Premier League announces full fixture list for 2020/21 season; Chelsea's opening match against Brighton delayed by two days, they play Liverpool and Manchester United in first seven games
Thursday 20 August 2020 09:00, UK
Chelsea will begin their 2020/21 campaign two days after the official start of the Premier League season, playing Brighton away on Monday September 14.
Blues head coach Frank Lampard had warned the Premier League's return date of September 12 was too soon for his players to return after ending their season with a Champions League last-16 second-leg match against Bayern Munich.
"The 12th feels too early for me for the players to start playing again," he said after Chelsea lost in the FA Cup final to Arsenal. "The players need a break. That is why we have pulled two hamstrings [Cesar Azpilicueta and Christian Pulisic] and had players pull out of the game before this.
"I would like to think the Premier League would look seriously at that and hopefully give us a fair start next season. We deserve to be, as a Premier League club competing in the Champions League."
He later said: "We will be ready to go come September 12 or whenever they give us our first league date... It has been the longest season ever, so it is important they have a break and we will be firing."
Lampard has been granted a small reprieve on that front with Chelsea's 2020/21 Premier League season starting two days after the official start date when they travel to Brighton on September 14.
That is followed by a visit of reigning Premier League champions Liverpool to Stamford Bridge before a trip to newly-promoted West Brom. Manchester United also feature in their opening seven fixtures.
It is a short Boxing Day trip for the Blues as they visit Arsenal and Lampard's team will not face west London rivals Fulham until January 16 at Craven Cottage. The return fixture will be played on May 1.
After this, Chelsea face a tricky end to the season with Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester in successive games before rounding off the campaign against Aston Villa on May 23.
September
14: Brighton (a)
19: Liverpool (h)
26: West Brom (a)
October
3: Crystal Palace (h)
17: Southampton (h)
24: Manchester United (a)
31: Burnley (a)
November
7: Sheffield United (h)
21: Newcastle (a)
28: Tottenham (h)
December
5: Leeds (h)
12: Everton (a)
15: Wolves (a)
19: West Ham (h)
26: Arsenal (a)
28: Aston Villa (h)
January
2: Manchester City (h)
12: Leicester (a)
16: Fulham (a)
27: Wolves (h)
30: Burnley (h)
February
3: Tottenham (a)
6: Sheffield United (a)
13: Newcastle (h)
20: Southampton (a)
27: Manchester United (h)
March
6: Everton (h)
13: Leeds (a)
20: Liverpool (a)
April
3: West Brom (h)
10: Crystal Palace (a)
17: Brighton (h)
24: West Ham (a)
May
1: Fulham (h)
8: Manchester City (a)
12: Arsenal (h)
15: Leicester (h)
23: Aston Villa (a)
The Premier League has revealed the 2020/21 season will start on Saturday September 12.
The season is scheduled to finish on Sunday May 23, 2021 - just 19 days before the rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament kicks off.
The transfer window opened on Monday July 27 and will close on Monday October 5 at 11pm. An additional domestic-only window will run from October 5 to 5pm on October 16 but Premier League clubs will only be able to trade with EFL clubs.
Who has your team signed? Who has been shipped out?
Check here for a comprehensive list of all the Premier League ins and outs from the 2020 summer transfer window, which opened on July 27 and closes on October 5.
