points throughout the division.

Talk about early-season fixture strength has permeated general fan discussion, even on sites where online blackjack is more prevalent. This is a sign of the worldwide intrigue about prediction and likelihood in the season’s first weeks.

Manchester United, Palace, Fulham and Burnley Look at Steep Ascent

Four clubs—Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Burnley—emerge with the most challenging opening ten fixtures, each holding an average FDR of 3.20. The numbers suggest they are more likely to face a higher proportion of top-half sides or historically tough opponents early on.

Manchester United start with a marquee game at Old Trafford with Arsenal and then away against Fulham before a string of challenging games involving visits to Manchester City and games against Chelsea. Crystal Palace starts at Stamford Bridge, then takes on Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, West Ham, Liverpool and Arsenal for a punishing start.

Fulham’s scheduling also shows significant challenges. In the earlier rounds, Fulham plays Tottenham, Brighton, Manchester United and Chelsea. Being promoted back into the top division, Burnley has to play against high-level competition while assimilating new team components in high-stakes situations.

Liverpool’s Title Defence Begins in Hostile Territory

Defending champions Liverpool have been given a very difficult start to their campaign. According to Opta’s Power Ratings, the initial ten games for Liverpool average 93.5 goals against them, which is currently the toughest sequence using performance data.

It features confrontations with four sixth-place finishers from the previous season and challenging engagements with Manchester United and Crystal Palace. It can test squad strength and consistency with the demanding fixtures programme, particularly in a season where European competitions promise to add more congestion to the calendar.

The champions’ initial burst will have a bearing on title race stories well before the halfway stage. Lost points within this period can narrow the gap between major challengers, which can put a focus on the rotation and read-in of squads under tension for managers.

Arsenal’s Road-Heavy Opening Spells Caution

Arsenal’s early-season programme also presents difficulties. In their initial five games, the Gunners must travel to Manchester United and Liverpool—two of the toughest away grounds in history.

Those games come at a stage where team cohesion and new signings have not settled into any rhythm yet. Winning points at such demanding bases will be necessary for a team targeting the top four or more. This game can better indicate Arsenal’s ability to absorb pressure and maintain rhythm more than the outcome alone.

Favourable Beginnings for Spurs, Sunderland and Leeds

While some clubs brace for elite opposition, others benefit from smoother entry into the season. Based on the FDR average, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Leeds are in far more favourable positions.

Spurs’ first ten games involve just a single top-six team, which gives new systems and players a chance to settle in. Sunderland and Leeds, of the promoted and comeback clubs, steer clear of consecutive meetings with big challengers for a more realistic chance of gaining momentum before the winter crunch.

Scheduling can differ between a smooth beginning and early issues for these clubs. It also provides a unique window to probe at depth and formation choices in a non-pressure scenario before more significant challenges materialise.

Fixture Difficulty’s Impact on Global Watchers

Fixture sequencing is a concern not only for club officials and players but also for international fans and statisticians, who now incorporate early strength of schedule into more general stories about title hopes, relegation threats and strategic development.

The FDR model also continues to gain prominence because it provides a numerical context for grasping perceived team strength and momentum before kicking a soccer ball. Across the world’s digital communities—be it talking about fantasy leagues, analytical predictions or even probability-centred games like online blackjack—fixture strength has become a universal point of discussion.

Clubs starting the season under extreme pressure can be compelled to show their hand tactically at an early stage. Conversely, clubs with less forgiving schedules can progress gradually, with competitors left guessing and systems remaining adaptive.

The initial ten games of a Premier League season have a lasting imprint. According to Fixture Difficulty Ratings, Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Burnley have the most significant rises ahead of them, with Liverpool’s title defence put immediately to the test. Arsenal’s busy start-away-heavy schedule increases intrigue even more. Meanwhile, Tottenham, Sunderland and Leeds look better set for early consistency. At the start of the new season, patterns from early fixtures will inevitably form not only standings but also the mentalities and patterns of play for the world’s most followed league.