Premier League returns today

Defending Champions Liverpool will be in action today (Saturday) as Premier League’s 2020-21 season kicks off in London.

The opening match of the campaign will be played between Arsenal and Fulham at the Craven Cottage, while Liverpool will take on returning Leeds United later in the day at the Anfield.

Leeds United have waited 16 long years to return to the Premier League and Marcelo Bielsa's side will get a very clear reminder of what they are now up against when they face champions.

Juergen Klopp's side dominated the Premier League last season, winning their first domestic league title for 30 years by a massive 18-point margin from Manchester City.

Leeds won the second-tier Championship by 10 points to secure their long-awaited promotion and are entering the top flight on a high, though it is a pity that their fans will still not be able to support their team in person.

Allot of excitement is expected thought out the season as several multi-million pound stars are set to take the field under new rules yet still no fans.

Just as coronavirus forced a three-month suspension of play last season, so it will have a huge impact on the game in 2020/21.

No fans will be allowed to go into grounds to begin with and, for the first time ever, every game in September will be shown live on TV.

In other fixtures of the day, Crystal Palace will take on Southampton while West Ham will face Newcastle United.

Fifteen clubs in this season's Premier League have been English top-flight champions in their history. This is the most former winners to compete in an English top-flight season since the same number did so in the 1969-70 campaign.

Two of those former champions, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, meet on Sunday in North London in a match which pits Jose Mourinho against Carlo Ancelotti.

Spurs are searching for the consistency they so lacked last season while Everton have strengthened impressively in the transfer market with James Rodriguez, Brazilian Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure transforming their midfield.

Chelsea, fourth last season, have been the busiest of all in the transfer market and several of their new faces are set to make their debuts in Monday night's game at Brighton.

Manchester City and Manchester United, second and third last term, both have bye weeks after being involved in European competition in August.