The pre-season friendlies really ramp up now, with all bar four of the 20 Premier League clubs scheduled to be in action from Friday to Sunday. It’s our busiest weekend of the summer to date.
Some top-flight teams are even playing each other, with the Premier League Summer Series getting underway.
Brighton and Hove Albion, Leeds United, Chelsea and Manchester City are the odd ones out but don’t be surprised if the Seagulls and the Whites are in action in behind-closed-doors friendlies that haven’t been announced. The other two, of course, are on belated post-season breaks following involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup.
- READ MORE: 7 things we learned about Man City at the Club World Cup
- READ MORE: 6 things we learned about Chelsea from the Club World Cup
Here are all the declared friendlies so far:
| Match | Date | Kick-off time (BST) |
|---|---|---|
| Gil Vicente v Brentford | Friday 25 July | 7.30pm |
| Crawley Town v Crystal Palace | Friday 25 July | 7.30pm |
| Tottenham Hotspur v Wycombe Wanderers Luton Town v Tottenham Hotspur | Saturday 26 July | 11am 3pm |
| Liverpool v AC Milan | Saturday 26 July | 12.30pm |
| Huddersfield Town v Burnley Shrewsbury Town v Burnley | Saturday 26 July | 3pm 3pm |
| Heart of Midlothian v Sunderland | Saturday 26 July | 3pm |
| Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers | Saturday 26 July | 3pm |
| Fulham v Nottingham Forest | Saturday 26 July | 8pm |
| Bournemouth v Everton | Saturday 26 July | 9pm |
| Aston Villa v Eintracht Frankfurt | Sunday 27 July | 12am |
| Manchester United v West Ham United | Sunday 27 July | 12am |
| Arsenal v Newcastle United | Sunday 27 July | 12.30pm |
Times come from each club’s official website
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
FRIDAY
We’ve seen most Premier League teams in action already in pre-season but tonight will be our first proper look at Keith Andrews’ Brentford.
Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) has already exited, while Yoane Wissa (£7.5m) has left the pre-season camp in Portugal amid speculation over his future. So, we’ll see a fresh-looking frontline against Gil Vicente, with Igor Thiago (£6.0m) and Fabio Carvalho (£5.0m) alongside Kevin Schade (£7.0m). Antoni Milambo (£5.5m), and Gustavo Nunes (£5.0m) will likely get game-time from the bench, too.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace are away at Crawley this evening. This will be our first sighting of Daniel Munoz (£5.5m) and Eberechi Eze (£7.5m), who have had an extended post-season break due to involvement in the June internationals. Eze starts, with Munoz a sub.
SATURDAY
Might we get our first glimpse of Hugo Ekitike (£8.5m) this weekend? This game may come too soon for the Frenchman but he has had his first training session with his new teammates, so there’s an outside possibility.
We will, at least, get to witness Florian Wirtz (£8.5m) in a first ‘proper’ friendly after the behind-closed-doors kickabout with Stoke City last weekend.
The Premier League Summer Series kicks off in the States (United States), meanwhile, with Bournemouth facing Everton. The Toffees’ major summer acquisition, Thierno Barry (£6.0m), is with his new teammates in America, so we should see him in action across the pond.
In Edinburgh, Sunderland’s injury-hit backline could be set for a boost with a first appearance from Reinildo (£4.0m). One of the few £4.0m FPL defenders with genuine game-time prospects, he’s been in training for a week and could face Heart of Midlothian.
Keep a watch on the budget defenders on show in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ trip to Stoke City, too. Ki-Jana Hoever (£4.0m) was at right wing-back last weekend as the search for a new Nelson Semedo drags on. While it’s questionable whether he’s the long-term solution there, Hugo Bueno (£4.5m) and Rodrigo Gomes (£4.5m) may well be in a straight fight for Rayan Ait-Nouri‘s (£6.0m) vacated gung-ho wing-back role.
Thomas Frank and Scott Parker will be splitting their squads across two friendlies on Saturday, while Fulham and Nottingham Forest face each other.
SUNDAY
Who won’t be on show is the big talking point from Newcastle United’s clash with Arsenal on Sunday.
Officially, Alexander Isak (£10.5m) is absent from the Magpies’ travelling squad to Asia with a “minor thigh injury”. But we all know now that the Swede is wantaway – so it’ll be interesting to hear what Eddie Howe says to the attending media before and after this weekend’s clash.
Lewis Hall (£5.5m) is back from injury and has made the trip to the Far East but Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.0m) sits this one out again.
At midnight on Saturday night/Sunday morning, the second Summer Series game sees the Uniteds of West Ham and Manchester meet. Bryan Mbeumo (£8.0m) should make his Red Devils debut.
Ollie Watkins (£9.0m) is meanwhile poised for his first Aston Villa run-out of the summer.
