Premier League gameweek 1 statspack

Five key facts and stats for all 10 Premier League fixtures this weekend

Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League
Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League | Stu Forster/GettyImages
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The Premier League is back, with the new season commencing at Old Trafford on Friday night, so we bring you five key facts and stats for all ten fixtures taking place this weekend.

Manchester United vs Fulham: Friday 8pm

Fulham were 2-1 winners at Old Trafford when the two sides last met in February, ending an 18-match winless streak in this fixture, while it was their first away win over Manchester United since 2003, and only their fourth ever in 47 visits to the Theatre of Dreams.

Between 1972 and 2014, Manchester United didn't lose a single opening day fixture at home; they've subsequently tasted defeat in three out of eight, defeated by Swansea a decade ago, Crystal Palace in 2020 and Brighton in Erik ten Hag's first match in charge.

Only twice have the Red Devils scored 5+ in an opening day fixture, hammering Leeds 5-1 three seasons ago as well as Fulham themselves by the same scoreline in 2006.

Bruno Fernandes was the match-winner at Craven Cottage back in October, taking his tally to four goals in his last four appearances against Fulham; the Portuguese midfielder remains the only Man United player to bag an opening weekend hat-trick since Lou Macari 47 years ago.

Following a 1-0 victory at Goodison 12 months ago, Marco Silva's side are targeting a win on the opening day of back-to-back top-flight seasons for the first time since 2013.

Ipswich Town vs Liverpool: Saturday 12:30pm

This will be Ipswich Town's first Premier League match since May 2002 which, coincidentally, was a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, having also been smashed 6-0 the last time the Reds visited Suffolk three months earlier.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 11 opening day fixtures, dating back to a 3-0 hammering at the Hawthorns in 2012, the longest ongoing streak of any Premier League outfit.

None of the last six Liverpool managers have won their first league game in charge of the club, with Graeme Souness in 1991 the most-recent to do so.

The Reds are unbeaten in six visits to Portman Road, dating back to 1986.

Mohamed Salah has faced 31 different Premier League opponents during his career, with Ipswich set to become the 32nd, scoring against 27 of them; Swansea, Luton, Sunderland and Liverpool themselves the sole exceptions.