
The Premier League returns this weekend with a fascinating first round of fixtures, as several of last season's leading clubs begin new eras following a summer of significant change.
Champions Arsenal begin their title defence at home to newly promoted Coventry City, who face an immediate test of their top-flight credentials. They are not the only newcomers handed a difficult televised assignment, with Hull City hosting Manchester United, who will hope to join the title picture after Michael Carrick steadied the ship last term.
Tottenham Hotspur are also targeting significant improvement after successive 17th-place finishes. Spurs travel to Brentford on Saturday evening, with the Bees looking to build on an impressive first campaign under Keith Andrews.
Sunday features several teams with a very different look. Manchester City begin life without Pep Guardiola as Enzo Maresca takes charge at the Etihad for the first time against Bournemouth, themselves now managed by Marco Rose.
Former Cherries boss Andoni Iraola leads Liverpool into an intriguing trip to Newcastle United, who have parted ways with Eddie Howe and extensively reshaped their squad.
The weekend is rounded off on Monday night by a west London derby between Fulham and Chelsea, with the Blues expected to challenge Arsenal for the title under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Premier League tipster Ben Smith has picked a five-leg accumulator across those matches. All selections are available with BetMGM, who are offering competitive Premier League odds across the full round of opening matches.
Hull massively overachieved last season, and Manchester United's short price to beat them on Saturday tells you everything about how the market views the playoff winners.
The Red Devils are too short to tip outright, but their price to win to nil appeals. United ended last term with three consecutive clean sheets and, while there are valid concerns about their defensive depth once injuries inevitably begin to bite, Carrick has a clean bill of health at the back for matchday one.
Hull, meanwhile, remain severely lacking in attacking options and appear to have plenty of transfer business still to do.
Brentford were one of the Premier League's stronger home sides last term, losing just three times at the Gtech and beating Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa along the way. Their attacking threat remains largely intact, with Igor Thiago coming off a 22-goal campaign and looking sharp again in pre-season.
Tottenham have strengthened considerably over the summer and should carry more attacking threat under Roberto De Zerbi, but injuries have complicated De Zerbi's plans. Several important players could miss out, while a new-look defence featuring Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson may need time to settle.
Sunday's Community Shield exposed plenty of problems in this Manchester City side, but there is reason to expect a much better performance here. Several players had only recently returned to training following the World Cup, leaving Enzo Maresca with limited preparation time before the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Another week on the training ground should help, and City have an inviting fixture in which to respond. Bournemouth arrive with a lengthy list of fitness concerns as Rose prepares for his first competitive game in charge, hardly ideal circumstances for a trip to the Etihad.
Alexander Isak is in a much better position to make an impact for Liverpool this season. His build-up to last year's campaign was badly compromised by the transfer saga with Sunday's opponents, Newcastle, while a fractured fibula later ensured it never really got going.
There have been no such problems in recent months. Isak stayed fit throughout the World Cup and has been able to build towards the new season properly, with a goal against Monaco among the positive signs during Liverpool's warm-up matches.
A return to St James' Park also brings an appealing match-up. The Newcastle side Isak left behind has been dismantled over the summer, with several established players departing alongside Howe. Their replacements offer plenty of promise but are predominantly young, and recreating the organisation and resilience Newcastle regularly showed at home under Howe is unlikely to happen overnight.
Chelsea look well placed to make a winning start under Xabi Alonso. The Blues have improved their squad, and expectations are that they can mount a genuine title challenge after last year's disappointment.
Fulham provide an interesting test, but they are undergoing an even greater transition following Marco Silva's departure. Alvaro Arbeloa has little senior managerial experience and is overseeing a younger, heavily reshaped squad. There may be plenty to like about Fulham eventually - it's one that could go either way over the next few months - but Chelsea can take advantage while their neighbours are still finding their feet.
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