7. West Ham vs Manchester United, London Stadium
Sunday 22nd September, 2pm
A fixture that’s always good for an ‘upset’, with the visitors winning just two of their last seven league trips to east London. Recent editions have seen Wayne Rooney’s halfway-line wonder goal, West Ham’s dramatic comeback in the last game at the Boleyn Ground, and one of the final nails in Jose Mourinho’s coffin at Old Trafford.
In general, West Ham have a tendency to either really turn up or blow up, and September’s game could prove a good indicator of where Manuel Pellegrini’s side – not to mention Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s – is at.
Last six results:
March 2014 – West Ham 0-2 Man United
February 2015 – West Ham 1-1 Man United
May 2016 – West Ham 3-2 Man United
January 2017 – West Ham 0-2 Man United
May 2018 – West Ham 0-0 Man United
September 2018 – West Ham 3-1 Man United
6. Liverpool vs Crystal Palace, Anfield
Saturday 21st March, 3pm
A game that should be a routine win for Liverpool has been anything but for the last six years. Aside from the obvious headline of Palace winning at Anfield for three years in a row, and threatening Liverpool’s unbeaten home record last season, so many subplots have come to the fore in this particular fixture.
It has facilitated Luis Suarez returning from his biting ban, Steven Gerrard’s last game at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp’s first loss as Liverpool manager and, perhaps most surprising of them all, Christian Benteke scoring a brace.
Last six results:
October 2013 – Liverpool 3-1 Crystal Palace
May 2015 – Liverpool 1-3 Crystal Palace
November 2015 – Liverpool 1-2 Crystal Palace
April 2017 – Liverpool 1-2 Crystal Palace
August 2017 – Liverpool 1-0 Crystal Palace
January 2019 – Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace
5. Manchester City vs Chelsea, Etihad Stadium
Saturday 23rd November, 3pm*
Not always a guarantee of goals, but often fiery and normally relevant - these two have arguably been the dominant forces in the Premier League over the last decade. Chelsea are a bit of an unknown quantity under Frank Lampard, but the man who spent a year at the Etihad would love to get a marquee result in a fixture of this magnitude. Plus, any points City have even a slight chance of dropping could have major ramifications in the title race.
*Likely to change for television
Last six results:
Feb 2014 – Man City 0-1 Chelsea
Sep 2014 – Man City 1-1 Chelsea
Aug 2015 – Man City 3-0 Chelsea
Dec 2016 – Man City 1-3 Chelsea
Mar 2018 – Man City 1-0 Chelsea
Feb 2019 – Man City 6-0 Chelsea
4. Manchester City vs Tottenham, Etihad Stadium
Saturday 17th August, 5:30pm
The first major clash of the season to have ramifications at the top, and a repeat of the extraordinary Champions League quarter-final in April. Excluding 2018/19’s Lord Mayor’s Show follow-up, the last five league iterations have produced 23 goals and all three possible results, so it's a rare fixture when every outcome feels genuinely possible.
VAR drama might rear its head again now that it's implemented in the Premier League, having disallowed the strike Raheem Sterling believed had made it 5-3 to City earlier this year.
Last six results:
November 2013 – Man City 6-0 Spurs
October 2014 – Man City 4-1 Spurs
February 2016 – Man City 1-2 Spurs
January 2017 – Man City 2-2 Spurs
December 2017 – Man City 4-1 Spurs
April 2019 – Man City 1-0 Spurs
3. Everton vs Bournemouth, Goodison Park and Vitality Stadium
Sunday 15th September, 2pm and Sunday 17th May, 3pm
It may have gone under the radar, but this is one of the highest-scoring fixtures in Premier League history. The two sides’ eight meetings have produced 31 goals, 11 of them after the 80th minute, and just two clean sheets between them. The Goodison leg is the final act of the 2019/20 season, so could have a lot riding on it.
The fixture also has a habit of forging unlikely heroes – Junior Stanislas and Oumar Niasse have both grabbed game-changing braces in the past.
Last eight results:
November 2015 – Bournemouth 3-3 Everton
April 2016 – Everton 2-1 Bournemouth
September 2016 – Bournemouth 1-0 Everton
February 2017 – Everton 6-3 Bournemouth
September 2017 – Everton 2-1 Bournemouth
December 2017 – Bournemouth 2-1 Everton
August 2018 – Bournemouth 2-2 Everton
January 2019 – Everton 2-0 Bournemouth
2. Liverpool vs Arsenal, Anfield
Saturday 24th August, 5:30pm
This fixture is another that all but guarantees goals. The last six editions alone have produced 30 of them – five per game on average. For comparison, the overall average for 2018/19 was 2.82 goals per game – the most prolific season ever. That seems certain to continue this term, with both teams possessing stacked frontlines.
It’s sparked multiple fan meltdowns – preserved for eternity by ArsenalFanTV – last-minute equalisers, and been decisive in boosting or breaking league title campaigns. Roberto Firmino (seven goals in four games) loves it.
Last six results:
Feb 2014 - Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal
Dec 2014 - Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal
Jan 2016 - Liverpool 3-3 Arsenal
Mar 2017 - Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
Aug 2017 - Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal
Dec 2018 - Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal
1. Manchester City vs Liverpool, Etihad Stadium
2019/20 fixture: Saturday 4th April, 3pm*
It’s the obvious choice, but the right one too. A centimetre or two was all that separated these sides last year, stopping the visitors from winning the title unbeaten and giving it to the hosts in the process. The title race is likely to be active in April, so this game will almost certainly prove decisive.
Besides that, this fixture tends to be either very close or result in a thrashing, both of which are enjoyable in different ways. Sergio Aguero always scores.
*This’ll be on telly, right?
Last six results:
December 2013 – Man City 2-1 Liverpool
August 2014 – Man City 3-1 Liverpool
November 2015 – Man City 1-4 Liverpool
March 2017 – Man City 1-1 Liverpool
September 2017 – Man City 5-0 Liverpool
January 2019 – Man City 2-1 Liverpool
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