Arsenal fans have bizarrely claimed their club are the victims of a conspiracy after the Premier League released the fixtures for the 2025-26 Premier League season.
The Gunners have finished as runners-up in the last three season – twice behind Man City and then Liverpool in the 2024-25 campaign.
Fans had eagerly awaited the fixture release on Wednesday morning to chart the path Mikel Arteta’s side will have to take to end their wait for the title, which now stretches back until 2003.
Arsenal will open the season with a blockbuster away match against Manchester United, who will be aiming to bounce back from finishing 15th after a miserable 2024-25 season.
The Gunners host newly promoted Leeds United in their second home match, before a trip to Anfield to face champions Liverpool.
Arsenal then face Nottingham Forest and Man City at home, with an away match to Newcastle completing their opening six fixtures of the season.
Statisticians Opta have determined that Arsenal have been handed the second-toughest opening five-games, with only Man United facing a tougher start.
Some Arsenal fans reacted to playing four of last season’s top seven in the opening matches by suggesting the Premier League ‘hate’ the club and were setting them up ‘for the kill’.
‘They don’t have it in for Arsenal, no? Smh,’ one fan wrote, adding ‘They do everything – *everything* – they can.’
‘Premier League hate Arsenal. Scheduled an incredibly difficult start in the last 2 seasons,’ another wrote.
Other fans claimed the start was ‘punishment’ amid complaints over refereeing standards last season.
It followed Arteta claiming at the end of last season that his players had been ‘punished’ at the start of the campaign, both stating rules ‘after 15 games were very different’.
One fan wrote ‘With that start to the season, who thinks the FA/Premier League are punishing Arsenal for showing up the PGMOL (the body responsible for refereeing games).
‘I’ve genuinely lost all excitement, the refs will just make up a new rule and only apply it to us. There’s no point watching anymore, they just decide who they want to win anyway,’ another wrote.
Another took aim at North London rivals Tottenham amid their complaint over the fixtures, with new Spurs boss handed a home start against promoted Burnley on the opening day.
‘Probably the hardest start to a season in Arsenal’s history. We’ll be doing well to take 10 points from the first six. Have to say it was nice of the Premier League to allow Thomas Frank to pick his first few fixtures to ensure a gentle start.’
Despite complaints from Arsenal fans, the Premier League fixture list is determined by a computer with the top flight publishing a guide earlier this week to how the calendar is complied.
The Premier League stated that the computer tries to follow basic rules including splits of three home and away matches or two home and three away in a five match run of games.
Clubs will not start or finish the season will two home or away matches for fairness, while if teams are at home in the first matches after Christmas Day, they will be away for the New Year’s Day fixtures.
The Premier League also stated it seeks to maintain a home-away sequence throughout the season wherever possible.
Travel considerations, the impact of clubs competitions, policing and requests from clubs to play on specific dates at home or away – due to anniversaries, events and stadium rebuilds, are considered before fixtures are mixed by the computer.
Fans of rival clubs were quick to mock the section of Arsenal fans who complained about the fixture schedule.
‘There is simply nothing more Arseanl than their fans writing to the PL to complain about their fixture list, phenomenal stuff,’ one wrote.
‘Arsenal fans are really calling the fixture list scripted as if every team doesn’t play each other twice,’ another said.
