Premier League 2020-21 Discussion Thread Soccer

[Dylan]

Last season only finished a few weeks ago but we are already less than a month away, kicking off the new season on September 12th.

Let's have your news, views and discussions on the Premier League 2020-21 season.

Four new bets set up in the Sportsbook (I've added them to the first post in this thread too)*

https://idlechatter.co.uk/sportsbook/premier-league-2020-21-outright-winner.24/

https://idlechatter.co.uk/sportsbook/premier-league-2020-21-relegation.26/

https://idlechatter.co.uk/sportsbook/premier-league-2020-21-special-bets.25/

https://idlechatter.co.uk/sportsbook/premier-league-2020-21-top-goalscorer.27/

*these bets close on 17th October 2020

 

[Tom]

Champions Liverpool will face Championship winners Leeds United in the standout opening weekend game of the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Championship play-off winners Fulham will host Arsenal, while West Bromwich Albion, the third promoted side, are at home to Leicester City.

The opening round of fixtures will take place on the weekend of 12 September.

However, Manchester City v Aston Villa and Burnley v Manchester United will be rearranged.

Those two games will not be played on the opening weekend to give City and United 30 days since their defeats in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Europa League respectively.

Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers' opening matches are both scheduled for Monday, 14 September after their slightly earlier European exits.

The Blues are at Brighton, while Wolves go to Sheffield United.

The other opening weekend fixtures are Crystal Palace v Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur v Everton and West Ham United v Newcastle United.

Exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed when the television selections are made. Matches will be played behind closed doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Postponed​

Burnley v Man Utd
Man City v Aston Villa

Saturday 12 September​

Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds Utd
Spurs v Everton
West Brom v Leicester City
West Ham v Newcastle Utd

Monday 14 September​

20:00 Brighton v Chelsea
20:00 Sheffield Utd v Wolves

 

[Tom]

Fixture congestion incoming.

With the season starting a month later than usual because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the games will come thick and fast.

The upcoming campaign will be five weeks shorter than a standard season because of the late end to 2019-20 - and the winter break has been scrapped.

Arsenal and Liverpool meet in the Community Shield on 29 August, with players then going on an international break for the Nations League before the Premier League starts.

Manchester City v Aston Villa could be played on 15 September, with Burnley v Manchester United the following day - although that is yet to be confirmed.

Those are the dates Premier League clubs not in Europe enter the Carabao Cup at the second round.

Rounds two to four of that competition, which will involve top-flight sides, will be played midweek on 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30 September.

Spurs start Europa League qualifying on 17 September and could end up with two first-team matches in the same midweek.

There are rounds of Premier League games due on 26 December, 28 December and 2 January over the festive period.

The final league fixtures will be on 23 May 2021 - eight days after the FA Cup final.

The Champions League final is on 29 May, with the delayed Euro 2020 starting on 11 June.

 

[Mouth]

Thank goodness the football is back!

There are just 14 games before Christmas, the FA Cup is now a one match per round format

 

[Dylan]

Changes behind the scenes at Arsenal continue as Freddie Ljungberg quits.

 

[David76]

 https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1298293674833477633

Harry Maguire found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery. Sentencing due later today.

 

[Son Of Jack]

Harry Maguire found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery. Sentencing due later today.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after his trial on the Greek island of Syros.

The England defender, 27, was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees, and insult after arrest on Mykonos.

Maguire said after Tuesday's verdict that he had instructed his legal team "with immediate effect to inform the courts we will be appealing".

"I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter - if anything myself, family, and friends are the victims," he added.

Later on Tuesday, England manager Gareth Southgate withdrew Maguire from the squad for September's Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark.

 

[Tom]

He should be stripped of the United captaincy in my opinion.

 

[Son Of Jack]

Maguire has been granted a full retrial in Greece with the initial court verdict and conviction 'nullified', Manchester United have announced.

 

[Mouth]

I wonder what the chances are that a shed load of players pick up Covid on international duty and the start of the league season is postponed.