Champions Liverpool will kick off the defence of their first Premier League title in a mouthwatering clash against promoted Leeds.

In what will be a first meeting in the top flight since February 2004, the Anfield fixture provides Marcelo Bielsa’s second-tier champions with the most sobering of challenges after they won the second tier by 10 points less than a month ago.

Elsewhere over the weekend of September 12 – the delayed start due to the ongoing adaptation to coronavirus – Chelsea visit Brighton and Sheffield United meet Wolves.

Later in the season, FA Cup replays have been scrapped to further ease the burden on squads, while all 20 competing clubs wait to learn when they will be able to play in front of a crowd again with fixtures currently behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

The number of live games will increase from 200 to 220 for this season only, with 12 on Sky Sports, six on BT Sport and two on Amazon.