Newly-promoted Ipswich Town and Hull City are set to make their Premier League returns, with Ipswich facing Sunderland at Portman Road and Hull City welcoming Manchester United to the MKM Stadium. Southampton, meanwhile, are still four points adrift at the foot of the Championship, but they have a chance to bounce back against Stoke City. Southampton had 17 shots on 66 per cent possession at Vicarage Road, and they should be able to turn on the style and win comfortably against Stoke, who managed just six shots at home to Swansea in their opener.
Dango Ouattara can take his fine pre-season form into the opening weekend and the London derby against Tottenham. The ex-Bournemouth flier scored in the Bees' last two warm-up wins over Rennes and Eintracht Frankfurt, and he can make it three in three against Tottenham. Roberto de Zerbi has been in charge of seven Tottenham games, seven games in which 24 yellow cards were shown to his players. Walsall, meanwhile, are no strangers to doing well, but they have a problem seeing the job out. They have built up cushions at the top of the table in each of the last two seasons, but they have blown it both times.
Paris FC have strengthened further over the summer and are clearly ambitious, and they can begin with a statement road win. Lorient finished a rock-solid 10th last term, while Nice diced with relegation. Athletic Bilbao are strong at home and can take care of Sevilla.