Tottenham fans will soon be able to start planning for the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with fixture release day now just one week away. Next season’s fixtures will be released at 9am on Tuesday, June 18.
Ange Postecoglou’s side were on the road on the opening day last term as they made the trip across the capital to take on Brentford. Despite falling 2-1 behind nine minutes before the break, Spurs, who impressed in the head coach’s first game in English football, left with a point after Emerson Royal’s equaliser in first-half stoppage time.
As is always the case on fixture release day, fans will have a keen eye on who their team gets on the opening weekend of the season, when the local derbies take place, fixtures over the festive period and the last game of the campaign. So what would be the best and worst case scenarios for Postecoglou and Tottenham on the opening day of 2024/25? football.london takes a look below.
Best case
Promoted club at home
The ideal game to kick-off the season is undoubtedly a winnable game at home. Many Tottenham fans may indeed want one of the three promotion-winning sides to visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the weekend of Saturday, August 17.
Leicester City regained their Premier League spot back at the first time of asking but they will have a new man in charge next season following Enzo Maresca’s departure to Chelsea. Southampton also returned to England’s top flight after one season away after beating Leeds United in the Championship play-off final.
Ipswich Town will be competing in the Premier League for the first time since 2002 after achieving back-to-back promotions under Kieran McKenna. Tottenham have not come up against the Tractor Boys since the 2001/02 season, with Ipswich winning both games that campaign 2-1.
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Nottingham Forest home
Aside from the three relegated clubs in the 2023/24 season, it was Nottingham Forest who had the worst away record in the Premier League last term after only obtaining 16 points. Nuno Espirito Santo’s men were only victorious on the road four times in their 19 league fixtures, thus meaning they may be ideal opponents for Spurs at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the opening weekend.
Tottenham ran out 3-1 winners in the meeting between the sides in N17 last season after an own goal from Murillo and further strikes from Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro won the game for the hosts.
Fulham/Brighton/Brentford home
Brentford, Fulham and Brighton were also way down the standings when it comes to the Premier League away table from the 2023/24 season. Thomas Frank’s side won five games away from home but only achieved 17 points, with Fulham and Brighton only a point further ahead despite each winning four of their away fixtures.
One of the trio at home may be a good start to the 2024/25 term for Tottenham. After all, Fulham have only won two games in N17 since they won promotion to the Premier League for the first time back in 2001, Brentford, who will likely be without Ivan Toney next campaign, finished 16th last season and nobody knows how Brighton will fare with a new manager in the hotseat.
Worst case
Arsenal home/away
It would be quite something if Tottenham came up against north London rivals Arsenal on the opening day of the new season. Having drawn at the Emirates Stadium last September, Spurs were then defeated 3-2 on home soil in late April after the Gunners raced into a 3-0 half-time lead.
It is the last fixture Tottenham fans will want on the opening weekend, especially if it is away from home.
Man City home/away
Tottenham did come up against Man City on the opening weekend of the season three years ago and managed to come away with all three points following a 1-0 home victory. Pep Guardiola’s luck at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium appears to have changed now, though, after winning both their fixtures in N17 last season.
It probably is better to play City early on in the season as they do usually start to go up through the gears after Christmas and duly put teams to the sword. However, the reigning Premier League champions are not an opponent you want in your first game of the new term.
Tough away day
Tottenham had a mixed record on the road last season after winning seven, drawing six and losing six of their 19 Premier League games. Three of those losses came towards the end of the campaign as they were defeated at Liverpool, Newcastle United and Chelsea following some poor displays.
Spurs will ideally not want to visit any of the trio on the opening weekend this time around, with Aston Villa and Manchester United two other teams they will be keen to avoid.
Ipswich away
While we do have Ipswich at home as a possible best case scenario on the opening weekend, it is a different matter altogether when it comes to playing them at their own ground. Portman Road will be rocking in their first home game and that could prove to be a decisive factor over the course of the season as Ipswich look to keep their place in the top flight.
Very much a game Tottenham should win on paper, a showdown at Ipswich would be far from straightforward and it would represent a real banana skin for Postecoglou and Spurs.
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