In Which Opening Premier League Fixtures Is It Likely Both Teams Will Score?
The new Premier League season gets underway on Friday 21 August, with a number of intriguing fixtures taking place across the opening weekend. Among them are three matches that could be particularly appealing to those looking at the Both Teams To Score (BTTS) market.
Brighton take on Aston Villa, Manchester City host Bournemouth, while Newcastle United welcome Liverpool to St James' Park. All three fixtures feature teams capable of finding the net, making them worth considering when looking for potential BTTS football betting selections.
Brighton vs Aston Villa
Brighton vs Aston Villa immediately stands out as a fixture where goals could be on the cards. The corresponding meeting last season produced a thrilling 4-3 victory for Aston Villa, with the visitors coming from two goals behind to claim all three points.
That seven-goal encounter demonstrated just how open this fixture can become. Brighton found the net three times but still ended up empty-handed, while Villa showed their ability to create chances even when they found themselves under pressure.
There are reasons to expect another entertaining contest this time around. Brighton finished eighth last season and earned European football, while Villa secured Champions League qualification after finishing in the top five.
Both sides have attacking quality and plenty to play for on the opening weekend. With the memory of that 4-3 thriller still fresh, Both Teams To Score could be an interesting market for Brighton vs Aston Villa.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth
Manchester City's opening fixture against Bournemouth could also provide opportunities for goals at both ends.
City begin a new era under manager Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola's departure, while Bournemouth have also undergone a managerial change with Marco Rose taking charge.
City's defensive vulnerabilities were exposed in their Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, when they were beaten 3-0 at Wembley on Sunday. While a single pre-season fixture should not be taken as definitive evidence of a problem, it may give Bournemouth encouragement heading into their first league match.
The Cherries also have plenty of attacking talent to cause problems. They enjoyed an impressive campaign last season, finishing sixth and qualifying for the Europa League for the first time in the club's history.
Manchester City will be expected to create chances and score at home, but Bournemouth could have enough attacking threat to get on the scoresheet themselves. BTTS therefore looks worth considering in this encounter.
Newcastle United vs Liverpool
Newcastle United vs Liverpool is arguably the standout BTTS candidate of the three.
Liverpool travel to St James' Park for their opening match of the 2026/27 season, with the fixture also marking Andoni Iraola's first competitive game as Liverpool manager.
The corresponding meeting last season was another thriller. Liverpool eventually secured a dramatic 3-2 victory after scoring a late winner, and matches between these clubs have often produced plenty of attacking action.
There are also plenty of questions surrounding both teams heading into the new campaign. Newcastle have a new manager in Matthias Jaissle, while Liverpool are beginning life under Iraola following a disappointing fifth-place finish last season.
Iraola is known for wanting his teams to play with intensity and attack at speed, which could make for an entertaining contest against a Newcastle side playing at home.
With two teams capable of creating chances and a history of entertaining meetings, Newcastle United vs Liverpool could be one of the strongest BTTS options on the opening weekend.
Three Fixtures To Consider
The opening weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season has plenty of intriguing matches, but Brighton vs Aston Villa, Manchester City vs Bournemouth and Newcastle United vs Liverpool all stand out when considering the Both Teams To Score market.
The recent history of Brighton and Villa suggests goals, Bournemouth possess enough attacking quality to trouble Manchester City, while Newcastle and Liverpool have already demonstrated how entertaining their meetings can be.
Of course, past results do not guarantee what will happen in a new season, and football remains unpredictable. However, if you are looking for opening-weekend fixtures where both teams have a realistic chance of finding the net, these three deserve consideration.