How Did Premier League Teams Perform in Pre-Season Friendlies?

The Premier League picture is shifting as clubs finalize their tactical preparations and integrate major summer signings ahead of the new campaign. Here at LuckSparkH, we have been tracking how these reshuffled rosters held up under pressure during their European football pre-season tours.

Arsenal's midfield reconstruction stands out as a focal point of the summer. The pairing of Declan Rice with new arrival Bruno Guimarães offers a highly technical double pivot, especially with Martin Ødegaard operating ahead of them. Despite this strength on paper, their pre-season results highlighted the friction of missing key defenders, notably William Saliba's absence due to injury. On July 24, 2024, Arsenal drew 1–1 against AFC Bournemouth at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. They followed this by defeating Manchester United 2–1 at SoFi Stadium on July 27, though they later dropped a 2–1 result to Liverpool at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on July 31.

Returning to Europe allowed Arsenal to find a more consistent rhythm. On August 7, 2024, they secured a 4–1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium in London. Days later, on August 11, Arsenal defeated Lyon 2–0 at the same venue to win the Emirates Cup, suggesting their defensive structure is stabilizing just in time for the opening weekend.

Liverpool demonstrated sharp attacking form throughout their own tour, not only dispatching Arsenal in Philadelphia but also closing out their pre-season with a commanding performance. On August 11, 2024, Liverpool defeated Sevilla 4–1 at Anfield. Meanwhile, Chelsea, managing the aftermath of a difficult previous campaign and integrating players like Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix, played to a 1–1 draw against Inter Milan on August 11. The lack of European fixture congestion this year might give Chelsea the physical recovery time they need to rebound domestically.

Midfield overhauls are defining the competitive balance for several other squads. Manchester United is working to balance their squad with additions like Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, while Tottenham Hotspur heavily invested in central upgrades. However, Spurs faced a setback on August 10, 2024, when Bayern Munich defeated them 3–2. That same Saturday saw several Premier League sides tested across the continent: Borussia Dortmund defeated Aston Villa 2–0 at Signal Iduna Park, Brighton & Hove Albion secured a decisive 4–0 win over Villarreal, and AFC Bournemouth edged out Girona 3–2. Newly promoted Ipswich Town also recorded a narrow 1–0 victory over Nice, setting a positive tone for their return to the top flight.

Friendly Results Breakdown