Premier League fixtures: Five early-season clashes to savour

Pencil on Sept 25 weekend as Man City face Chelsea and Arsenal entertain Spurs

WAR OF THE ROSES: Mason Greenwood of Manchester United jostles for position at a corner with Leeds' Luke Ayling at Elland Road. The old rivals meet on the first weekend of the Premier League season. 

1 Man Utd v Leeds Utd, Saturday August 14.

This was one of the most bitter rivalries in the early days of the Premier League and Leeds fans were distraught at missing out on a trip to Old Trafford last season. Now they have a chance to reignite the Roses derby between Lancashire and Yorkshire – so, expect it to be a fizzing, frenetic and very noisy fixture. Just what we’ve all been missing during the pandemic. The hatred between the clubs goes back a long way and is as much about geography as it is about football; but as long ago as Sir Matt Busby v Don Revie it was a highlight in the football calendar and remains so. The fixture went missing when Leeds were relegated in 1982 and in 2004, but was at its height in the days when Eric Cantona switched between the clubs and Leeds won the first-ever Premier League title in 1993, ahead of United. Don’t expect it to have lost any of its fervour.