Premier League Matchday 1 Opta Stats and Tips
Arsenal v Coventry - Back Gunners to win both halves
Friday 21 August, 20:00, Live on Sky Sports
The Opta Stat: Since the start of 2023-24, Arsenal have won 17 of their 18 Premier League games against promoted sides, with the exception a 2-2 draw at Sunderland last season. At home, the Gunners are unbeaten in 45 Premier League home games against promoted sides, the longest such run by any team in the competition's history (W40 D5).
Betfair Bet: Back Arsenal to win both halves @ 11/102.11
Get three tips for Arsenal v Coventry from Kevin Hatchard
Hull v Man Utd - Back Bruno in comfortable Reds win
Saturday 22 August, 12:30, Live on TNT
The Opta Stat: So far in the Premier League in 2026, Manchester United have earned the most points (41), won the joint-most games (12, level with Arsenal), and scored the most goals (36), while only Bournemouth (1) have lost fewer games in the division this calendar year so far than the Red Devils (2).
Bruno Fernandes set a new record for most assists in a single Premier League campaign last season with 21. With nine goals as well, he was the first Manchester United player to be involved in 30+ goals in two different Premier League campaigns (also 30 in 2020-21).
Betfair Bet: Back Man Utd -1 and Fernandes to assist @ 2/13.00
Everton v Crystal Palace - Back defences to dominate
Saturday 22 August, 15:00
The Opta Stat: Crystal Palace have kept a clean sheet in their opening game in five of their last eight Premier League seasons, including in a 0-0 draw with Chelsea in 2025-26. Palace have lost their last five openers when they've conceded, however, since a 3-1 away win at Norwich in 2015-16.
Betfair Bet: Back under 2.5 goals @ 20/231.87
Ipswich v Sunderland - Back the Black Cats
Saturday 22 August, 15:00
The Opta Stat: Ipswich Town have lost their opening game in each of their last four Premier League campaigns (1994-95, 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2024-25) since a 3-0 win over Oldham Athletic in 1993-94.
Sunderland have won their opening league game in each of the last two seasons, beating Cardiff in 2024-25 and West Ham in 2025-26. The Black Cats last did so in three consecutive campaigns between 1950-51 and 1952-53.
Betfair Bet: Back Sunderland @ 17/102.70
Nottm Forest v Leeds - Back Whites to pick where they left off
Saturday 22 August, 15:00
The Opta Stat: After changing to a back three/five formation from December onwards in the Premier League last season, Leeds United won the seventh most points (36 - W8 D12 L5); prior to that change, the Whites sat third bottom in table with just 11 points (W3 D2 L8).
Betfair Bet: Back Leeds Double Chance and BTTS @ 1/12.00
Brentford v Tottenham - Back Thiago to strike
Saturday 22 August, 17:30, Live on Sky Sports
The Opta Stat: Brentford's Igor Thiago boasted the best shot conversion rate of any player to take 25 or more shots in the Premier League last season (26.2% - 22/84). Similarly, among those to score 15+ goals across Europe's big-five leagues in 2025-26, only Harry Kane (30.3%) and Joaquín Panichelli (27.1%) had a
better conversion rate.
Betfair Bet: Back Thiago to score @ 6/52.20
Find out what Ste Tudor is backing in seven Premier League games
Brighton v Aston Villa - Back Watkins to spark away win
Sunday 23 August, 14:00, Live on Sky Sports
The Opta Stat: Aston Villa haven't lost any of their four Premier League games against Fabian Hürzeler's Brighton (W3 D1). Indeed, Hürzeler's points per game ratio against Unai Emery is his joint-lowest against an opposition manager in the competition (min. 2 games), along with former Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner (0.25).
Against no side has Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins been involved in more Premier League goals than he has against Brighton (11 - 9 goals, 2 assists), with all of these coming in his last nine appearances against the Seagulls.
Back Villa and Watkins to score
Man City v Bournemouth - Back Cherries to frustrate Maresca
Sunday 23 August, 14:00, Live on Sky Sports
The Opta Stat: Bournemouth lost none of their final 18 Premier League games of 2025-26 under Andoni Iraola (W8 D10), the longest current unbeaten run in the division. It means that Marco Rose is only the second manager whose first Premier League game at a club comes with them on an ongoing 10+ match unbeaten run in the competition, after Felipe Scolari at Chelsea in 2008 (21 unbeaten beforehand).
Betfair Bet: Back Bournemouth Double Chance @ 13/82.63
Newcastle v Liverpool - Back Reds to win lively game
Sunday 23 August, 16:30, Live on Sky Sports
The Opta Stat: This will be Andoni Iraola's first game in charge of Liverpool. The Spaniard is on the longest current unbeaten run of any manager in the Premier League (last 18 games of 2025-26 with Bournemouth), while he's also never lost any of his six meetings with Newcastle in the competition (W3 D3).
There have been 198 goals scored in Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Liverpool, and with two goals in this game it would be the third fixture to reach 200 in the competition, after Liverpool v Tottenham (211) and Arsenal v Tottenham (200).
Back Liverpool and BTTS
Fulham v Chelsea - Back Cottagers to avoid defeat
Monday 24 August, 20:00, Live on Sky Sports
The Opta Stat: In 2026 so far, only Manchester United (8) have won more Premier League home games than Fulham (6), with the Cottagers winning six of their last nine at Craven Cottage (L3). Since the start of March, Chelsea have the fewest points of any side not to be relegated from the Premier League last season (7). The Blues lost eight of 11 league games in this period (W2 D1), the
most of any top-flight club.
Betfair Bet: Back Fulham Double Chance @ 5/61.84