Feature

Can 2018/19 live up to last season's opening salvo?

10 Jun 2018
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Fans of attacking football will hope that Matchweek 1 can emulate the flurry of goals in 2017/18

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Fans awaiting the start of the 2018/19 season will hope the opening matches will provide the same fireworks as last season.

That's because 2017/18 started in record style.

With seven goals, the opening match where Arsenal beat Leicester City 4-3 was the joint-highest scoring Matchweek 1 fixture in Premier League history.

The excitement didn't let up.

That Friday-night match was followed by a six-goal thriller in Saturday's early kick-off, as Mohamed Salah got the first of his record 32 goals in a 3-3 draw between Watford and Liverpool.

With Burnley stunning champions Chelsea 3-2 at home and Manchester United putting four past West Ham United, 31 goals in total were scored over the opening weekend. 

It put 2017/18 among the top five for most goals scored in Matchweek 1, five behind the record total of 36 in 2003/04. 

With the final day of last season also producing 31 goals, here's hoping the 20 clubs can carry on where 2017/18 left off.

Most goals in Matchweek 1 
Season Goals Season Goals
2003/04 36 1992/93* 30
1994/95* 34 2015/16 30
2006/07 33 1993/94* 29
2008/09 32 1995/96, 2000/01,
2001/02, 2007/08,
2016/17
28
2017/18 31

*22-team seasons
**Rotate to view in full on mobile devices

Also in this series 

Part 1: The impossible job: Compiling the fixture list
Part 2: How the Premier League fixture list is compiled
Part 4: Arsenal the place for goals on opening day
Part 5: Who can match Ravanelli's dream debut?
Part 6: Can debutant managers start with a bang?
Part 7: Man Utd kings of the opening weekend
Part 8: Aguero eyes record for opening weekends
Part 9: Mourinho points the way for managers on opening day

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