Category: Football

Man City head to Chelsea as Liverpool face Premier League Opening Weekend banana skin

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

The wait is finally over – the Premier League is back tomorrow. It’s been almost three months since the end of last season and while we’ve had the Euros, Copa America and the Olympics to whet the appetite, there’s nothing quite like the weekly highs and lows of domestic football.

Ahead of an action-packed opening weekend, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the key clashes.

City start title defence against new-look Chelsea

Manchester City enter the new Premier League season with ambitions of winning their fourth consecutive title and their first step on that journey is a trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea. While there have been question marks over the long-term future of Kevin De Bruyne, City still have a star-studded squad despite the loss of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid.

The reigning champions head into their opening game as favourites but they’ll be wary of their west London counterparts. Chelsea are in the infancy of yet another new chapter, this time under Enzo Maresca, who previously spent a year learning his trade as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.

The Italian guided Leicester to promotion last season and faces a battle to get Chelsea back into the Champions League following their sixth-placed finish last time out. In true Chelsea fashion, they’ve splashed out again in the transfer market by bringing in nine new faces so far, including Pedro Neto from Wolves.

With such a huge squad to pick from, it’s hard to predict who will be selected to take on the might of City. Regardless of the other 10 players, one guaranteed starter is former City man Cole Palmer, who shone during his debut campaign at Chelsea as he scored 22 Premier League goals.

With the England star on their side, Chelsea will feel that they can take the game to anyone. But if their recent friendly is anything to go by, City should start their title defence with three points. The two sides met in a pre-season game across the pond earlier this month and two-time Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland reminded everyone of his class by smashing in a hat-trick in a 4-2 City win.

Potential banana skins for Liverpool and Spurs

While on paper they could be considered the easier fixtures, nobody wants to face a newly-promoted side on the opening weekend. The new kids on the block are an unknown quantity, eager to make an impression and still on a high from their promotion heroics in the previous campaign.

For Liverpool and Tottenham, they’ll have to navigate these early challenges and hope to get through unscathed. Jurgen Klopp will no doubt be laughing to himself on a beach somewhere that Liverpool have once again been dealt with the dreaded Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

Yet it’ll be no laughing matter for his replacement, Arne Slot, if he fails his audition against new boys Ipswich. Despite the changing of the guard, Liverpool have been remarkably quiet in the transfer market, bringing in no new faces so far.

And while Slot would have ideally liked some additions, he’ll be confident that his current squad can compete for now, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota firing in pre-season.

Ipswich impressed last year playing attacking football and they did well to keep hold of boss Kieran McKenna amid summer interest from more established clubs. The Tractor Boys are back in the top flight for the first time since 2002 and while they’ve strengthened well, they’ll be wary of being too bold and not having a ‘Plan B’ in certain games, which was ultimately Burnley’s downfall last year.

Elsewhere, Spurs travel to another promoted side in Leicester. Meetings between the two sides have traditionally been high scoring, with at least four goals in each of the last five matches.

There may well be goals in this clash. Tottenham caught the eye with their attacking play under Ange Postecoglu last season and they’ve bolstered their attacking ranks by splashing out on Dominic Solanke. Meanwhile, Leicester scored 89 goals on the way to the Championship title and have made smart additions up top.

Arsenal and Manchester United target strong starts

While they ultimately missed out to City again, Arsenal were even closer to the title last term, finishing just two points behind the champions. They’ve dusted themselves off, regrouped and they’ll fancy their chances at finally closing the gap this time around.

Jurrien Timber is back from injury, new signing Riccardo Calafiori adds defensive depth and Kai Havertz is finally showing glimpses of the huge potential he has. The Gunners take on Wolves, who they did the double over last season.

The Midlands outfit were no pushovers last year as Gary O’Neill silenced his early critics. But they’ve got work to do before the transfer window closes after losing two key players in Neto and Max Kilman.

And in the opening fixture of the new campaign, Manchester United welcome Fulham to Old Trafford. The Red Devils have been splashing out under their new ownership. They’ve already brought in exciting youngsters Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee for big fees, with Matthijs De Ligt not far behind.

But Fulham will hold no fear going into the clash. The west London side won 2-1 in this fixture back in February and they’ve added Emile Smith-Rowe to their attack, who has popped up with a couple of goals in pre-season.

All eyes will be on the Premier League curtain raiser on Friday night and Erik ten Hag will be desperate to avoid a pressure-building defeat after surviving the sack by the skin of his teeth. United looked solid enough in their Community Shield defeat to rivals City but they’ll need key players like Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford to rediscover their form if they’re to have any chance of challenging for the top four.

Premier League opening weekend fixtures

Friday 16th August

 Manchester United v Fulham – 8pm

 Saturday 17th August

 Ipswich Town v Liverpool – 12:30pm
Arsenal v Wolves – 3pm
Everton v Brighton – 3pm
Newcastle v Southampton – 3pm
Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth – 3pm
West Ham v Aston Villa – 5:30pm

 Sunday 18th August

 Brentford v Crystal Palace – 2pm
Chelsea v Manchester City – 4:30pm

 Monday 19th August

 Leicester v Tottenham – 8pm

Premier League 2024/2025: Title Contenders, Relegation Battles, and The Race for Europe

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

The conclusion of the Olympics signals the approach towards the end of what has been a phenomenal summer of sport. From Euro 2024 to Royal Ascot, Engage Hospitality has been with you every step of the way. However, don’t fret that it is coming to an end because the domestic football season is just around the corner. Here at Engage we run through the sides to watch out for with a Premier League 2024/25 preview!

After last year’s thrilling campaign that went right down to the wire, Manchester City reigned supreme once again. The Citizens painted Manchester blue for the fourth consecutive year as Pep Guardiola’s side ran riot scoring an astonishing 96 goals, the fifth time they have surpassed 90 goals in a season in the last six years. The three newly promoted sides all were relegated while Aston Villa were the second team in two seasons to infiltrate the ‘big six’ and achieve a top 4 finish.

We take a look at what might happen this year with another title to be decided, European football to play for and a relegation dogfight on the cards.

Premier League Relegation Battle

First up we take a look at the teams looking to remain in the Premier League. Last year it was Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town, the three newly promoted sides, who were eliminated from the division. The three teams promoted this year from the Championship were Ipswich Town while Southampton and Leicester City, Premier League Champions in 2016, were both promoted at the first time of asking.

It is difficult to say who will remain in the Premier League after last season where Nottingham Forest avoided the drop with only 32 points, however, the next closest side to them was Brentford on 39 points, denoting the gulf in class between last year’s newcomers. With Leicester’s relegation coming as a shock to many, they will be especially wary of survival in the division. It’s Ipswich’s first outing in the pinnacle of English football since 2002, while Southampton return in the hope of cementing their Premier League status once again.

Forest will be keen to survive for the third consecutive year after toying with the drop for the last two seasons. Considering their points deduction, Everton impressed last season comfortably avoiding the dropzone after many had tipped them to go down. The Toffees will be eager to push on and perhaps challenge further up the table.

After what was probably their worst season since being back in the ‘big time’, finishing 16th, Thomas Frank’s Brentford will be eager to reach the heights they have done in previous seasons finishing 9th in 2023. Whoever does go down, it’s safe to say the battle to stay in the league will be an exciting one!

Premier League Race For Europe

After what was an enthralling battle for European football in May, here at Engage we are hoping for more of the same! Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa secured Champions League Football while Tottenham and Chelsea held the Europa League places. Newcastle United thought they had secured the Conference League place with 7th position, until Manchester United snatched it from their grasp with an FA Cup final victory.

Aston Villa disturbed the script last season as they found themselves in the top four boasting victories over Manchester City and Arsenal to beat Tottenham to the final Champions League spot. They will be keen to do the same again this year, but will the heavy schedule see a dip in their form? 

Spurs achieved European football once again after going without it last campaign, while a Chelsea team that struggled in 2023 did the same. Will the two London rivals be able to keep up with the demands of European football and the domestic calendar to maintain their improved form next season?

After what was a disappointing league campaign for Manchester United, they achieved European football once the season was complete. Against all odds, the Red Devils were victorious over Manchester City in the FA Cup Final securing them a Europa Conference League place. They will be keen to improve this season and secure Champions League Football again but will be challenged by Newcastle, who will be keen to gain revenge after the Conference League place was snatched from them when they finished in 7th place.

Premier League Title Contenders

As mentioned, Manchester City marched towards their fourth consecutive Premier League title last season and their eighth in 12 years. With that said, it was much less of a stroll than their usual dominance, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, pushing them all the way to the final day. A blip in form in April, saw Liverpool drop out of the race for the crown, while defeat at home to Aston Villa with 6 games to go saw the Gunners come runners-up for the second consecutive year.

Will it be third time lucky for Mikel Arteta? For the last three seasons, Arsenal have been mightily close to Premier League glory but for Pep Guardiola’s mesmerising Manchester City side. With exciting new signing Riccardo Calafiori, can they finally get themselves over the line and end the Citizens’ reign at the top?

Liverpool, on the other hand, may be at the beginning of a new project. The announcement of Jürgen Klopp’s departure sent shockwaves through the footballing world, marking the start of a new era on Merseyside. With no marquee signings just yet, it remains to be seen whether new manager, Arne Slot, can bring success to Anfield and challenge for their second Premier League title.

Will Manchester City break their own Premier League record with 5 in a row? After victory over Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday, it certainly seems likely. One of the best sides in football, Guardiola’s team are well-drilled, ruthless and strike fear into their opponents; they will be no different this season and it will take a stellar run of results to get the better of the Blues.

So how do you think the season will pan out? Will there be an upset in the title race? Can the newly promoted sides stay in the division? Find out with Engage as we offer all of the very best hospitality for you to watch the Premier League 2024/25 season live from the best seats in the house!

Who are Premier League teams playing in pre-season?

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

With the Euros and Copa America done and dusted, fans up and down the country are looking for their next football fix. Luckily, attention has already turned to next season and pre-season is in full swing.

Summer friendlies generally have no bearing on how the season will go, with players using them to get back into shape and get to grips with how their manager wants them to play.

But for us, the ever cynical fans, we use them as an opportunity to judge new signings after five minutes and claim our team is definitely going to win the league after narrowly beating a non-league side.

Premier League teams often use pre-season to build their brand globally, travelling to all corners of the world to play in front of a new audience. To keep track of who they’ll all be facing in preparation for the new campaign, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to all the key fixtures.

Arsenal, Man United and Liverpool meet stateside

As has become tradition in recent years, three of the Premier League’s biggest sides will face each other in friendlies across the pond. Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all have huge fan bases in America who will be desperate to see their heroes in the flesh.

Arsenal then welcome Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen to north London before hosting Lyon in the Emirates Cup. As well as Arsenal and United, Liverpool will also face Real Betis in the states. Arne Slot has big shoes to fill at Liverpool following Jurgen Klopp’s departure and he’ll get his first taste of the Anfield atmosphere in a home clash with Sevilla.

Meanwhile, United’s pre-season campaign has already started. Erik ten Hag has been handed a lifeline when he was expected to lose his job following last season and he’ll be hoping for an improvement after his side lost 1-0 to Rosenborg earlier this week.

Their line-up was mainly filled with academy players, although the likes of Marcus Rashford, Casemiro and Aaron Wan Bissaka featured. Following a disappointing campaign, United look set to spend big under their new ownership, with Joshua Zirkzee already snapped up and Leny Yoro set to follow.

Arsenal v Manchester United – Saturday 27th July, Los Angeles
Arsenal v Liverpool – Wednesday 31st July, Philadelphia
Liverpool v Manchester United – Saturday 3rd August, South Carolina

Man City and Chelsea set for dress rehearsal

In a warm-up game for their first Premier League game of the season, champions Manchester City are set to face Chelsea in a pre-season clash. The pair meet on the opening weekend at Stamford Bridge and their friendly in America will give new Blues boss Enzo Maresca the chance to see counterpart Pep Guardiola’s side up close in preparation.

Both sides are set for a series of heavyweight clashes while they’re abroad. City have friendlies against Celtic and AC Milan to look forward to, as well as La Liga giants Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Chelsea also face Celtic, while they could face Kylian Mbappe as they come up against Real Madrid. They’ll then host Inter Milan the week before the league season gets underway.

Manchester City v Celtic – Tuesday 23rd July, North Carolina
Chelsea v Celtic – Saturday 27th July, Indiana
Manchester City v AC Milan – Saturday 27th July, New York
Manchester City v Barcelona – Tuesday 30th July, Florida
Chelsea v Manchester City – Saturday 3rd August, Ohio
Chelsea v Real Madrid – Tuesday 6th August, North Carolina
Chelsea v Inter Milan – Sunday 11th August, Stamford Bridge

Who is everybody else playing?


Tottenham fans will have the opportunity to see former talisman Harry Kane once again. Spurs have two friendlies against Bayern Munich lined up, firstly in South Korea before a second fixture in London the following week.

Ange Postecoglou’s men aren’t the only side heading to Asia – both Newcastle and Brighton are set for trips to Japan. Meanwhile, Aston Villa will prepare for a Champions League campaign with matches against RB Leipzig, Athletic Bilbao and Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern Munich v Tottenham – Saturday 3rd August, Seoul
Tottenham v Bayern Munich – Saturday 10th August, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Aston Villa v RB Leipzig – Wednesday 31st July, New Jersey
Aston Villa v Athletic Bilbao – Wednesday 7th August, Walsall
Borussia Dortmund v Aston Villa – Saturday 10th August, Dortmund

Much like Arsenal and co., Crystal Palace, Wolves and West Ham are all set to play each other in friendlies in America. Meanwhile, Everton’s final game of the summer is a high-profile meeting with Roma at Goodison Park.

The Premier League’s new boys are all set for exciting fixtures as they prepare for the new campaign in the top flight. Ipswich were boosted by boss Kieran McKenna committing his future to the club and they’ve backed him well so far in the transfer market.

The Tractor Boys will face Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Monchengladbach and Hoffenheim. Similarly, Leicester are set to face Palermo, Augsburg and Lens, while Southampton are looking forward to friendlies against Lazio and Getafe.

Euro 2024 Review: Spain Reign Supreme

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

It was heartbreak once again for England fans after their second consecutive defeat in a European Final. Italy were victorious over England in 2021 but it was Spain this time who pierced a dagger through English hearts late in the game to become Euro 2024 Champions. It was a tournament that witnessed scintillating football and an astonishing amount of wonder goals keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Here at Engage we break down the tournament, picking out some of the key players and performances.

La Roja Victoriosa

After a 12 year trophy drought, and what some would say was a transition period, Spain are Kings of Europe once again. This team of exciting young talent battled their way to victory flawlessly winning all seven of their games throughout the tournament beating Germany, Italy and France along the way.

On Sunday, it was only England who stood in their way, as Europe settled down to witness the battle commence. In what was a cagey first half, both sides were level at the break. But it was Spain who had the better of the half-time team talks as Luis de la Fuente’s men came out firing. Breaking the deadlock in the 47th minute courtesy of a sublime Nico Williams finish, England had work to do. Spain came close numerous times in the moments that followed, however, it was Gareth Southgate’s England who hit back when substitute Cole Palmer fired home with just over 15 minutes to play.

With the game heading for extra time, the Spaniards had other plans, as Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home in the 86th minute to shatter English hearts. Agony for England, delirium for Spain as La Roja were crowned champions of Europe once again.

Star Players

Across the course of the tournament, there were some incredible performances not only for teams but also individuals. For much of the tournament it was the Spanish side with individuals making a name for themselves. Lamine Yamal in particular, who turned 17 years old one day before the final, is a name that will be on the radar of many of Europe’s top clubs. The talented winger made history becoming the youngest player to appear at a European tournament at 16 years and 338 days old. He was also the youngest player to score in a European tournament with his wonder strike in the semi-final against France. Not to mention, his brilliant performances and four assists, he was key to Spain’s success.

On the other side of the pitch for Spain, Nico Williams also impressed throughout the tournament playing a key role in the final, scoring and assisting both goals. Williams, Yamal, the Spanish midfield and Marc Cucurella were also included in the Team of the Tournament further crediting their influence on their team’s victory.

Elsewhere, Liverpool striker Cody Gakpo impressed, scoring 3 goals helping The Netherlands to the last four before being eliminated by England. Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder, Jamal Musiala, was on form as well, scoring 3 goals in five making his way into the Team of the Tournament.

Dark Horses

Just as there were players who left their mark on the rest of Europe, some sides raised a few eyebrows, advancing further in the tournament than first thought. Denmark were desperately unlucky as they were knocked out in the Round of 16. After believing they had opened the scoring against Germany, which was ruled out by VAR, Germany were then awarded a controversial penalty to break the deadlock 2 minutes later. This was before Musiala added a second to seal Denmark’s fate.

In their first appearance at the tournament, Georgia surprised a few people by progressing to the Round of 16 after a shock victory over Portugal, as Georges Mikautadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia provided the goals. In their debut tournament, they recorded five goals, also opening the scoring against Spain in the Round of 16 before being knocked out by the eventual champions.

After an extremely disappointing Euro 2020 losing all of their group games, Turkey were back and eager to make amends in 2024. They did so by winning two of their group games to qualify for the last 16 where they beat Austria. Vincenzo Montella’s side scored first in the quarter final before they were beaten by the Netherlands to end their semi-final dreams, recording their best finish since EURO 2008.

So another thrilling tournament has passed us by, who were you surprised by? How do you think the 2026 World Cup will play out now? With international football all year round and domestic football just around the corner, check out Engage Hospitality’s fantastic offers to watch every kick of the season from the best seats in the house.

How are the Premier League stars performing at Copa America?

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

With the late kick-off times and Euro fever taking over the nation, it can be difficult keeping up with Copa America.

Yet the tournament in the USA has been quietly bubbling away across the pond. The quarter-finals get underway this weekend, with Argentina looking to retain the title they won in Brazil three years ago.

Ahead of the knockout stages, we’ve taken a look at how all of the Premier League representatives have been performing.

Quarter-final fixtures

Argentina v Ecuador – Friday 5th July

Venezuela v Canada – Saturday 6th July

Colombia v Panama – Saturday 6th July

Uruguay v Brazil – Sunday 7th July

Liverpool pair to lock horns in quarter-final

The final eight has drawn South American sides Uruguay and Brazil together in a game that will be keenly observed by Liverpool fans across the globe. The match sees the often impenetrable goalkeeper Alisson come up against teammate Darwin Nunez who is proving to be rather prolific on the international stage.

The 25-year-old has scored twice in the tournament so far, helping his side top Group C with three wins out of three. In fact, Nunez’s blank in Uruguay’s final game ended his run of scoring in seven consecutive games for his nation.

Nunez has Premier League back-up supporting him in attack, notably in the form of Manchester United youngster Facundo Pellistri. The winger has played almost every minute for Uruguay, popping up with a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has found gametime hard to come by. Despite this, he still found himself on the scoresheet in Uruguay’s 5-0 drubbing of Bolivia.

Nunez and co. will fancy their chances when they take to the pitch in the early hours of Sunday morning. While Brazil are traditionally among the world’s best, they’re yet to find their rhythm in the tournament and finished as runners-up in their group behind Colombia.

Alisson will be hoping he can thwart Liverpool colleague Nunez, aided by the assistance of Premier League stars Bruno Guimaraes and Joao Gomes, who have been near ever-present during the competition.

West Ham attacker Lucas Paqeuta has contributed, popping up with a goal and an assist in Brazil’s 4-1 win over Paraguay. However, Arsenal duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli have barely featured.

Crystal Palace duo star for Colombia

It’s a measure of the progress Crystal Palace have made in recent years that their players are starring at both the Euros and Copa America, something their fans have certainly never been used to.

Yet it’s a pair of Eagles that are soaring for surprise package Colombia, most notably marauding right-back Daniel Munoz. The 28-year-old has his sights set on the Golden Boot having scored twice so far, including an equaliser against Brazil on Wednesday.

Munoz also netted in his side’s opening game, as did Palace teammate Jefferson Lerma. The 2-1 victory against Paraguay set Colombia on their way as they finished ahead of Brazil to top Group D and set up a quarter-final meeting with Panama.

Liverpool star Luiz Diaz has also been a key figure in Colombia’s success. He scored the opener in their 3-0 win over Costa Rica and he’ll be essential if they want to reach the latter stages of the tournament. Chelsea target Jhon Duran and Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra are part of the Colombia squad but have struggled for minutes so far.

Chelsea midfielders go head-to-head

Much like Nunez’s impending battle with Alisson, the Copa America quarter-finals could see another pair of club team-mates come up against each other. Argentina take on Ecuador this Friday, with Chelsea midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo competing on opposite sides.

Fernandez will be desperate to prove himself against his west London counterpart but he’s been mainly used from the bench so far despite starring for Argentina as they won the World Cup in Qatar 18 months ago.

Elsewhere, Argentina’s squad resembles a ‘who’s who’ of Premier League stars. Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Maritnez has kept three clean sheets so far, with Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero playing their part in a solid defence.

Manchester City star Julian Alvarez has scored once so far, netting in the opening game against Canada. Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister will be hoping to continue his promising season by contributing in the tournament, while Alejandro Garnacho and Giovani Lo Celso have also seen minutes.

Caicedo’s former Brighton teammate Jeremy Sarmiento has been a bright spark for Ecuador so far. The tricky winger, who spent last season on loan at Championship sides West Brom and Ipswich, has been heavily involved and scored in his side’s defeat against Venezuela.

An early exit for some Premier League stars

While there are plenty of Premier League players in with a shout of winning the competition, for some familiar names it just wasn’t to be. Jamaica crashed out after losing all three games, with Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey refusing to be part of the squad after falling out with the hierarchy.

Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock was unable to prevent his side shipping seven goals in their three defeats. However, there was some joy for West Ham attacker Michail Antonio. He scored Jamaica’s first ever Copa America goal and their only one of the tournament in a 3-1 loss to Ecuador.

Elsewhere, the USA were eliminated as they finished third in Group C after a shock defeat to Panama. Palace defender Chris Richards was an ever-present alongside Fulham duo Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson. Matt Turner and Tyler Adams also featured.

And finally, Paraguay finished rock-bottom of their group following three defeats. Brighton’s Julio Enciso netted in their game against Colombia, while Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron was also involved.

Premier League fixtures: The ultimate guide to the 2024/25 season

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

While the Euros is currently providing us all with our football fix, this summer’s international tournament will be done and dusted in a few weeks. Luckily, the Premier League fixtures for the 2024/25 season were released this week, whetting the appetite for what’s set to be another thrilling campaign.

Manchester City are looking to defend their Premier League crown as they target a record fifth consecutive title. Meanwhile, we’ve got three new teams to add to the mix. Leicester and Southampton have bounced back up at the first time of asking, while Ipswich return to the top table for the first time since they were relegated back in 2002.

With hundreds of fixtures to look forward to throughout the season, we’ve taken a look at all the key match-ups.

The opening weekend

There’s nothing quite like the opening weekend of the Premier League season. New kits, new signings and a new sense of optimism for everybody involved. This year’s campaign gets underway on Friday 16th August as Manchester United host Fulham in the season’s curtain raiser, with Erik ten Hag set to remain in charge after guiding the Red Devils to FA Cup success last month.

Meanwhile, new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca faces a baptism of fire as his side welcome City to Stamford Bridge. Arsenal have gone toe-to-toe with City in the title race in the past two seasons and they’ll be hoping to go all the way this time. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners begin their new campaign at home to Wolves.

Meanwhile, things couldn’t have been much harder for new boys Ipswich. They start their campaign by hosting Liverpool at Portman Road, although it could be a good time to face the Reds as they start life under new boss Arne Slot following Jurgen Klopp’s departure.

Friday 16th August

Manchester United v Fulham

Saturday 17th August

Ipswich v Liverpool
Arsenal v Wolves
Everton v Brighton
Newcastle v Southampton
Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth
West Ham v Aston Villa

Sunday 18th August

Brentford v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Manchester City

Monday 19th August

Leicester v Tottenham

The title race

Arsenal finished two points shy of City last season despite dropping points in just two league games in 2024. They’ll be targeting wins over their title rivals as they look to win the league for the first time since 2004. A late season trip to Anfield could be crucial in both theirs and Liverpool’s seasons.

City will have all of their games against Arsenal and Liverpool wrapped up before March, which may alleviate some of the pressure on them if they’re in a good position. On the contrary, if they’re playing catch up then not having the chance to face their rivals could limit their opportunities to make up ground.

Key matches in the title race

Manchester City v Arsenal – Saturday 21st September
Arsenal v Liverpool – Saturday 26th October
Liverpool v Manchester City – Saturday 30th November
Arsenal v Manchester City – Saturday 1st February
Manchester City v Liverpool – Saturday 22nd February
Liverpool v Arsenal – Saturday 10th May

Derby days

After the opening day, final day and the festive period, the games every fan looks for when the fixtures are released are those against their fiercest rivals. Liverpool will be desperate to get one over on neighbours Everton after the Toffees’ 2-0 win at Goodison Park in April ended any remaining hopes they had of winning the title.

Manchester City v Manchester United – Saturday 14th December
Manchester United v Manchester City – Saturday 5th April

Tottenham v Arsenal – Saturday 14th September
Arsenal v Tottenham – Tuesday 14th January

Manchester United v Liverpool – Saturday 31st August
Liverpool v Manchester United – Saturday 4th January

Everton v Liverpool – Saturday 7th December
Liverpool v Everton – Wednesday 2nd April

Tottenham v Chelsea – Saturday 7th December
Chelsea v Tottenham – Wednesday 2nd April

Brighton v Crystal Palace – Saturday 14th December
Crystal Palace v Brighton – Saturday 5th April

Leicester v Nottingham Forest – Saturday 26th October
Nottingham Forest v Leicester – Saturday 10th May

The final day

The season hasn’t even begun so it feels strange to already be looking ahead to the final day. However, with so many twists and turns to come, the last games of the campaign could be crucial at both ends of the table.

City head to Fulham where they’ll be looking to be crowned champions again, while Arsenal face a trip to Southampton. Meanwhile, Liverpool face a potential bana skin at home to Palace, who beat them 1-0 in April.

At the other end of the table, Ipswich may well be fighting for their lives as they take on West Ham. Forest may struggle again and they’ll be hoping their opponents Chelsea have nothing to play for by then. Bournemouth face Leicester and Wolves meet Brentford in two games that have the potential to be deciding six-pointers.

Sunday 25th May

Bournemouth v Leicester
Fulham v Manchester City
Ipswich v West Ham
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Everton
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
Southampton v Arsenal
Tottenham v Brighton
Wolves v Brentford

Euro 2024 ultimate preview: Can England win it all?

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

The wait is over – today’s the day. 24 nations across Europe are gripped with football fever as Euro 2024 is about to kick off.

The first match takes place tonight, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland, and we’re then set for wall-to-wall football action for a month, with the final taking place on Sunday 14th July.

England will be desperate to be there as they look to heal the wounds of coming so close last time out. But it won’t be an easy ride, with plenty of competition looking to stop them in their tracks.

Can England end 58 years of hurt?

They’ve got a very good chance! While on paper many believe France have the best squad, England remain the bookies’ favourites. The Three Lions reached the final last time out as a penalty shootout defeat to Italy broke the nation’s hearts.

But since then, their key players have gone from strength to strength. Young stars from Euro 2021 like Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Declan Rice have developed into world class talents. Meanwhile, England stalwarts like Harry Kane, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Jordan Pickford have retained their class.

Kane will be playing the tournament on home soil having enjoyed a stunning debut season at Bayern Munich, scoring 44 goals in all competitions as they reached the Champions League semi-final. Meanwhile, Bellingham took no time in finding his feet at Real Madrid. After dazzling at Borussia Dortmund for three years, the 20-year-old scored 23 times in a more advanced role as Real won La Liga and the Champions League.

Gareth Southgate has often been accused of picking his favourites and ignoring players in form but that couldn’t be further from the truth this time. He threw up a shock as Marcus Rashford was left out of the preliminary squad after a disappointing season for Manchester United. And then when the final squad was announced, Jack Grealish and James Maddison were notable omissions.

Their loss is the gain of others, as the likes of Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, Anthony Gordon and Kobbie Mainoo have been rewarded for their spectacular club form in recent months. England now have a genuinely quality squad, with a balance of formidable world beaters, reliable stars and exciting wildcards.

They’ll have every confidence of going all the way – the only question mark will be whether Southgate adopts a bold attitude when it comes to his team selection. He’s been guilty of a negative set up in the past but when you have a side packed with quality, you need to be on the front foot and controlling games, which certainly wasn’t the case in England’s final friendly against Iceland.

But with their opening game just a few days away, football fans up and down the country are starting to get excited and if you listen carefully, you can hear the faint sounds of ‘It’s coming home’ starting to build momentum.

England’s group games

●    England v Serbia – Sunday 16th June, 8pm
●    England v Denmark – Thursday 20th June, 5pm
●    England v Slovenia – Tuesday 25th June, 8pm

Who are England’s main challengers?

It goes without saying that France are among the biggest threats. Long gone are the days when the French would collapse at international tournaments and crash out in the group stages. Their exciting young squad won the World Cup in 2018 before reaching the final again in Qatar 18 months ago, where they couldn’t quite beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

Yet despite their strengths, they’re not invincible and they were shocked at the last Euros when neighbours Switzerland held them to a 3-3 draw before knocking them out on penalties.

In any case, Didier Deschamps boasts an incredible array of talent with a winning mentality. Kylian Mbappe is among the clear favourites to claim the Golden Boot (if he can shake off his illness) and as well as his young teammates, he’ll also be backed up by the experience of Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann, who both seem to age like a fine wine.

Elsewhere, Germany may not be the formidable side they were 10 years ago when they won the World Cup in Brazil. However, they’ll fancy their chances at winning on home soil in what would be their first Euros triumph since 1996.

They’ve entered a new era under Julian Nagelsmann and they’re looking to the future, with exciting youngsters like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz ready to take the mantle from old guard Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer, who are surely entering their final tournament for Germany.

Euro 2024 may also be the final time we see Cristiano Ronaldo grace this competition. The 39-year-old helped his side to glory in France eight years ago and he’ll be desperate to go out with another piece of silverware. The Portuguese squad is littered with notable attacking stars, including Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota and Joao Felix, while veteran defender Pepe is still holding firm at the back.

Meanwhile, Spain will also be looking to challenge. Their days of winning tournaments before they’ve even started are in the past, but they still boast a strong squad. However, these competitions often throw up a shock with a big nation going out in the groups and Spain find themselves in the traditional ‘group of death’ alongside Croatia and Italy.

Who are the dark horses?

It seems bizarre that the holders of the trophy can be considered outsiders but Italy aren’t particularly fancied to retain their crown. They went all the way last time out, beating England on penalties in the final. However, their squad lacks the ‘X factor’ it once had, with no standout star like Ronaldo, Mbappe or Kane that can win them a game out of nowhere. Saying that, they always seem to find a way to grind out a route to the latter stages.

Elsewhere, Croatia and Belgium will always pose a threat, with talismen Luka Modric and Romelu Lukaku regular stars in this competition. The Netherlands will fancy their chances with Virgil van Dijk at the back and although Memphis Depay struggled at Manchester United all those years ago, he always shows up for his country.

Finally, Denmark are a genuine overlooked outsider. They reached the semi-finals four years ago, narrowly losing 2-1 to England in extra-time after taking the lead at Wembley. Their squad is full of recognisable Premier League talent and we’ll truly see what they’re made of when they face England in the group stage.

FA Cup Final Preview – Another Manchester Derby at Wembley

Posted on by Duncan Hughes

The weekend saw the end of a thrilling Premier League campaign with a title decider on the final day. Manchester City won their fourth consecutive title, snatching the trophy from Arsenal’s grasp by two points. For 18 of the Premier League clubs that is the season complete as far as they are concerned, however, for the two Manchester clubs there is still silverware to play for.

A repeat of last year’s final, Wembley will host another Manchester derby as Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United will try to prevent Manchester City from winning a second consecutive FA Cup over them. City are targeting yet another trophy at Wembley while a defeat for United would put the lid on a very mediocre season and unveil further questions about Ten Hag’s future as head coach.

An 8th place finish in the league, knocked out in, what seemed, a comfortable Champions League group and no European football on the cards for next year, unless they win the FA Cup; it has been bleak for the Red Devils. Questions over Ten Hag’s tenure at the club have been raised, however, two wins to complete the season over Newcastle and Brighton may provide momentum for Ten Hag to redeem himself under the Wembley Arch.

City, on the other hand, have been ruthless once again this season. Narrowly knocked out of the Champions League on penalties to Real Madrid, they are unbeaten (excluding penalties) since December helping them storm to their eighth Premier League title; their sixth in seven years. At the moment they seem unstoppable, with 9 Premier League wins on the bounce and 20 goals in their last six games, any team will fear Guardiola’s side at the moment. Can they also claim their eighth FA Cup?

The 2023 FA Cup final was also a Manchester Derby and one in which City came out on top. Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring in just 12 seconds as City took an early lead, before Bruno Fernandes levelled the scoring from the penalty spot just after the first half hour.

However, it was Gundogan again who ultimately grabbed the winner just after half-time as City were 2-1 winners. Gundogan’s opening goal was the fastest goal in FA Cup final history, surpassing Louis Saha’s record goal by 13 seconds from 2009.

Treble winners last year, City will be determined to add to their Premier League trophy after the disappointment of not being able to defend their Champions League title. The Blue side of Manchester will go into this one as strong favourites. With that said, City will need to be on their A game with the added pressure of a derby and a final, anything is possible as Ten Hag’s men will be keen to rain on City’s parade.

So who do you think will win this famous fixture and add another piece of silverware to their illustrious collection? An underdog win for United, or do Manchester City win yet another major trophy? It will certainly be a thrilling spectacle and has the possibility of a classic Wembley final.

Want to watch it live from the best seats in the house? Check out Engage’s hospitality offers to watch the FA Cup finale!

Looking back on another thrilling Premier League season

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Manchester City winning the league. Another incredible Premier League season has come to a close, with City pipping Arsenal to claim yet another title.

As we start counting down the days until the next campaign starts (only 88 to go!), we’ve taken a look back at all the key moments that made the 2023/24 season so special.

Man City hold off Arsenal to claim record title

The title race went down to the final day but sadly for Arsenal, they needed something to happen that so very rarely does at this stage of the season – Manchester City to drop points.

And the north London side’s hopes were as good as over after just two minutes as Phil Foden fired City ahead against West Ham. The defending champions were imperious in the final few months of the campaign as they became the first team to ever win four successive Premier League titles. It was their sixth under Pep Guardiola and they could complete yet another double when they meet neighbours Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

For the second year in a row, Arsenal were second best but they improved this time around, only missing out by two points. Yet they’ll be confident of improving next season with their young talismen like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba developing into genuine world class players in recent years.

The signings of Declan Rice, David Raya and Kai Havertz have undoubtedly made them stronger and a few shrewd additions in the summer could be the difference for Mikel Arteta’s side next year. But ultimately, to compete with City you can’t afford to take your foot off the gas and Arsenal will look at defeats to Fulham, West Ham and twice against Aston Villa as key turning points in their season.

The champions could argue they weren’t even at their brilliant best this season but their robotic ruthlessness shone through. Erling Haaland didn’t quite hit the heights of last season in terms of goals but he still blew the competition out of the water with 27 goals to claim the golden boot.

Meanwhile, Foden continued to show his brilliance and was rewarded with the Premier League Player of the Year award. England fans across the country will have their fingers firmly crossed that he can continue his form into the Euros.

With Arsenal likely to improve further and City looking as good as ever, it’s clear that these two will once again be the frontrunners in next season’s title race. But whether the Gunners can finally make up the ground is a different question.

Jurgen Klopp signs out with top-four finish

The title battle seemed to be a three-horse race for much of the season but a drop off from Liverpool in recent months saw them ultimately finish third. While Jurgen Klopp would have loved to have signed out with another Premier League trophy, he’ll be pleased to have secured Liverpool Champions League football having missed out a year ago.

The German has called time on his nine-year spell at Anfield in which he won eight trophies, including the 2019 Champions League. Klopp bid an emotional farewell to his home supporters on Sunday and went out on a high as Liverpool ended the season with a 2-0 win over Wolves.

With Arne Slot confirmed as his successor, next season will be an interesting one for Liverpool. The Dutchman has big shoes to fill and Liverpool fans will be forgiven for having reservations, particularly when you look at how Arsenal and Man United struggled in the wake of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson’s departures.

However, new dawns can be exciting and they have the skeleton of a really strong squad. If Mohamed Salah fancies sticking around and they can add some new faces alongside their young talent, there’s no reason why they can’t challenge.

Liverpool will be joined in next season’s Champions League by Aston Villa, who were the surprise package as they secured fourth. The 1982 European Cup winners are back in the elite competition following a remarkable season that demonstrates the incredible job that Unai Emery has done since taking over 18 months ago.

As well as beating the teams they’d expect to throughout the season, they also proved they can compete with the big boys with a number of huge results, including doing the double over Arsenal and beating Man City, as well as smashing Brighton 6-1 early in the season.

With fourth place confirmed before the final day, there wasn’t a Villa fan in the away end at Selhurst Park on Sunday who cared that their campaign fizzled out with a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of in-form Crystal Palace.

Time will tell how they’ll cope with the addition of high-level European games – Newcastle certainly struggled this year – but it will be a test of how good the likes of Ollie Watkins and co. really are.

A mixed season for the rest of the big six

Tottenham started the season strongly under new boss Ange Postecoglu and their front-footed, aggressive style made them exciting to watch. For a while it looked as though they were going to be just fine without Harry Kane but their campaign petered out, with injuries and loss of form to key players a big factor.

They ultimately finished fifth, two points off a Champions League spot, and too much reliance on Son Heung-min for goals makes attacking reinforcements this summer a necessity if they want to break back into the top four.

Chelsea ended the season superbly, winning their last five games to finish sixth. Mauricio Pochettino took a while to get going in his first campaign at the helm and was regularly bailed out by Cole Palmer, who bagged a remarkable 22 Premier League goals in his maiden season at Stamford Bridge.

It’s impossible to predict how Chelsea will do each season but after years of mismanagement, they look like they may finally have a bit of structure. With a clever transfer window there’s every chance that they’ll be able to compete at the top of the table again.

It’s been a season to forget for Manchester United but an FA cup win on Saturday could give them some reason to be cheerful. Erik ten Hag appears to be a dead man walking and few expect him to still be in charge by the time next season starts.

A miserable eighth-placed finish sums up their dismal performances this campaign and they need a major squad shake up this summer, with plenty of deadwood to ship out. There could be exciting times on the horizon under the new ownership but it can’t be fixed overnight so things may get worse before they get better.

The three promoted clubs go down

There’s no clearer way of showing the gulf between the Premier league and the Championship than when the three promoted clubs go straight back down. The fact that Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton were comfortably relegated in a season where two clubs suffered points deductions is indicative of their woes.

The trio just weren’t good enough and although they enjoyed good moments, particularly Luton, their squads lacked the Premier League quality to survive. Everton and Nottingham Forest will count themselves lucky that they were deducted points in a season where it ultimately didn’t matter, as they may not have got off so lightly in a stronger season.

Man United v Tottenham: Women’s FA Cup Final

Posted on by Andrew Morgan

The most prestigious competition in world football returns to Wembley this weekend as Manchester United take on Tottenham in the Women’s FA Cup final.

A new name will be etched onto the iconic trophy, with neither side yet to win the honour in their history. United have come closest having reached last year’s final but they were ultimately beaten 1-0 by Chelsea, who claimed their third successive FA Cup.

For Spurs, they’ll be playing the final for the first time and their fans will be forgiven for getting over excited as they’ve never progressed past the quarter-finals before.

The showpiece event gets underway at 2:30pm on Sunday 12th May and you can enjoy the action from the comfort of Wembley’s premier seats. Join us in style and take advantage of Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages.

The road to Wembley

While both sides have earned their spot in the final, their journeys to Wembley couldn’t have been much different. United have strolled past all their challengers, conceding just twice since entering the competition in round four. Meanwhile, Spurs haven’t given their fans a stress-free ride, with plenty of late goals along the way.

United cruised past Newcastle with a 5-0 win before victories at Southampton and Brighton set up a rematch of last year’s final against Chelsea in the semis. Goals from Lucia Garcia and Rachel Williams secured a 2-1 win to book their place at Wembley.

On the other hand, Tottenham’s FA Cup journey could have been over before it started. They found themselves 2-0 down to Championship outfit Sheffield United in the fourth round but

managed to fight their way back and secure a remarkable comeback thanks to Rosella Ayane’s 96th minute winner.

The north London side then edged past Charlton before another goal deep into stoppage time in the following round set up a penalty shootout win against Manchester City. Their semi-final against Leicester looked to be heading to penalties once again but Martha Thomas was on hand late on to fire Spurs through to the final.

Despite their differing journeys, both sides will fancy their chances at lifting the famous trophy for the first time. While United go into the game as favourites, Spurs will take confidence from their 2-2 draw with their opponents a few weeks ago, with a stoppage time equaliser from Maya Le Tissier salvaging a point for the northern side.

Who are the key players?

United carry plenty of goal threat and Nikita Parris has certainly stepped up this season. The 30-year-old has bagged 16 goals in all competitions so far and has taken on the goalscoring burden following Alessia Russo’s summer switch to Arsenal, backed up by the impressive England international Ella Toone.

Similarly, United may not have got this far without the goals of Williams. The striker has largely been used from the bench this year, starting just once in the league, yet she’s the top scorer in the FA Cup with four goals so far. With Sunday’s final expected to be cagey, her impact off the bench late in the game could prove valuable.

And at the other end of the pitch, United’s resilient defence has been heavily influenced by Mary Earps. The 2023 Sports Personality of the Year winner has once again been a rock at the back for Marc Skinner’s side and she’ll be desperate to add an FA Cup winner’s medal to her healthy international collection.

For Spurs, semi-final hero Thomas will be their biggest goal threat as she faces her former side. The Scotland international struggled to make an impact in her two years at United but she’s found a home at Tottenham and is their top scorer in all competitions this year with 10 goals.

Bethany England has also proven her worth up top, chipping in with seven goals. Three of those have come in the FA Cup and she’ll be looking to add to her tally in the competition as she rivals United’s Williams for the honour of the FA Cup’s top scorer.

How are they doing in the WSL?

United achieved their highest-ever finish last season, finishing second in the Women’s Super League and just two points behind champions Chelsea. This time around, they find themselves fifth in the table following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool.

Skinner’s side will be disappointed not to have capitalised on a strong campaign last time out and will be desperate to finish the season in style by claiming the FA Cup. Despite their draw with Spurs last month, a 4-0 victory in north London back in December will give them confidence of securing silverware.

Tottenham are just one place below in sixth but are seven points shy of United. They played out a 2-2 draw with Everton at the weekend to stretch their WSL unbeaten run to five games. Following the FA Cup final they’ll finish the season with clashes against Chelsea and West Ham, while United’s only remaining league fixture is also against Chelsea.

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