The Premier League returns tonight in Manchester and everything is different
All remaining fixtures will be played behind closed doors, with no fans in attendance, and teams will be allowed to make five substitutions rather than the usual three.
The Premier League finally kicks off again this evening – and the first day of fixtures sees current champions Manchester City take on Arsenal at the Etihad stadium.
Man City’s reign as champions may soon be coming to an end, but the blues still need to solidify their runners-up position ahead of Leicester, who are lurking four points behind.
Pep Guardiola’s side will be aiming to complete the double over Arsenal, while the Gunners will be attempting to continue their unbeaten run and make a challenge for the top four.
The match will be a very different spectacle to what we’re used to.
All remaining fixtures will be played behind closed doors, with no fans in attendance, and teams will be allowed to make five substitutions rather than the usual three.
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The Premier League has also announced that all teams will have ‘Black Lives Matter’ printed on the back of their shirts instead of player names until the end of the season. This is in addition to a Black Lives Matter logo and an NHS badge featuring on the front of kits.
Despite losing 3-0 in the return fixture back in December, Arsenal will be hoping that an empty Etihad Stadium will negate home advantage and give the London team a shot at gaining some vital points to put themselves in contention for a top four position.
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Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta, who tested positive for Covid-19 back in March, makes his return to the Etihad with the hopes of steering Arsenal to victory against City for the first time in the Premier league since 2016.
The Arsenal manger is aware that the unique conditions presented by the pandemic will not make things easy for his team.
Speaking during a press conference, Arteta said the game would be “different” without the opportunity to use the energy of the crowds, noting how “passionate” fans are in England.
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Guardiola said that teams can only “adapt” to the situation but suggested things would be difficult with so many games in quick succession: “We are ready to play one game, but three days after another and four days after another… we are not ready.”
A three-month break has, however, given both teams a boost in terms of player availability.
City will be happy to see the return of Leroy Sane, who has a chance to play for the blues for the first time this season following an ACL injury. Aymeric Laporte, who has been unavailable since he took a knock in the game against Real Madrid, will also be back in contention.
It is not a completely fit squad for Arsenal, as Calum Chambers and Lucas Torreira are not quite ready for the game at the Etihad, but both players are back in training.
Manchester City v Arsenal will kick off at 8:15pm on Wednesday the 17th and will be shown on Sky Sports.
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Ruben Amorim reacts as Manchester United are booed off after Malaysia friendly
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has delivered a fairly brutal response after his club were booed off by supporters during a friendly in Malaysia.
The Red Devils recently embarked on a post-season tour following a calamitous 2024/25 campaign, both domestically and continentally, with that limp loss in the Europa League final, but have already resumed what has become alarmingly normal service with yet another defeat.
Finding themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against ASEAN All-Stars in Kuala Lumpur – a squad comprised of various talents from around the region who had never played together before and were only founded as an actual team back in 2014 – it was all far from clean slates and fresh starts.
In the wake of the shock result, Man United were booed off by the Malaysian and other international fans inside the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, which saw more than 70,000 in attendance.
It’s the end and that’s it. Man United got boo’ed by the fans after the final whistle.
They got beaten by non-full team Asean All-Star who just trained together as a group few days before the match. pic.twitter.com/fBxnMiZPN8
For context, the ASEAN All-Stars had only trained together for the first time just days before the game itself, but the de facto exhibition outfit still managed to break the deadlock in the 71st minute against a United side that rarely looked like scoring.
All that being said, Amorim had some choice words for his own players in his post-match duties after their first post-season tour fixture, insisting that while he always remains accountable, those out on the pitch perhaps received somewhat of a deserved reckoning too.
He began by stating, “I’m always guilty of the performance of the team, no matter what. [I have been responsible] since the first day”, but went on to argue: “The boos from the fans, I think it something that we need, maybe.”
Citing that the Old Trafford faithful and die-hard away fans have always been loyal and supportive despite frustration in the league, he suggested that “maybe they will change the way they behave” following this latest reality check.
Despite adding that he has seen reasons for optimism in performances against Man City and Liverpool, for instance, where he felt he saw “belief” and seeds of what’s to come, he’s made very few excuses for the poor displays up to now.
United face the Hong Kong national team in their next friendly on Friday, 29 May, and it’s fair to say anything less than a win would be beyond bad for the predictably unpredictable Premier League club.
You can see his full post-match press conference down below.
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Kate Jackson -
17th June 2020 
