Premier League PREVIEW 22 Aug 2026: Hull Back in the Top Flight to Face Manchester United

Hull City's first Premier League home fixture since 2016/17 is a daunting one, Michael Carrick's Manchester United arriving at the MKM Stadium as the weekend's first Premier League fixture. Hull's route back came via the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May, Oli McBurnie turning in from six yards after Sol Brynn parried a Yu Hirakawa cross, deep into stoppage time, to beat Middlesbrough 1-0 and complete a rise from sixth place under Sergej Jakirovic. United arrive having finished third last season with 71 points under Carrick, who took permanent charge in January after Ruben Amorim's exit, and our model makes them favourites at 58%.

Everton host Crystal Palace at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in David Moyes's second full season back in charge. Palace finished 15th last season with 45 points and still won two trophies: the FA Community Shield, beating Liverpool on penalties at Wembley, and then the club's first European trophy, a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig. Oliver Glasner has since left for Nottingham Forest and been replaced by Pierre Sage, while defender Maxence Lacroix was sold to Chelsea this summer. The two sides met at Goodison Park's successor ground last October, Everton winning 2-1. Our model gives Everton the edge at 43%.

Ipswich Town's home game with Sunderland reunites two clubs who have taken very different paths back to the top flight. Kieran McKenna's Ipswich secured promotion as Championship runners-up on the final day of last season, beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0 at Portman Road, funded in part by big sales including Omari Hutchinson to Nottingham Forest. Sunderland, promoted a year earlier under Régis Le Bris, went on to finish seventh in the Premier League last season with 54 points, a return that matched the best finish by a promoted club since Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018/19 and earned European qualification. Our model narrowly favours Ipswich at 38%.

Nottingham Forest's home game with Leeds United brings a new face to the City Ground dugout in Oliver Glasner, appointed in July after Vitor Pereira's departure, with the club still absorbing the £116m sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City. Leeds arrive under Daniel Farke, starting his fourth season in charge after winning the Championship title with 100 points in 2024/25 and steering Leeds to 14th on their return to the Premier League. Our model favours Forest at 43%.

The day closes with Brentford against Tottenham Hotspur. Brentford, ninth in the Premier League last season, sold Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United last summer and used the proceeds to break their transfer record on Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth. Spurs finished 17th for a second consecutive season in 2025/26, sacking Thomas Frank in February after a home defeat to Newcastle United, and go into this campaign without European football. Our model gives Brentford a narrow edge at 44%.