Who is the hardest? Opta analyzes the difficulty of starting the new season of Premier League teams: Manchester United Gunners Reds have a difficult start

June 18th, the 2025-26 Premier League schedule has just been released. Opta analyzed which teams have the easiest starts in the new season and which are the most difficult.

The strength rankings of these teams are based on a scoring system that rate more than 15,000 teams around the world. The strongest team currently has 100 points and the weakest is 0 points. These scores are then used to sort the team from strongest to weakest.

This ranges from Liverpool (ranked first in the world, with Opta's strength score of 100.0, so it is the hardest opponent to deal with) to Sunderland (ranked 123rd in the world, with Opta's strength score of 82.3, so it is the "easiest" team to deal with in the Premier League).

The following are the results of the analysis:

The first five matches analysis

Manchester United was given the most difficult start of the new season among all Premier League clubs. Their top five opponents have an average Opta strength score of up to 94.6. After playing against Arsenal at home, they will challenge Fulham away, then play a new teammate Burnley at home, and then play a Manchester derby with Manchester City in the fourth round. Finally, they will face Chelsea at home in the 5th round.

It was also a difficult start for Arsenal. They must deal with the first round away challenge to Manchester United, and then in the second round, they will also play the difficult and promoted Leeds United away. In the third round of the away game, Liverpool was challenged by Liverpool, and in the fifth round of the home game against Manchester City, the fourth round of the middle, facing the dark horse team Nottingham Forest at home.

For Arteta, the positive side is that Manchester United has not won any of the last six games against Arsenal in various matches, although last season, United eliminated Arsenal through a penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool's top five opponents have an average Opta strength score of 93.3, giving them the fifth tough start in the 2025-26 Premier League season.

Aston Villa is considered to have the easiest start, with their average Opta strength score of 90.9 in the first five rounds.

The first ten matches analysis

Liverpool have been arranged for the most difficult first ten games of the 2025-26 season, and Slot's team will face an opponent with an average Opta strength score of 93.5.

In the first ten rounds, they will face four teams from last season's top six teams, plus away challenge to FA Cup champion Crystal Palace, and home against Manchester United in the 8th round. The Wolves were given the most "easy" start of the season. Their 10 opponents have an average Opta rating of 91.2, but they do face one of the toughest first round games - home against Manchester City.

Sunderland and Leeds United were both arranged to start with a relatively easy start. Only Chelsea and Wolves' top ten opponents have lower average Opta strength ratings.