Burning questions for the new season

Can Louis van Gaal secure a winning start to his Manchester United reign?

The former Dutch coach has overseen five victories and a draw in the six pre-season games, and a home match against Swansea first up should be easy enough to kick-start United's Premier League campaign, at least on paper.

But stranger things have happened, and last year's horror show will not have been completely expunged from the minds of the Old Trafford faithful.

Will Chelsea's new signings gel in their first game against Burnley?

After failing to fully convince Barcelona supporters in his longed-for homecoming, Cesc Fabregas will be desperate to impress in the Monday night match at Burnley.

José Mourinho said he was delighted with his new £32-million (R563-million) striker Diego Costa after he scored twice in the opening seven minutes of a pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.

Has Yaya Toure forgiven Man City for not gifting him a birthday cake?

Fresh from his second Premier League title in two years, star player Toure made it clear he was unhappy at the Emirates, sending out a spate of confusing and conflicting messages on Twitter.

What it boiled down to, according to his agent (who may or may not have been rocking the City boat in an attempt to improve his client's already significant wage or tee up a move to, say, Paris Saint Germain), was that Yaya had been disrespected by the club for failing to roll out a cake for his birthday celebrations. After those rumblings a clearly upset Toure failed to shine at the World Cup for Ivory Coast and he has now pledged his future (again) to City.

Will Alexis Sanchez prove he is worth the hype for Arsenal in their opener against Crystal Palace?

For once Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has not been reluctant to splash the club's cash in the summer transfer market, and after last year's final-day coup of signing Mesut Ozil for £42.5-million the club have added yet more expensively lured players this term.

French international Mathieu Debuchy has come in as a replacement for Bacary Sagna, who has departed for Manchester City, and teenage defender Calum Chambers has joined for £16-million. But the man who has caused most excitement is £30-million Alexis Sanchez, the Chilean who was nudged out of Barcelona by new manager Luis Enrique. Against Palace at home the forward will have an ideal chance to convince the Gunners supporters he is not just an overhyped La Liga reject.

With Roy Keane in the dugout, will Aston Villa's players dare to lose against Stoke?

There was once a theory posited that the length of the former Man United captain's beard served as an indicator to his mindset: the longer it was, the nearer to losing it he was. Well, he is looking pretty hirsute at the moment, unfortunately for the Villa players. Perhaps that is because since Keane joined the club as Paul Lambert's No2, the club have endured a very ordinary pre-season.

An away trip to the Britannia Stadium and defeat could lead to more stubble growth and detonation point could be close. Beware.

Will the bubble burst for Sam Allardyce if West Ham lose at home to local rivals Tottenham?

The big man senses he has a gallop on his rivals in the sack race, and in the close season spoke to the media to address his worries after co-owner David Gold appeared to condone his removal from the dugout by favouriting a supporter's tweet asking if he would be sacked.

Perhaps he was being overly sensitive, but it is true Hammers' fans have failed to embrace his dose of roughhouse football, and with record signing Andy Carroll's extended absence, patience is wearing incredibly thin.

EPL Fixtures

Tomorrow

Man United vs Swansea (1.45pm)

Leicester vs Everton (4pm)

QPR vs Hull (4pm)

Stoke vs Aston Villa (4pm)

West Brom vs Sunderland (4pm)

West Ham vs Tottenham (4pm)

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (6.30pm)

Sunday

Liverpool vs Southampton (2.30pm)

Newcastle vs Man City (5pm)

Monday

Burnley vs Chelsea (9pm)