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After a couple of irritating summer months filled with other competitions, other sports and even things like going outside and enjoying the fresh air, we're locked back in for the 2025-26 season, which begins Friday as champions Liverpool host Bournemouth at Anfield.

If you've missed much of the wheeling and dealing in the transfer window, consider this a great way to catch up as ESPN reporters chronicle and assess the likely starting XIs for matchday 1: in short, how all the big clubs will line up this weekend to begin their 38-game battle toward the title.

- Ranked: The top 50 Premier League players, 2025-26
- Men's transfer grades: Rating every major summer move
- Ian Darke's Premier League preview, 2025-26

The exercise not only shows you the kind of starting power the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City boast, but also where they might still need to strengthen before the summer window closes at 2 p.m.

The other, Evann Guessand, will have to bide his time in order to crack into a very strong and settled Villa attack.

Morgan Rogers sustained an ankle injury during preseason but it's not serious; the club is hopeful he can play in the first match.

Injuries to Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley mean the back line pretty much picks itself at the moment, while Ryan Gravenberch's suspension -- after his red card against Palace on the final day of last season -- leaves one spot up for grabs alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz in the middle of the park.

Alexis Mac Allister is still working his way back to full fitness after an injury sustained at the end of last season, but if he's able to start, I expect him to come into the midfield in place of Curtis Jones.

Guardiola will ease Rodri back into Premier League action after his injury layoff, though the Spaniard is currently carrying a different injury and is set to miss the start of the season.

As a result, I would expect Anthony Gordon to continue at center forward -- having played there in Saturday's friendly defeat to Atletico Madrid -- with Harvey Barnes and summer signing Anthony Elanga on the wings.

Newcastle had one of the best midfields in the Premier League last season, so Howe is unlikely to make any changes there, though it is a different story in defense after a succession of injuries to key players.

-- Lindop

The Thomas Frank era -- also known as the post-Son Heung-min era -- technically started against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, which should give us a strong idea of who the new manager favors ahead of the Premier League opener.

Playmaker James Maddison sustained a serious knee injury in preseason, Destiny Udogie missed the Asian tour due to an ailment, Dejan Kulusevski is lacking fitness and Dominic Solanke's preparation has been disrupted too.
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