The Premier League fixtures for the 2022/23 season have finally been released.
Clubs now know who they will be both starting their campaigns against as they aim to make a quick-fire start to the season. The opening day will of course be filled with plenty of intrigue following a near three-month absence of top-flight football.
The first weekend of the campaign has often thrown up some historic encounters, often filled with goal-mouth action and thrilling finishes and Mirror Sport is on hand to look at the best of them.
August 15 1992: Crystal Palace 3-3 Blackburn Rovers
A game that could be described as the first goal-fest of the Premier League era, the clash between Palace and Blackburn at Selhurst Park went down in history for a number of reasons. Mark Wright scored the opener for the hosts before the break, with Stuart Ripley on hand to equalise for Blackburn just five minutes later.
England boss Gareth Southgate then edged Palace back ahead after the hour mark. The league’s leading goalscorer - Alan Shearer - then got the first two of his goals to complete the turnaround for Blackburn.
Heading into the final moments, there was still enough time for Simon Osborn to level matters and claim a point for the Eagles.
August 20 1994: Sheffield Wednesday 3-4 Tottenham Hotspur
There was a slight wait for another clash to be as encapsulating as the showdown at Selhurst Park but Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham took it to new levels. Teddy Sheringham and Darren Anderton both scored within 30 minutes at Hillsborough, with Dan Petrescu reducing the deficit in the second-half.
A Colin Calderwood own-goal then saw the Owls level matters but Spurs were not to be denied as further strikes from Nick Barmby and German sensation Jurgen Klinsmann saw the north-Londoners claim victory. David Hirst did manage to find the net late on but his goal only ended up as a consolation.
August 19 1995: Southampton 3-4 Nottingham Forest
A strange quirk of fate occurred in this game in that a player netted a hat-trick but still ended up on the losing side. Saints legend Matt Le Tissier hit a treble throughout the game - two of which came from the penalty spot.
However, goals from Colin Cooper and Ian Woan - as well as a brace from Bryan Roy - edged out the host on what was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon on the South Coast.
What do you think is the standout fixture on the opening day of the Premier League season? Share your thoughts in the comments below
August 17 1996: Derby County 3-3 Leeds United
With a 1-0 advantage at half-time courtesy of Jacob Laursen’s own-goal, it did not appear that Leeds would be involved in a stunning clash with Derby County at the start of the 1996/97 season. That is exactly what happened though.
Ian Harte doubled the visitors’ lead on 72 minutes. Dean Sturridge then hauled the Rams back into the tie with a stunning drive from the edge of the area, with Paul Simpson equalising just one minute later.
Leeds thought they had denied the Midlanders a point after Lee Bowyer found the net only for Sturridge to score again with just two minutes of normal time remaining.
August 17 1996: Middlesbrough 3-3 Liverpool
Whilst Derby and Leeds were exchanging blows, the same could have been said of the clash between Middlesbrough and Liverpool at the Riverside Stadium on the same day.
Stig Inge Bjornebye scored the opener early on, with Italian icon Fabrizio Ravanelli equalising from the spot. John Barnes re-claimed the lead for Liverpool only to see Ravanelli on the scoresheet once more.
The goals continued to come as Robbie Fowler netted after the break only to see Ravanelli complete his treble in the closing stages.
August 20 2006: Manchester United 5-1 Fulham
A real sign of intent from the eventual champions, the Red Devils thrashed their hapless visitors in what was a stunning display of finishing. The game already had plenty of attention due to the reunion of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney - the Portuguese having seemingly contributed to the striker’s sending-off at the World Cup.
There was absolutely no sign of tension though as the pair scored a goal each, with Louis Saha and an own-goal from Ian Pearce making it 4-0 after just 19 minutes. Heidar Helguson reduced the deficit before the break but Rooney restored the Red Devils’ four-goal advantage in the second-half.
August 15 2009: Everton 1-6 Arsenal
Speaking of thumpings...there was that and more at Goodison Park back in 2009 as Arsenal laid down the gauntlet to their title rivals. Denilson, Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas all scored in the first-period.
Their advantage was made even more comfortable by a second-half Cesc Fabregas brace, as well as a further strike from Eduardo. Louis Saha made the scoreline marginally more respectable late on after a miserable day for the Toffees.
August 8 2015: Leicester City 4-2 Sunderland
One that might be forgotten in the annals of the Premier League but a game that was the opening chapter of the most unlikely title tilt in history. Having battled relegation the season prior, Leicester welcomed Sunderland to the King Power Stadium in what looked like another basement battle.
However, the Foxes blew away their visitors. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez both found the net in the opening 20 minutes with the Algerian extending the advantage further from the spot. Jermain Defoe’s strike on the hour did threaten a slight comeback before Marc Albrighton slammed home a low effort to restore the Foxes’ three goal advantage.
Steven Fletcher got his name on the scoresheet to round off a fiery game on a sizzling day in the East Midlands.
August 14 2016: Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool
After Theo Walcott and Phillipe Coutinho exchanged strikes at the Emirates Stadium in 2016, there was little suggestion of what was to come afer the break. However, the Reds re-emerged fired up as Adam Lallana and Coutinho once again scored before Sadio Mane rounded off a stunning seven minutes with a sensational solo strike.
The goalscoring was not quite finished there. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reduced the deficit for the hosts - ironically before his switch to opponents Liverpool - with Calum Chambers then getting Arsene Wenger ’s men to within one. They were not able to force home the equaliser though.
August 11 2017: Arsenal 4-3 Leicester City
Having been involved in a seven-match thriller the year before, fortune was finally with Arsenal almost 12 months later as they edged past Leicester City in what was a Friday evening showdown at the Emirates. The Gunners actually got off to the perfect start as Alexandre Lacazette headed home on his debut after just two minutes.
The visitors replied in-kind though as Shinji Okazaki equalised from close range before Jamie Vardy speared them ahead just before the half-hour mark. Danny Welbeck restored parity minutes before the break but Arsenal’s defence proved to be their undoing once more as Vardy doubled his evening’s work from a corner.
With only seven minutes of normal time remaining, Aaron Ramsey struck a dramatic equaliser, leaving Olivier Giroud the job of lifting the roof of the Emirates Stadium with his 85th minute winning goal.
August 12 2017: Watford 3-3 Liverpool
If Arsenal had set the tone of the 2017/18 season, then Liverpool continued it emphatically. The Reds surprisingly fell-behind to Watford in just the eighth minute of their campaign as Stefano Okaka opened the scoring.
Sadio Mane levelled matters for Jurgen Klopp’s men, only to see Abdoulaye Doucoure restore the hosts’ lead just three minutes later. The Reds soon got back on track after the break as a Roberto Firmino spot-kick and a strike from Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah saw them complete the turnaround.
Watford were not to be denied though as Miguel Britos converted in the third minute of stoppage time to round-off an encapsulating clash.
12 September 2020: Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United
The most recent of the opening day thrillers, Liverpool were once again involved. Heading into the season as champions, it was a different environment for the Reds in that the year began without fans. That is not to say the entertainment on offer was any less.
Salah scored the opener from the penalty spot after just four minutes, with Jack Harrison then stealing a shock equaliser. Virgil van Dijk restored Liverpool’s lead only to see Patrick Bamford level matters once more.
Salah intervened once more to ensure that the first-half ended in Liverpool’s favour with a stunning drive. Matuesz Klich then looked like he had sealed a point for Marceloa Bielsa’s troops only for the Reds’ Egyptian forward to seal the match ball from the penalty spot in the 88th minute.
