No longer in its infancy, the 2025/26 Premier League season is reaching a tricky period for all 20 clubs: its business end. At the time of writing, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are looking strong in their pursuit of ending their title-winning voodoo, while Arne Slot’s Liverpool – despite a £400 million splurge in the summer – have struggled to replicate last season’s form.
Manchester City and Aston Villa, managed by Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery respectively, are the two primary sides who are looking primed to spoil the party at the Emirates Stadium.
That said, there are still a total of 17 matches for all teams to play and, as we’ve seen in years gone by, anything can happen. Leicester City’s season in 2015/16 is the perfect proof of that. GIVEMESPORT, using the average positions of every opponent, have ranked the fixture difficulty of the remaining fixtures for Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
All Premier League positions have been taken on 09/01/2026.
Manchester City Have The Trickiest Run
As things stand, Pep Guardiola‘s men are keeping pace with the table-topping Arsenal – but can they replicate their form from previous seasons by leapfrogging the Gunners? Erling Haaland, widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, will be doing all he can at the sharp end of the pitch to score goals… they just need to stay more resolute at the back.
Next up is the Manchester Derby, which is a far cry from an easy win. Despite the chasm between the two sides on either side of the rivalry, a managerless Manchester United will put up one hell of a fight but their next match – at home to basement club Wolverhampton Wanderers – should, on paper, be much simpler.
Matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Fulham then follow before Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace all travel to the Etihad Stadium in February and March.
The Etihad Stadium will, perhaps, play host to the most important match of the entire league on April 18 when Arsenal travel to Manchester in search of three points. It’ll be a six-pointer of sorts. Once the match comes to a close, the commentators may utter the words: “Have we just seen the champions there tonight?”
Following their tasty match-up with the north Londoners, City face Burnley and Everton away from home before hosting Brentford, currently the division’s surprise package, on home soil. Another notable encounter for the Citizens’ home match against Aston Villa on the final day of the season – a fixture that won them the title in 2021/22.
Manchester City’s Remaining Premier League Fixtures
Opponent
Stadium
Date
Manchester United
Old Trafford
17/01/26
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Etihad Stadium
24/01/26
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
01/02/26
Liverpool
Anfield
08/02/26
Fulham
Etihad Stadium
11/02/26
Newcastle United
Etihad Stadium
21/02/26
Leeds United
Elland Road
28/02/26
Nottingham Forest
Etihad Stadium
04/03/26
West Ham United
London Stadium
14/03/26
Crystal Palace
Etihad Stadium
21/03/26
Chelsea
Stamford Bridge
11/04/26
Arsenal
Etihad Stadium
18/04/26
Burnley
Turf Moor
25/04/26
Everton
Hill Dickinson Stadium
02/05/26
Brentford
Etihad Stadium
09/05/26
Bournemouth
Vitality Stadium
17/05/26
Aston Villa
Etihad Stadium
24/05/26
Average League Position of Remaining Opponents: 11
Aston Villa Are in the Middle
After their first five Premier League matches of the campaign, when they had picked up a total of zero wins and scored just one goal, there were a group of cynics that thought Aston Villa could be in serious trouble. The talent at their disposal meant that relegation was never on the cards… but only a select few of supporters believed they’d be gunning for a title.
They are, of course, the outside shout given the expertise and firepower of the above-mentioned sides, but there is every chance that Emery’s men could do the unthinkable – especially as they have the second-most difficult run of games.
In January and February, Villa Park will welcome the likes of Everton, Brentford, Brighton and Leeds, which will offer a range of different challenges. On paper, Keith Andrews’ Brentford (who are fifth in the table at the moment, will put up the toughest fight of their upcoming home matches before they face Chelsea at home in early March.
A trip to Old Trafford follows after their contest with the Blues before an easier fixture – West Ham at Villa Park. Entering April, Villa play Forest, Sunderland and Fulham before facing Burnley at Turf Moor.
Of the three teams, there is no doubt that Villa have the trickiest ending of them all. Liverpool, especially if they continue on their upwards trajectory, at Villa Park, will not be easy by any stretch of the imagination before an end-of-campaign test against City – who are used to winning under pressure – concludes what could be a positive season for the Birmingham outfit.
Aston Villa’s Remaining Premier League Fixtures
Opponent
Stadium
Date
Everton
Villa Park
18/01/26
Newcastle United
St James Park
25/01/26
Brentford
Villa Park
01/02/26
Bournemouth
Vitality Stadium
07/02/26
Brighton & Hove Albion
Villa Park
11/02/26
Leeds United
Villa Park
21/02/26
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Molineux
27/02/26
Chelsea
Villa Park
04/03/26
Manchester United
Old Trafford
14/03/26
West Ham United
Villa Park
21/03/26
Nottingham Forest
City Ground
11/04/26
Sunderland
Villa Park
18/04/26
Fulham
Craven Cottage
25/04/26
Tottenham Hotspur
Villa Park
02/05/26
Burnley
Turf Moor
09/05/26
Liverpool
Villa Park
17/05/26
Manchester City
Etihad Stadium
24/05/26
Average League Position of Remaining Opponents: 11.4
Arsenal Face Easiest Run of Premier League Matches
Seeing in the New Year, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better candidate to win the Premier League than Arsenal, who have – at the time of writing – won 15 of their opening 21 matches. But, judging by the positions of their remaining opponents, they’ve got the hardest run of the title-chasing triumvirate – and that starts with an away match at Forest.
Their defensive record, as always, is the crown jewel in their search for their first bit of major silverware since Arteta’s maiden campaign at the helm, though Viktor Gyokeres‘ struggles in the final third could end up being their downfall when push comes to shove at the end of the term.
Manchester United, a team capable of beating the Gunners despite the obvious gap between the two, then travel to north London before Arsenal travel to Elland Road to round off January 2026. February consists of Sunderland at home and then two consecutive away fixtures against Brentford and Spurs, who will be keen to upset the applecart.
Related
Ranking the 10 Biggest Clubs to Never Win the Champions League
The Champions League has brought some dark memories for several of Europe’s biggest clubs.
An away match against Wolves could provide some tonic in a run of tough fixtures – Brighton and City away from home and Newcastle on home turf – as they’ll enter the encounter as the heavy favourites.
Come the very end of the campaign (May, in particular), it is much simpler for Arteta and his entourage. Starting with an all-London affair against Fulham, they then face West Ham United and Burnley and Crystal Palace to round things off – but it remains to be seen whether they will be able to win their first Premier League title since 2003/04.
Arsenal’s Remaining Premier League Fixtures
Opponent
Stadium
Date
Nottingham Forest
City Ground
17/01/26
Manchester United
Emirates Stadium
25/01/26
Leeds United
Elland Road
31/01/26
Sunderland
Emirates Stadium
07/02/26
Brentford
Gtech Community Stadium
12/02/26
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
22/02/26
Chelsea
Emirates Stadium
01/03/26
Brighton & Hove Albion
Amex Stadium
04/03/26
Everton
Hill Dickinson Stadium
14/03/26
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Molineux
21/03/26
Bournemouth
Emirates Stadium
11/04/26
Manchester City
Eithad Stadium
18/04/26
Newcastle United
Emirates Stadium
25/04/26
Fulham
Emirates Stadium
02/05/26
West Ham United
London Stadium
09/05/26
Burnley
Emirates Stadium
17/05/26
Crystal Palace
Selhurst Park
24/05/26
Average League Position of Remaining Opponents: 11.9