Premier League Summer Series Matchday 1 Preview

This weekend marks the start of the Premier League Summer Series, where four teams from the English Premier League will be playing this preseason tournament in the United States.

The guests in this tournament are Manchester United, West Ham, Bournemouth, and Everton, who will each play three games, all against each other. The winner will be decided by who has the most points, with goal difference as the main tiebreaker.

It will be a week-long tournament, with both matches of the day played on the same day, and will take place in three stadiums: MetLife in New York, Soldier Field in Chicago, and Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta.

On this first day, Everton will face Bournemouth, and Manchester City will face West Ham.

Premier League Summer Series: Everton vs. Bournemouth

Everton remains a storied club navigating uncertain times. With David Moyes still at the helm, they aim to avoid another relegation scare, though a 1-0 loss to Blackburn in preseason raises concerns. Last season, they finished 13th—far from both danger and European spots. Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye led the way, with Ndiaye outscoring striker Beto in the last tournament.

Summer signings have been modest, highlighted by €30M forward Thierno Barry from Villarreal. Charly Alcaraz (who was on loan from Flamengo) and Mark Travers also joined, while key departures include Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Neal Maupay, Mason Holgate, and Ashley Young. Fans, disheartened by their rivals’ recent success, remain skeptical about Everton’s direction.

Bournemouth showed promise last season, finishing 9th with 56 points—just nine short of a Europa League place. Despite a late-season dip, the club remains well-run under manager Andoni Iraola, who favors an attacking style.

In a recent friendly, they beat Bristol City 6–2 across two 60-minute games (4-0 and 2-2). Justin Kluivert led the scoring with 12 goals, supported by Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson. However, departures like Mark Travers, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, and Jaidon Anthony pose challenges. New arrivals include keeper Djordje Petrovic and left-back Adrien Truffert. With more reinforcements expected, Bournemouth’s clear goal is to push for a UEFA Conference League spot this season.

Everton vs. Bournemouth Betting Pick: Bournemouth

Premier League Summer Series: Everton vs. Bournemouth

Manchester United is seeking redemption after a dismal season, finishing 15th with just 42 points and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham. Their recent 0–0 preseason draw with Leeds did little to inspire confidence in manager Rúben Amorim. With rivals Liverpool matching their league title count, pressure is mounting.

The club spent over $170 million to revamp the attack, signing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Rashford and Eriksen have departed, while Jadon Sancho returned from loan but won’t feature under Amorim. United must rise from mediocrity and prove they’re still a force in English football.

West Ham endured a disappointing season, finishing 14th with 43 points—just one ahead of Manchester United—and missing out on European football. Now under new manager Graham Potter, the ‘Hammers’ aim to bounce back. They recently beat Grasshopper 3–1 in a friendly, with 20-year-old newcomer Callum Marshall scoring.

The club’s biggest win, however, was retaining star winger Jarred Bowen, who tallied 13 goals and eight assists. Key additions include defender Kyle Walker-Peters and midfielder El Hadji Malick Diouf. Major exits include Mohammed Kudus, sold for nearly $75 million to Tottenham, along with Łukasz Fabiański, Danny Ings, and the returns of Carlos Soler and Evan Ferguson to their clubs.

Manchester United vs. West Ham Betting Pick: Manchester United