Arsenal handed fixtures boost with Liverpool to miss key man for huge EPL clash

ARSENAL have received a major boost after learning of their nightmare opening run for the new Premier League season.

The Gunners will face THREE of the traditional Big Six in their first five games of the upcoming 2025/26 campaign.

The north Londoners will kick off their season away to Manchester United before matches against Leeds United, defending champions Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Mikel Arteta's troops will be hoping to strike an early blow to the Merseysiders' bid to retain the title in their Anfield showdown.

But their chances of doing so will be much higher in the return fixture next January.

That's because the Reds will be without the services of star man Mohamed Salah.

The Kop club's Egyptian wizard will miss the match as he'll be in action at the African Cup of Nations.

Salah's absence for what could be a title race six-pointer will be music to the ears of the Emirates faithful.

The 33-year-old has been the scourge of the Gunners in recent years, scoring ten goals in his last 17 appearances against them in all competitions.

Arsenal fans were left stunned by the difficult start a Premier League computer has handed the team in what could end up being a make-or-break season for Arteta.

So much so that several of them, WITHOUT A SHRED OF PROOF, have jokingly claimed the fixtures were "RIGGED".

On wrote on X: "The league [is] trying to set us up."

Another said: "Na this league is rigged."

And another said: "Them fixtures are rigged."

One remarked: "Nobody can tell me this isn't rigged."

Another seemingly frustrated Gooner chimed in: "Rigged."