Premier League news: Five fixtures for Man Utd fans to get excited about in 2026/27 season

The 2026/27 Premier League campaign is set to kick off on August 21, and the fans of every club have plenty to look forward to.

However, Manchester United fans have the most reasons to feel excited about the upcoming season. 

Not only are they back among the elite after qualifying for the Champions League, but the club are also spending heavily to ensure Michael Carrick has all the tools to make the season even more memorable.

And although every game is important, these five fixtures could make or break the Red Devils’ season, writes Sports News Blitz’s Anurag Tyagi.

Manchester United vs Manchester City (September 13, 2026)

Man Utd open their campaign with an away match at Hull City on August 22, but it won’t be long until they play host to their closest neighbours, Manchester City.

Back in 2009, Sir Alex Ferguson labelled Man City the “noisy neighbours” – yet the Citizens have become much more than just a neighbour making some noise. 

Indeed, that tag no longer really applies to them.

They are a true powerhouse in world football, having won every trophy under Pep Guardiola.

Man Utd did the double over Man City last season, and those two fixtures were the reason Pep’s team couldn’t win the league title.

The Red Devils will at least hope to emulate their success from last season and dent their neighbours’ campaign right at the start of the campaign.

Leeds United vs Manchester United (October 17, 2026)

Although Man Utd play Tottenham Hotspur at home the previous week, it’s the next game that will excite United fans more.

The reason is that this is the Roses rivalry – the fixture between Leeds United and Man Utd.

It is one of English football’s fiercest and most historic rivalries.

Though both cities have had a long-standing rivalry for centuries over business and economic interests, the football rivalry truly came to life in the 1960s when both clubs were battling for league titles.

Leeds are no longer the force they once were, but form and the favourites tag often go out of the window when the players take to the field in fixtures like these.

READ MORE: Newcastle Utd lead tributes as club legend Kevin Keegan dies aged 75 after cancer battle

Chelsea vs Manchester United (October 31, 2026)

There is no doubt that both Chelsea and Man Utd have been on a downward trajectory over the last couple of seasons, but this fixture remains one of the defining games of any Premier League campaign.

The two clubs regularly went toe-to-toe for league titles in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with their meetings often having a major say in the destination of the trophy.

While those days may be behind them for now, this is still the kind of fixture that can provide the winner with real momentum.

Both sides will leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of all three points.

Arsenal vs Manchester United (December 19, 2026)

In the early 2000s, Arsenal and Man Utd contested one of the fiercest fixtures in world football.

It was fuelled by both teams competing for league titles, players making derogatory remarks about each other, and even the managers sharing no love between them.

Though the Red Devils are not yet at the level where they are considered genuine title challengers, Arsenal are the reigning champions and Man Utd are on the up.

This fixture may just have regained some of its lost mojo – so expect flying tackles and total commitment from both sets of players as each side looks to take maximum points.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: UFC analysis: How South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis built an unstoppable legacy

Manchester United vs Liverpool (January 23, 2027)

This is England’s answer to El Clásico.

The meeting between the two most successful clubs in English football remains the biggest fixture on the domestic calendar.

Ferguson famously said that Liverpool were the first fixture he looked for when the new season schedule was released.

There are historical reasons behind the rivalry between the two clubs, dating back to the development of ports in Manchester and Liverpool, and that rivalry has long spilled onto the pitch, with players often producing performances that are out of their skin when facing one another.

From Fernando Torres’ infamous ‘five times’ gesture to Harry Maguire’s late header during the 2025/26 season, this fixture never fails to amaze.

READ NEXT: Premier League: Former Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp becomes Germany manager