Football: English Premier League to begin Friday

Manchester City to defend crown while Tottenham, Liverpool, United, Arsenal and Chelsea hungry to capture the elusive title

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) – The English Premier League’s 2019/20 season will kick off on Friday with the opening match between Champions League holders Liverpool and Norwich City at the Reds' Anfield Stadium.

Manchester City will try to defend their Premier League title, as they play against London’s West Ham in an away match at London Stadium on Aug.10.

Manchester City dominated the Premier League over the last two seasons, as they take the field for a three-peat.

In the first week of the league, Tottenham Hotspur – Champions League runners up -- will host newly promoted Aston Villa on Saturday.

Arsenal will face Newcastle United in their first game of the season on Aug. 11.

English League’s the most title winning team Manchester United will try to end their title drought this season as they have been unable to lift the league title since 2013.

Red Devils did not meet expectations in the previous season, finishing the league at sixth place.

They will host last season’s UEFA Europa League winner Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

London-based heavyweights Chelsea hired their former player, Frank Lampard, as new manager in July following the departure of Italian head coach Maurizio Sarri.

- VAR to be used for first time

This season, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will make its debut in the Premier League, as well as in major European leagues La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1.

According to the German statistic website Transfermarkt, the Premier League is the most valuable league organization in Europe with a total of €9.24 billion ($10,36 billion) market value of the players.

In another first-time implementation, the Premier League will go on a mid-season break on 8-15 Feb., 2020.

- Arsenal broke club record for Pepe

Arsenal strengthened their squad ahead of the new season under the management of Spanish Unai Emery.

London club set the club record for Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe, 24, from Lille, as they paid €80 million ($89,67 million).

Arsenal signed a contract with 18-year-old defender William Saliba for €30 million ($33,63 million) from the French team Saint-Etienne.

They also transferred Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli from Brazil's Ituano for €6.7 million ($7,51 million).

The Gunners also loaned Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid.

Manchester City paid €70 million ($78,46 million) to Atletico Madrid for Spanish midfielder Rodri. They also signed Portuguese right-back Joao Cancelo from Juventus for €65 million ($72,86 million).

Last season’s runners up Liverpool bought only one new player this summer while transferring the 17-year-old defender Sepp van den Berg from Holland club Zwolle.

Leicester City's defender Harry Maguire joined Manchester United and inked a six-year deal with the club in summer transfer window.

United also signed right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka for €55 million ($61,65 million), while Daniel James moved to Manchester club for €17 million ($19,06 million) from Swansea City.

Tottenham Hotspur inked contracts with Olympique Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele and Jack Clarke from Leeds United during this summer's transfer period.

- Manchester United still most successful team in Premier League

Manchester United are still the all-time winners of the English League with 20 titles, besting Liverpool's 18 titles and Arsenal's 13.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Sunderland won the domestic title six times.

First week fixtures in Premier League:

Friday:

Liverpool v Norwich City

Saturday:

West Ham United v Manchester City

Bournemouth v Sheffield United

Crystal Palace v Everton

Burnley v Southampton