Chelsea will kick off the new Premier League season with a London derby clash against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea vs Crystal Palace fixture is set for Sunday, August 17, 2025, with kick-off at 2pm BST. Both teams have endured a busy summer, with Chelsea lifting the Club World Cup in mid-July after goals from Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro sealed a victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Betting Preview for Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Betting On Chelsea Chelsea come into the season as freshly crowned Club World Cup champions, having beaten Paris Saint-Germain in mid-July with goals from Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro. Despite a shortened summer break, they returned to pre-season in strong form, recording back-to-back friendly wins over AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen. New signings Jamie Gittens, Estevao, and Jorrel Hato are in line for their competitive debuts, while Liam Delap and Pedro already have minutes from the Club World Cup. The Blues scored six goals in their two pre-season outings and will look to carry that momentum into this fixture. Betting On Crystal Palace Crystal Palace begin the season after a mixed summer. The high of winning the FA Cup and securing Europa League qualification was quickly followed by demotion to the Conference League due to a multi-club ownership violation. However, they bounced back by lifting the Community Shield, defeating Liverpool on penalties. The Eagles will take confidence from that win, but facing Chelsea away from home in their opening league fixture is a stern challenge. MatchPlug Prediction For Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Chelsea remain an unpredictable force this season, but their sharp pre-season form and quality in attack make them favourites here. Palace have shown resilience but often struggle at Stamford Bridge. Our prediction for Sunday’s derby is a Chelsea win to start their Premier League campaign on the right foot. Final Prediction: Chelsea Moneyline

Manchester City begin their 2025-26 Premier League season with a trip to Molineux on Saturday to face Wolves. Read our preview of the Wolves vs Manchester City match. Pep Guardiola’s men will aim to make a strong start in their quest for a seventh league title in nine years, while the hosts look to upset the champions early on. Betting Preview for Wolves vs Manchester City  Betting On Wolves Wolves enter this season looking to rebound from a summer of major changes, including the departure of Matheus Cunha, Aït-Nouri, and captain Nelson Semedo. Vitor Pereira’s side endured a winless pre-season and will be hoping new arrivals can spark a turnaround. Jhon Arias, signed from Fluminense after an impressive Club World Cup campaign, could be the creative spark Wolves need, while David Moller Wolfe is in line for his debut at left wing-back. Yerson Mosquera is working his way back from injury, and Jorgen Strand Larsen will lead the attack. Wolves have struggled against City in recent years, losing nine of their last ten meetings, but they will draw inspiration from their 2-1 home win in September 2023. Betting On Manchester City City’s preparations have been hampered by injuries and a short pre-season. Rodri is a doubt with a groin issue, while Phil Foden, Claudio Echeverri, and Mateo Kovacic are also injury concerns. Even with those setbacks, City’s quality remains high. A summer addition from Wolves bolsters their squad, and Guardiola will expect a fast start despite last season’s patchy away form. The champions beat Wolves home and away last season, both by a one-goal margin, and will look for another composed performance here. MatchPlug Prediction for Wolves vs Manchester City Wolves’ lack of cutting edge without Cunha and a poor pre-season record may prove costly against a City side that usually grinds out wins in these fixtures.  Expect a competitive but ultimately controlled display from Guardiola’s men. Prediction: Manchester City Moneyline

The Premier League returns with a blockbuster fixture as Manchester United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 17th, 2025, in the afternoon headline slot. Read our preview for the Man UTD vs Arsenal. Both teams will be eager to kick off their 2025-26 campaigns with a win. Before you lock in your picks for Sunday’s game, read below for Matchplug’s picks and analysis in this preview. Betting Preview for Man Utd vs Arsenal Betting On Man Utd Manchester United have a slight edge historically in this rivalry and are unbeaten in their last two meetings with Arsenal across all competitions — a penalty shoot-out win in the FA Cup last season and a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in May. Ruben Amorim’s side has undergone major attacking changes this summer, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha to form a brand-new front line. While this boosts their firepower, questions remain over their defensive solidity, which could make this game open and high-scoring. Betting On Arsenal Arsenal head into the season as last year’s best defensive side in the Premier League, having kept their backline intact over the summer. The Gunners have also bolstered their attack with Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, reuniting him with his former boss Amorim’s opposite number. Mikel Arteta has a decision to make on whether to start Gyokeres in this clash, but Arsenal’s balanced squad and consistency make them a tough opponent. They will look to turn their dominance in possession into tangible results at Old Trafford. MatchPlug Prediction For Man Utd vs Arsenal Manchester United’s attacking reinforcements could make them more dangerous going forward, but Arsenal’s defensive strength and recent consistency may see them edge this contest. The Gunners will have to be wary of United’s new-look attack, but they should have enough quality to grab all three points. Final Prediction: Arsenal to win narrowly.