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Golden Goals Matchday 1: Manchester City held to draw in Premier League opener

And we’re back!

Every week throughout the season we are giving you the chance to win £1 million by nailing six correct score predictions through Golden Goals – our free-to-play game.

It’s a tasty weekend to kick things off, too. Defending champions Manchester City face an opening day acid test away to perennial transfer window wizards Chelsea, while Arsenal are up against Wolves and Everton face Brighton.

There were 28 goals scored in the opening weekend last season – that’s more than 2.5 goals per game. Will we see more this time round?

Remember: if you can pick the six correct scorelines you could win up to £1 million . If the jackpot doesn’t go, you could still win a share of our £5,000 prizepool if you top the leaderboard so every prediction matters!

Let’s take a closer look at the Golden Goals Matchday 1 fixtures…

Arsenal vs Wolves

Two seasons running, the Gunners have endured a painful crescendo to their title push. Can they, at the third time of asking, get over the line?

Fans would argue all the building blocks are in place. A spine of Gabriel, William Saliba, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard is arguably the strongest in the league. In Bukayo Saka, they have England’s most exciting forward. In Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, they have a supporting cast bordering on world class.

The addition of Riccardo Calafiori at full-back in conjunction with the return of Jurrien Timber from long-term injury further strengthens them at the back and an encouraging pre-season means Arsenal are in the mood.

Wolves, meanwhile, will be aiming to build on what was ultimately a successful season last year. The Midlands club were one of the favourites to be relegated but, under Gary O’Neil, they made a surprise push for Europe before tailing off at the end of the campaign.

All eyes will be on Matheus Cunha, who has started to find his feet as a Wolves player. After just two goals in 17 appearances in 2022/23, he managed 12 in 27 last year and 19 goal contributions in total.

He will pose a real threat to Arsenal. However, it’s tough to see how the London team don’t start their campaign with three points here.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Wolves

Everton vs Brighton

The winds of change blew across the south coast this summer as Roberto De Zerbi was replaced in the Brighton dugout by the Premier League’s youngest permanent head coach, Fabian Hurzeler.

At 31 years old, the German coach joins after guiding St Pauli to the Bundesliga last season but he remains a relative unknown to most Premier League fans.

Hurzeler will be working this season without Pascal Groß, an integral part of the Brighton wheel since their promotion to England’s top flight. The job of replacing his 10 assists – the joint-third highest in the league last season – will likely fall on offensive recruits such as Yankuba Minteh who has impressed during the Seagulls’ pre-season.

One aspect Brighton’s new boss will have to improve on during the upcoming campaign is their away record. Under De Zerbi, they mustered just 18 of their 48 points on the road, which is only four more points than relegated Burnley.

Everton were one of the teams that Brighton managed to take points from on their travels last season after a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park in early November. However, the Toffees never truly made their home a fortress last campaign, holding the eighth-worst record on home soil in the division.

Despite their turbulent home form, Sean Dyche could always rely on a solid defensive outing from his side. His team held the joint-second most clean sheets in the league last term while registering the fourth-best defence in the entire league behind the top three (51 goals conceded in 38 matches).

This fixture is too tight to call. Both games last season finished 1-1 and Everton have drawn six of their last 11 Premier League openers. This one won’t buck the trend – it will be a third consecutive 1-1 draw.

Prediction: Everton 1-1 Brighton

Newcastle vs Southampton

With no European football to contend with, all eyes at Newcastle will be on the league and qualifying for the Champions League again at the first time of asking.

They Magpies have enjoyed a positive pre-season, winning four of their first five games and keeping three clean sheets in victories over Hull, Girona and Brest.

There is no doubting the abilities of the Newcastle starting forward line when they are all fit. In Alexander Isak – the third highest goalscorer in the Premier League last year with 21 – and Anthony Gordon they have two of the most threatening attackers in the division.

Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson may be somewhat injury prone but both can be devastatingly clinical on their day and provide great depth up front while Bruno Guimaraes remains one of the best deep-lying playmakers around.

Only Manchester City (96), Arsenal (91) and Liverpool (86) scored more goals in the Premier League last season than Newcastle’s 85 and they could be a good bet to find the net with similar regularity again this season.

Southampton, conversely, are back in the Premier League after a season in the second tier. After coming up via the play-offs with a win over Leeds, the Saints have been busy in the transfer window by adding eight players to their roster including Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz and Adam Lallana.

They had a long pre-season – with seven games in total – and results were a mixed bag with wins over Montpellier and Millwall mixed in with a defeat to Oxford United.

Southampton are one of the favourites to head straight back down so any sort of result here would be invaluable to manager Russell Martin, who many view to be one of the most exciting managerial talents in the football league.

The thought of keeping Isak, Gordon and co. at bay, though? Not this time. It’s another resounding opening day win for Newcastle.

Prediction: Newcastle 4-1 Southampton

West Ham vs Aston Villa

The David Moyes era is over in East London. With his five-year spell coming to an end following the previous campaign, he has been replaced at the helm by former Spain, Real Madrid and Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui.

A pre-season that has yielded just one win has also seen some significant additions to the West Ham squad. Some much-needed firepower has been added to the attack in the form of German striker Niclas Fullkrug, who joins from Borussia Dortmund, while Lopetegui has been reunited with his former Wolves central defender Max Kilman.

Wingers Luis Guilherme and Crysencio Summerville have joined from Palemeiras and Leeds respectively, with midfielder Guido Rodriguez drafted in on a free after his Real Betis deal expired and Aaron Wan-Bissaka recruited from Manchester United.

Villa, meanwhile, have had a similarly busy summer that has resulted in no fewer than 12 signings. Of those, some of the standouts are the £50 million acquisition of Amadou Onana from Everton, Ian Maatsen arriving from Chelsea and the return of former loan player Ross Barkley following his impressive season with Luton Town.

That said, key men from last season Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz have departed Villa Park as Unai Emery refreshses his squad ahead of a busy campaign juggling Premier League and top tier European football.

Pre-season has seen a mix of victories and defeats – a US tour resulting in three losses to Columbus Crew, RB Leipzig and Mexican side America before a victory over Athletic Bilbao and a 2-0 reverse to Borussia Dortmund.

The 2023/24 campaign was hugely successful for the Villans, and whether they can enjoy such success with the extra demands of Champions League football this time out is one to ponder.

Unai Emery, though, is a manager that demands success – there will be no repeat of last season’s opening weekend thrashing. Villa will edge it.

Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Aston Villa

Brentford vs Crystal Palace

So far in pre-season Brentford have kept hold of their main striker, added a diminutive and exciting midfielder in Fábio Carvalho from Liverpool and scored 12 goals in just five warm-up matches.

So why is the buzz around the Bees more of a gentle hum heading into the new campaign?

An injury to £30 million signing Igor Thiago, who is expected to be out until 2025, has put a massive dampener on any excitement. Many had seen his arrival from Club Brugge as a natural replacement for Ivan Toney’s likely departure. If a big club sanctions a move for Thomas Frank’s main man, panic stations may be occupied at the west London club.

After a stellar debut campaign in 2022/23, finishing ninth, they regressed to 16th last year. Another slide would inevitably end in a relegation scrap. Starting the campaign with a win over Crystal Palace – a team they only managed to accrue one point from last season – would be a timely, anxiety-quelling fillip.

Despite losing an undoubted talent in Michael Olise, who has transferred to Bayern Munich, there is a huge sense of optimism around Palace at the moment as Oliver Glasner embarks on his first full season after working wonders when stepping into the role midway through last term.

Jean-Phillipe Mateta scored 13 goals in as many games after Glasner came to the helm. If he continues that vein of form, with the mercurial talent of Eberechi Eze and precocious abilities of Adam Wharton in behind, then European competition could be on the docket next season for the Eagles.

Prediction: Brentford 1-3 Crystal Palace

Chelsea vs Manchester City

Once again it’s been a summer of immense turnover for Chelsea, beginning with Mauricio Pochettino’s departure in May. After guiding the Blues to a sixth-place finish, the Argentine was replaced by Enzo Maresca, who had just won the Championship with Leicester City.

There has also been a lorryload of incomings and outgoings, a staple of any Boehly transfer window. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who led the Championship in goal-creating actions (31) and expected assists (14) followed Maresca from the Foxes. Younger players like Omari Kellyman, Renato Veiga and Marc Guiu also joined the ranks.

Yet Chelsea’s key player heading into 2024/25 isn’t a new addition but an existing one. Cole Palmer had a mesmerising maiden campaign at Stamford Bridge, averaging exactly one goal contribution per game in the league with 22 goals and 11 assists in 33 appearances, including a 95th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 4-4 draw with this weekend’s opponents.

Manchester City’s transfer window has been much more modest, with Savio the sole recruit for Pep Guardiola. The Brazilian joins City from Troyes after contributing to 21 goals on loan at Girona last year. He will be hoping to improve on his tally of 10 assists in La Liga as he provides for the insatiable Erling Haaland.

Norway’s number nine has already flexed his offensive muscles against Chelsea this season when he scored a hat-trick during the Citizens’ 4-2 victory in pre-season. With the last four meetings containing a 4-4 and 4-2 among them, there is potential value in over 3.5 goals in this game at 23/20 with BetMGM.

Chelsea have lost just one of their last six league openers while City have only ever failed to score in their first game of the season once under Guardiola’s tutelage. In short: expect goals in what should prove a mouthwatering curtain-raiser for the Premier League campaign.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Manchester City

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Odds are correct at time of publication but subject to change. Please note: This week's Golden Goals deadline is Saturday 17th August at 15:00. Opt-in is required and you can find out more here.

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