From the best matchday one fixtures to sneaky headlines and title race winners, we give you a taste of what to expect for the 2024-25 English Premier League season.
We are right around the corner from the return of the most popular football league in the world, the English Premier League, so what better to do than dive into preview mode and give you the Urban Pitch mini-guide to the 2024-25 EPL season?
We’ll cover opening weekend, answer some important questions, highlight the best storylines, and give you everything in between.
Opening Weekend
Matchday one of the Premier League is always a movie, and the fixture makers have blessed us with some incredibly tasty showdowns to kick things off.
The Lowkey Pick: West Ham vs. Aston Villa
This is a battle between two teams that have had sensational summer windows, and I am backing them to perform incredibly well this season (more on that later).
Villa were the neutral’s darling in 2023-24, and their hyper-aggressive and wildly entertaining style was both fun and effective, seeing them qualify for the UEFA Champions League. They have strengthened in key areas with the likes of Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen, and Jaden Philogene, and look set to push at the top of the table once again.
Conversely, West Ham have had a turbulent time of late but ended last season fairly well to finish in ninth just behind Manchester United. The biggest story for the Hammers is their summer transfer window. They’ve had, in my opinion, the best window of any top-flight English team, picking up a Champions League quality marksman in Niclas Füllkrug, a PL-proven highly touted center-back in Max Kilman, and arguably the best player in the EFL Championship last season Crysencio Summerville.
Look for a brilliant tactical battle here and hopefully, plenty of goals.
Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Villa
The Obvious Choice: Chelsea vs. Manchester City
There’s very little convincing I need to do when it comes to this fixture. It’s the biggest name clash you’ll find in Europe for the opening weekend, as the defending champions open their title defense against a wayward Chelsea.
Chelsea’s summer has been largely scrutinized as they approach double-digit signings for the summer, and their squad shows no sign of being cut down anytime soon. With new manager Enzo Maresca at the helm, it will be intriguing to see just how much of an impact a full preseason with his new squad will have had.
For City, it’s been just one signing, Brazilian winger Savinho; which in all honesty might just be enough. They have a squad with almost no major holes, perhaps the only one being in the attack since losing Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid. Although, with Erling Haaland surrounded by the wealth of attacking brilliance at Pep Guardiola’s disposal, if it’s one team that won’t miss a backup No. 9 too much, it’s them.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-3 City
Sneaky Good Headline: Growing Strength Outside the “Big Six”
The growth of the Premier League in the 21st century has been astronomical and has shown very few signs of slowing down. With TV deals and club sponsorships at an all-time high, there are more available funds for clubs that have not traditionally been powerhouses; and we are seeing quite a few utilize these resources to wonderful effect.
The most notable in recent years have been the brilliance of Brighton under Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford’s instant impact upon promotion a few seasons ago, and last season’s exploits by Unai Emery’s Aston Villa that will see them return to the grandest stage in Europe this season, the Champions League.
So what clubs will be the next to look to bridge the gap between the league’s richest, most prestigious clubs, and the rest? For my money, there are three good options. Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Bournemouth, with Palace having the best shot at making a run for a European spot.
Young Players to Watch
- Adam Wharton, Crystal Palace
- Omari Hutchinson, Ipswich Town
- Archie Gray, Tottenham Hotspur
Survival Guide: Which Newly Promoted Side Will Avoid the Drop?
Ipswich Town
The Tractor Boys are one of the most exciting newly promoted teams we’ve had in some time. Back-to-back promotions while playing some genuinely gorgeous football along the way, they’ll most certainly give us a show.
It was imperative that they retained their star young manager Kieran McKenna this summer. The Northern Irishman was highly touted and reportedly chased by both Chelsea and Manchester United in the early stages of the summer window before he eventually signed a contract extension. This was for good reason, he has a wonderful blend of tactical brilliance, elite man-management, and a warm personality. As far as modern-day managers go, he’s one of the most promising.
The challenge for Ipswich will be their squad depth. They have made a few very good signings in defense and attack but their engine room needs bolstering. Leif Davis and Omari Hutchinson will be their key players to watch all season, with much of their attacking impetus resting on the shoulders of these two young stars.
This could go one of two ways, the Burnley route, or the Brentford route. For Ipswich fans’ sake, let’s hope for the latter.
The Title Race
It’s what you all came for in all honesty. The Premier League title race this season will be just as hotly contested between the top two. Manchester City look to rewrite history once again with a fifth consecutive Premier League triumph, while Arsenal look to finally get over the hump and deliver on their brilliant seasons past.
A major factor in Arsenal getting over the hump is depth. Manchester City have been the gold standard for squad depth in world football for a number of years, it’s one of the reasons they consistently perform across all fronts, challenging for every major title achievable.
This summer the Gunners have only made one signing, Riccardo Calafiori, the highly touted center back from Bologna. It’s vital to note that Calafiori has the experience and pedigree to play in a left-back position, making him an ideal fit for Mikel Arteta’s system.
While this was technically their only signing, Jurrien Timber is set to play a huge role for Arsenal this season, after a horrible ACL injury early on in 2023-24 saw him miss the entire year. These options add immensely to Arsenal’s defensive line (which was already the league’s best) and keep them neck and neck with the Citizens.
A major question will once again be if Arsenal have the firepower required to go at it with City all the way. At the moment the answer is a tentative maybe, however, I expect them to make at least one more signing, this time in attack, and more or less complete Arteta’s squad. In my opinion, it has to be this year for Arsenal.
Prediction: Arsenal finally make it happen, Martin Ødegaard lifts the famed trophy at the end of the season after a long-winded two-horse race from start to finish.
