Whilst clubs in the top flight prepare for their first battle of the season, we take a blast to the past. From five-star thrashings to incredible comebacks and end-to-end contests, we have explored some outstanding clashes.
Here are the Premier League’s greatest opening day matches, beginning at Filbert Street.
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Leicester City 0-5 Bolton Wanderers, 2001/02
A first-half demolition of Leicester City had Foxes fans calling for manager Peter Taylor's head, as Bolton Wanderers got off to a fine start in their first season back in the Premier League after a three-year spell away from the top flight.
At the break, the visitors led by four goals to nil thanks to strikes from Kevin Nolan (2), Michael Ricketts and Per Frandsen. The Danish midfielder then added to his tally with seven minutes to go, capping off a five-star display from The Trotters.
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Charlton Athletic 2-3 Chelsea, 2002/03
Chelsea were the party poopers at The Valley, leaving it late to steal all three points on the opening day of the Premier League season, in a feisty London Derby clash.
The Reds got off to a flyer in front of a packed-out crowd, taking the lead through left back Paul Konchesky with just seven minutes on the clock. Less than twenty minutes later, the defender harshly saw red for his challenge on Chelsea new boy Enrique De Lucas. Ultimately, this decision would change the trajectory of the game as the clock edged towards ninety, but in the meantime, Charlton were in dreamland.
Richard Rufus doubled the lead three minutes past the half-hour mark, but ten minutes later, Gianfranco Zola hauled Chelsea back into the contest. With The Addicks managing to withstand a barrage of Chelsea attacks for the majority of the first half, the great Red Wall came crashing down with six minutes of the ninety to play as Carlton Cole hit the back of the net.
Having played for over an hour with ten men, a point wouldn't have been a poor result, yet Alan Curbishley's men couldn't even hold on for that. An edge-of-the-box striker from Frank Lampard secured all three points in the 89th minute.
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Everton 1-6 Arsenal, 2009/10
Arsene Wenger's Arsenal left Goodison Park speechless on the opening day of the new Premier League campaign in 2009.
By the interval, The Gunners found themselves three goals to the good thanks to goals from Denilson, Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas. Cesc Fabregas, who had already notched two assists in the first half, bagged himself a brace in the second period of the game, with Eduardo wrapping up the scoring with one minute of the ninety left on the clock.
In stoppage time, Frenchman Louis Saha did grab one back for The Toffees, but that would only prove to be a consolation.
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Chelsea 6-0 West Brom, 2010/11
Roberto Di Matteo's side were embarrassed at Stamford Bridge, leaking a measly six goals to Chelsea.
A brace from Florent Malouda, a hat-trick from Didier Drogba and one from Frank Lampard complied the misery on The Baggies, who left London having taken a horrific battering on the opening day of the campaign.
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2012/13 opening day
The opening day of the 2012/13 term was something special. A staggering twenty-seven goals were scored across the ten games, with three thumping victories and a splendid comeback.
Fulham hit Norwich for five at Craven Cottage, with Damien Duff, Mladen Petric (2), Alexander Kacaniklic and Steve Sidwell all finding themselves on the scoresheet.
Elsewhere in London, Swansea scored five, leaving Queens Park Rangers truly ashamed of their performance at Loftus Road. Spanish cult hero Michu and Nathan Dyer both scored twice, with Scott Sinclair wrapping up the scoring.
Liverpool were stunned at The Hawthorns, losing by three to a West Brom side in arguably the biggest shock of the weekend. Zoltan Gera, Peter Odemwingie and Romelu Lukaku all scored to deliver a mighty blow to Brenan Rodgers’ men.
On the first Super Sunday of the season, fans enjoyed a classic, with Manchester City pipping newly-promoted Southampton to the three points.
Roberto Mancini’s side went ahead, before goals from Rickie Lambert and Steven Davis turned the game on its head. Edin Dzeko equalised only three minutes later, with Samir Nasri netting the winner
On Monday Night Football, Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge of eventual champions Manchester United began with defeat, losing by a goal at Goodison Park.
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Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool, 2016/17
An attempted comeback from Arsenal left Liverpool clinging on for all three points at the Emirates Stadium after their epic comeback, and they did manage to grind out a win in thrilling circumstances on the opening day.
Theo Walcott saw his penalty saved by Simon Mignolet, but the pacey fan-favourite had the chance to instantly make amends, handing The Gunners the lead with his low drive. However, in first-half added time Phillipe Coutinho levelled the tie with a sumptuous 35-yard free kick.
The Brazilian scored another in the second half, a fine volley sandwiched in between goals from Adam Lallana and an incredible solo effort from Sadio Mane.
Just one minute later, and with a little bit of fortune, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain clawed Arsene Wenger's men back into it with his deflected strike, shortly before Calum Chambers' header left fans with a truly special final fifteen minutes.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, their efforts were not rewarded, as Jurgen Klopp's side held on to sneak three points back to Merseyside.
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2017/18 opening day
The first weekend of action in the 2017/18 season was so good that we couldn't decide on just one game to include in this trip down memory lane, so here are the highlights
The curtain-raiser came on a summer's evening in North London, as Arsenal edged Leicester in a chaotic clash which ended 4-3. Trailing by one goal as we entered the final ten minutes, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud both hit the back of the net to snatch a win from under The Foxes' noses.
In Saturday's lunchtime kick-off, there was further late drama, as a 93rd-minute equaliser from Miguel Britos thwarted Liverpool from winning at Vicarage Road.
Newly-promoted Huddersfield Town went to Selhurst Park and destroyed Crystal Place, winning by three goals to nil - new signing Steven Mounie scored a brace.
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Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United, 2020/21
The Premier League's first taste of the free-flowing, all-out-attack 'Bielsa Ball' didn't fail to disappoint, as Marcelo Bielsa's men played out a seven-goal thriller on the opening day of the season at Anfield. Unfortunately for the Uruguayan, his team fell on the wrong side of the result.
In a ding-dong battle, Liverpool took the lead after just four minutes through Mohamed Salah, but The Reds were pegged back by Jack Harrison's strike less than ten minutes prior. In no time at all, the score was two a piece, with Virgil van Dijk's twentieth-minute goal being cancelled out by Patrick Bamford.
No less than 180 seconds after Bamford's equaliser, a thumping volley from Salah restored Liverpool's lead, but only a matter of minutes after the hour mark Mateusz Klich pulled The Whites back on level terms for the third time.
With the clock ticking ever closer to the final whistle, Rodrigo Moreno's dangling leg saw Fabinho win a penalty and up stepped Mohamed Salah, who slotted it away with aplomb to secure a victory for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.
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Brentford 2-0 Arsenal, 2021/22
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal were stunned, as Brentford secured a victory in their Premier League debut thanks to goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Nørgaard.
The Spaniard cut inside and fired home to give his side a first-half lead, catching a lacklustre Arsenal by surprise as they faced a barrage of Bees attacks. In the second half, the chances continued and with seventeen minutes remaining, a long throw fell to Danish midfielder Nørgaard who headed home to seal the three points.
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Newcastle United 5-1 Aston Villa, 2023/24
One of the biggest shocks of the 23/24 campaign came on the very first week of action, with The Black and White Army trouncing Unai Emery's Aston Villa in astonishing fashion.
Early on, St James' Park erupted thanks to debutant Sandro Tonali, who opened the scoring after only six minutes, although Aston Villa quickly responded to his goal with Moussa Diaby's eleventh-minute strike. Despite equalising, The Geordies didn't let it fester them, as Alexander Isak restored their one-goal advantage shortly after the quarter of an hour mark.
The Swedish number nine grabbed his second of the afternoon in the second half before a trio of substitutes combined to seal an eye-catching victory. Harvey Barnes assisted Callum Wilson with twelve to go, and the former Leicester man then added his name to the scoresheet in added time, with Jacob Murphy supplying the through ball.
