Liverpool 2025/26 Premier League fixtures: When is the Merseyside Derby and games v Man Utd?

The 2025/26 Premier League fixtures have been finalised and fans around the world are looking in excitement for the key derby dates for their club.

Liverpool will enter the campaign looking to defend their crown, while the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal will be pushing to end their reign.

After being promoted ahead of last season, Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City all faced the drop after finishing in the bottom three. They will be replaced by Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland next term, bringing Elland Road, Turf Moor and the Stadium of Light back to Premier League football.

When does the new Premier League season start?

The 2025/26 Premier League season will get underway on Friday, August 15th marking the start of Liverpool’s title defence. The campaign will run until Sunday, May 24th 2026, when all games will be played simultaneously as usual.

This season’s start date allows for the maximum amount of time for player rest, starting 83 days from the end of the 2024/25 campaign. The end date also ensures Premier League fixtures will be wrapped up ahead of the 2026 World Cup call-up period.

When will Liverpool face Everton and Man United in 2025-26?

Four fixture dates Liverpool fans will be eager to find out is when the Reds will be facing Everton and Manchester United. The first Merseyside derby of the season will be at Anfield on September 20th. The Reds then host United on October 18th.

They have to wait until the latter months of the season for the return games as they travel to the Toffees on April 18th before making the trip to Old Trafford a couple of weeks later on May 2.

Last season, Liverpool enjoyed an unbeaten run against both rival sides, starting with a 3-0 win over Man United at Old Trafford. Their second meeting ended in a 2-2 draw after a late Amad Diallo equaliser gave the Red Devils a lifeline.

The first Merseyside Derby of the 2024/25 season ended in dramatic fashion as James Tarkowski’s stoppage time strike denied Liverpool a final win at Goodison Park. Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucoure were both shown red at full-time as an altercation broke out.

Liverpool made amends by edging out a 1-0 win at Anfield in April thanks to Diogo Jota.

How are Premier League fixtures decided?

Following confirmation on the 2025/26 calendar, the Premier League has broken down the method of arranging the fixtures each season.

The Premier League website explains: “We start when we know the composition of each division, so after the last Football League playoff. We place each club in a pairing grid, which defines the dates they will be at home.

“For every date in the season, the fixture computer knows which clubs are at home and who are away and then it will mix them up randomly to determine the matches. In any five matches there should be a split of three home fixtures, two away or the other way around. A team will never have more than two home or away matches in a row, and, wherever possible, you will be home and away around FA Cup ties.

“A club will never start or finish the season with two home or two away matches because it would be unfair for a team to finish with two aways, Around the Christmas period, if you are at home on Boxing Day you will be away on New Year's Day or an equivalent date. We also try to maintain a Saturday home-away sequence throughout the season wherever possible. Most clubs will have a partner club with whom they cannot clash, such as Manchester United and Manchester City, or Liverpool and Everton. In London it gets a bit more complex and less obvious.”

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