Sports
Premier League Week 1 predicted starting XIs: Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, more
The Premier League is back! After a couple of irritating summer months filled with other competitions, other sports, and even things like going outside and enjoying the fresh air, we’re locked back in for the 2025-26 season, which begins Friday as champions Liverpool host Bournemouth at Anfield.
If you’ve missed much of the wheeling and dealing in the transfer window, consider this a great way to catch up as ESPN reporters chronicle and assess the likely starting XIs for Matchday 1: in short, how all the big clubs will line up this weekend to begin their 38-game battle toward the title.
– Ranked: The top 50 Premier League players, 2025-26
– Men’s transfer grades: Rating every major summer move
– Ian Darke’s Premier League preview, 2025-26
The exercise not only shows you the kind of starting power the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City boast but also where they might still need to strengthen before the summer window closes at 2 p.m. ET (7 p.m. BST) on Monday, Sept. 1. So let’s get into it: How will each big club line up this weekend?
Arsenal’s busy summer of transfer business has generated plenty of excitement and intrigue, but fans might have to wait a few weeks to see most of the new faces brought in take up a first XI spot — especially since the opener is a tough trip to Old Trafford. That said, given the sheer number of injuries sustained last term, simply getting the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães and Ben White back in the team will freshen things up considerably.
If Havertz leads the line, the Gunners’ long-awaited, marquee striker signing Viktor Gyökeres would be forced to make do with a place on the bench. He’ll almost certainly take to the pitch in some fashion, and once he does, all eyes will be on what kind of an impact he can make.
The new signing with the best chance of starting is Martín Zubimendi, who enjoyed a phenomenal preseason and has generated immense buzz within the Arsenal fan base. He’ll slot into midfield with Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard.
Leandro Trossard was in the midst of a strong preseason until he sustained a knock in Singapore, opening the door for Gabriel Martinelli to resume duties on the left wing. He should start at Old Trafford. — Sam Tighe
Despite only adding two new players to his squad so far this summer, Unai Emery still has a few serious selection dilemmas on his hands ahead of opening day.
One of those new faces, goalkeeper Marco Bizot, is guaranteed to start, as Emiliano Martínez is suspended for the opener due to the red card he received at Old Trafford on last season’s final day. The other, Evann Guessand, will have to bide his time in order to crack into a very strong and settled Villa attack.
Morgan Rogers sustained an ankle injury during preseason but it’s not serious; the club is hopeful he can play in the first match. Considering the opponent — Newcastle United present a physical, aggressive test — Emery could well turn to as many of his own physically imposing players as possible to match things up. That could see Amadou Onana partner the imperious Boubacar Kamara in midfield, pushing Youri Tielemans up into the support forward role.
Ollie Watkins looked razor-sharp in preseason, scoring five goals in total, while Jacob Ramsey looks fit and raring to go. All of this would leave Donyell Malen on the bench, which might seem harsh given he enjoyed a cracking preseason too. — Tighe
Chelsea’s preparations for the 2025-26 campaign began with a hammer blow when Levi Colwill tore an ACL in the first training session. Despite the overwhelming number of players on the Blues’ books, this has left them scrambling for a replacement, with manager Enzo Maresca even suggesting they could enter the transfer market again.
Maresca has also pleaded caution with the players who have been brought in from outside England this summer. Translation: don’t expect 19-year-old Jorrel Hato to step into the Colwill void, as it’s more likely to be Tosin Adarabioyo alongside Trevoh Chalobah for now. Eighteen-year-old winger Estêvão could also be brought along slowly.
It all means that means the XI to face Crystal Palace could look an awful lot like the XI that beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final. It’d make sense to not change too much given the Blues’ truncated preparation time for the new season allowed them just two weeks of training and two friendlies.
One player to keep an eye on is Reece James. Chelsea have been extremely cautious with his playing time over the last year after suffering so badly with injuries, so if he’s not ready to go this weekend, Andrey Santos could step in next to Moisés Caicedo. — Tighe
Despite losing the FA Community Shield on penalties to Crystal Palace, I expect Arne Slot to field pretty much the same side against Bournemouth. Injuries to Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley mean the back line pretty much picks itself at the moment, while Ryan Gravenberch‘s suspension — after his red card against Palace on the final day of last season — leaves one spot up for grabs alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz in the middle of the park.
Alexis Mac Allister is still working his way back to full fitness after an injury sustained at the end of last season, but if he’s able to start, I expect him to come into the midfield in place of Curtis Jones. With only three senior forwards at his disposal, Slot will stick with a front three of Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike, the latter having scored a fantastic goal against Palace at the weekend.
Liverpool, though, are in need of reinforcements before the transfer window closes. Sources told ESPN the Premier League champions are looking for another attacker, though they will only target players they feel are good enough to come into the starting XI, while they could also strengthen at center back, with Palace captain Marc Guéhi and Parma prospect Giovanni Leoni on the shortlist. — Beth Lindop
Injuries forced Pep Guardiola to chop and change regularly last season. He will hope he can pick a more consistent XI this season, particularly at the back. The big issue for Guardiola: Who plays at right back?
With Kyle Walker now at Burnley, there’s no specialist right back in the squad, but Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes and Manuel Akanji have all done the job before. Lewis is the most natural fit, but struggled at times last season. Guardiola will ease Rodri back into Premier League action after his injury layoff, though the Spaniard is currently carrying a different injury and is set to miss the start of the season. Tijjani Reijnders, a summer signing from AC Milan, will add legs in midfield, while Bernardo Silva is another certain starter after being named club captain.
Erling Haaland is guaranteed his place and so is Phil Foden, as long as he can rediscover the form that saw him crowned the Premier League’s best player in 2024. Other options for the wide roles include Omar Marmoush, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki. — Rob Dawson
One thing is for certain at Manchester United: Ruben Amorim won’t change his system, and so 3-4-3 is here to stay. United have invested heavily in a new front three of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. It might take Sesko a little time to get up to speed, but the expectation is that he will be United’s regular center forward with Cunha and Mbeumo occupying the two No. 10 roles behind.
The investment in goal scorers will have an impact on Bruno Fernandes. Last season, the Portugal midfielder played at times as a deep midfielder in Amorim’s system and further forward in other situations. With Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko in the squad, it’s likely that Fernandes will find himself playing deeper. Patrick Dorgu is almost certain to play as the left wing-back, while it’s between Amad Diallo and Diogo Dalot on the right. Amad seems to have the advantage judging by preseason.
Lisandro Martínez isn’t expected back from injury until after the September international break, so for now, Amorim will pick a back three from Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw and Ayden Heaven. — Dawson
It’s been a difficult summer for Newcastle. Having missed out on numerous transfer targets, uncertainty lingers over the future of star striker Alexander Isak, who is currently not training with Eddie Howe’s squad amid interest from Liverpool.
Whatever happens with the Sweden international, it’s highly unlikely he will be involved Newcastle’s first game of the season against Aston Villa. As a result, I would expect Anthony Gordon to continue at center forward — having played there in Saturday’s friendly defeat to Atletico Madrid — with Harvey Barnes and summer signing Anthony Elanga on the wings.
Newcastle had one of the best midfields in the Premier League last season, so Howe is unlikely to make any changes there, though it is a different story in defense after a succession of injuries to key players. With Sven Botman and Lewis Hall both working their way back to full fitness, it’s likely Fabian Schär and Kieran Trippier will come in alongside Dan Burn and Tino Livramento. The game will probably come too soon for incoming center back Malick Thiaw, while Newcastle are yet to get a deal for Brentford‘s Yoane Wissa over the line. — Lindop
Tottenham
The Thomas Frank era — also known as the post-Son Heung-min era — technically started against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, which should give us a strong idea of who the new manager favors ahead of the Premier League opener.
Playmaker James Maddison sustained a serious knee injury in preseason, Destiny Udogie missed the Asian tour due to an ailment, Dejan Kulusevski is lacking fitness and Dominic Solanke‘s preparation has been disrupted too. That puts Richarlison and Djed Spence in pole position to start up front and at left back, respectively, and forces new signing João Palhinha into a major role from Day 1.
The Son void will be replaced in part by new signing Mohammed Kudus, and in part by two young Frenchmen: Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel. It’s obvious they were recruited with one eye on replacing Son long-term, and their time has now come.
Frank will be delighted to be able to field what is by far Spurs’ best center-back duo in Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, both fit and both still present despite constant rumors of Atlético Madrid interest in the former. Ultimately, Spurs don’t really look ready for the opening weekend, but a potential saving grace is that Burnley at home could well prove to be the easiest fixture of the season. — Tighe
The good (Treylon Burks’s incredible catch) and bad (Washington’s record in prime time) from the Commanders’ seventh-straight loss.
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NEED CHANGE: Pakistan won a record 21 T20Is this year under Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy. Photo: AFP/File
KARACHI:
“Alright, you tell me — who should be made captain in T20s?” asked a person connected to Pakistan cricket during a friendly discussion with me.
Without hesitation, I replied, “Shaheen Shah Afridi.”
He responded, “The World Cup is so close now. If a change is made at this stage and, God forbid, the team doesn’t perform well, then you people will say ‘bring a new captain.’ That’s not a solution. Constant changes cause more harm than good.”
Hearing this, I said, “Salman Ali Agha is a nice, decent guy — that’s why he suits the board. That’s why he was given the captaincy. You can’t make Shaheen take ‘favorable decisions.’”
Smiling, he said, “You’re right that Salman is a straightforward person. He doesn’t get involved in groupings and listens to the board. But remember, he became captain based on his cricketing skills — these are just additional qualities. Shaheen is also a good guy; if the PCB tells him something, do you think he would refuse? Actually, Salman has been given the role with the future in mind. Shaheen is already the ODI captain; if the officials didn’t like him, why would they give him that responsibility either? I know you won’t be convinced, but I’m telling you the truth.”
I replied, “I know what’s going on in your minds. Salman’s own performance isn’t great; he’s been made captain because it’ll be easier to replace him later. Shadab Khan is fit again, and Mike Hesson wants to make him captain — they’ve worked together for years at Islamabad United.”
To this, I got the response, “Those are social media-type theories. It doesn’t suit you to repeat them. Tell me one thing — is Hesson’s job guaranteed unless the team wins? Why would he prioritize personal preferences? Yes, he’s friendly with Shadab, but it’s not that simple to make him captain directly upon return from injury. Remember, when Shadab was fit, he still played as vice-captain under Salman. They have good chemistry. Such a setup could continue when he returns. Anyway, we’ll talk later — okay, bye.”
After all this, it seems to me that Salman Ali Agha will be the captain for the World Cup. But with Pakistan cricket, nothing is ever certain — anything can happen. Until an official announcement is made, uncertainty will remain. Salman has performed well in Tests and ODIs, but his T20 performance hasn’t been extraordinary, which is why his place in the team is often questioned. However, in the recent triangular series, he seemed determined and even played a good innings against Sri Lanka.
A former great captain once told me something very insightful: “First select your best eleven players — then pick a captain from among them. If you bring in someone from outside that eleven, it means you’re compromising for other reasons.”
Our cricket “superstars” have also betrayed one another. Some former players broke relationships just to break “players’ power.” There was a time when even thinking about removing a captain was forbidden; later, the same friends started hiding things from each other to gain the captaincy.
It’s true that there’s no “players’ power” anymore, but if we compare the teams of that era with today’s, there’s a big difference. Babar Azam, once feared by bowlers, now lacks co confidence and consistency. When the team is chasing a big total in T20s, he seems visibly tense. If he hadn’t been entangled in the captaincy issue, would it have been the same?
Shaheen, on the other hand, will probably always feel that the very friends for whom he was ready to stand up to the board were the ones who “betrayed” him. The British introduced the policy of “divide and rule,” and it’s still being used in every field today.
Looking at all this, it seems that Salman Ali Agha is currently the best candidate for captaincy. He hasn’t been part of any group, his own place in the team isn’t always secure — so he’s likely to remain under the board’s control. The good thing is that under his captaincy, the team has started producing positive results recently, both in events and bilateral series.
The real question, however, is whether he can perform well in a high-pressure tournament like the World Cup. Maybe that’s what’s going through the officials’ minds — which is why there’s still no announcement. But time is running out; a decision will have to be made soon.
Let’s see what happens.
By the way, what do you think — should Salman remain captain, or should the responsibility go to Shadab or Shaheen instead? Don’t forget to share your opinion.
Ounahi gave Girona the lead before half-time, but Mbappe equalised from the penalty spot
French forward Kylian Mbappe earned Real Madrid a point from the penalty spot. Photo: AFP
BARCELONA:
Real Madrid were held to a third consecutive La Liga draw in a 1-1 tie at Girona on Sunday, allowing Barcelona to retain pole position.
Azzedine Ounahi fired the hosts into a surprise lead before half-time, with Kylian Mbappe earning Madrid a point from the penalty spot.
After Barcelona beat Alaves on Saturday to move top of the table, Madrid needed a victory at Girona to reclaim top spot but now sit second, a point behind the champions.
Earlier Alberto Moleiro helped Villarreal, third, move back ahead of fourth-place Atletico Madrid with a stoppage time winner in a 3-2 victory at Real Sociedad.
Real Madrid’s draw increases the pressure on Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, after recent rumours suggesting his future is insecure in the Madrid dugout.
“We are up there, it’s all very even, it’s a long season and we have to continue,” Alonso told reporters.
“I liked the reaction from the players. It was not enough to turn it around but we were close, and we have to continue with the unity we have, being self-critical enough, and wanting to win away from home.”
Madrid travel to face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday for a fourth consecutive league match on the road, a game moved because of the club’s participation in the Spanish Super Cup in January.
“The table will be hard-fought, there will be lots of movement,” added Alonso.
Mbappe and Arda Guler fired off target for Madrid early on in a hotly-contested but scrappy clash, in front of a raucous home crowd.
French superstar Mbappe had a goal ruled out for handball moments before Morocco international Ounahi fired Girona ahead, rifling home from just inside the area to stun their illustrious visitors.
Catalan minnows Girona, 18th, have twice beaten Real Madrid at Montilivi since making their top flight debut in 2017 and for a while it looked like they were going to manage it again.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a stunning save to tip away Vanat’s drive across goal before Los Blancos fought back.
After having a goal disallowed for offside Vinicius was clumsily felled in the box by Hugo Rincon.
Mbappe smashed the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner past Gazzaniga’s dive for his 14th La Liga goal of the campaign.
“Absolutely not the result we wanted tonight, but the league is still on and very long,” wrote Mbappe on social media network Instagram.
“We need to change this dynamic and show who we are as a team.”
Keeping the pressure on
Villarreal playmaker Moleiro netted twice in the second half of a thrilling game in San Sebastian.
Villarreal secured their fifth consecutive league win to stay firmly in the Spanish title fight.
Ayoze Perez sent the visitors ahead midway through the first half and teed up Moleiro for Villarreal’s second soon after the break.
Real Sociedad fought back strongly, with Carlos Soler netting on the hour mark.
The Basque side ramped up the pressure and levelled in the final stages through a spectacular Ander Barrenetxea free-kick.
However, Moleiro had the final say, firing home in the 95th minute to maintain his team’s momentum.
“We had that little bit of luck to get three very important points, as important as they were difficult (to get),” said Marcelino.
“To get 32 points out of a possible 42 to me seems a stunning achievement.”
Elsewhere, Real Betis claimed a 2-0 win at Sevilla in a fiery derby clash which was briefly suspended after home fans threw bottles onto the pitch.
The referee ordered players from the field in the 87th minute at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium, with the match resuming 15 minutes later as Betis held on to fifth place.
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