Last update on.2021-22 Premier League on the BBC Dates - 13 August 2021-22 Mai 2022 Coverage : Listen to highlights on Match of the Day, BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, and online; Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and Sports Extra and Sounds; Live text on BBC Sport app and website.The 2021-22 Premier League season will be launched by Brentford, newly promoted. They host Arsenal on Friday (20:00 BST), the first of 380 matches in the next nine-months.The London derby at Brentford Community Stadium is the first league meeting between these two clubs since 1947. It takes place 33 days following the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.Champions Manchester City have broken the British transfer record by signing Jack Grealish for 100m from Aston Villa. They will defend their title at Tottenham on Sunday (16.30).Champions League champions Chelsea will host Crystal Palace Saturday (15:00).Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (manager of Manchester United's runners up last season) stated that "This season will be one of our strongest Premier League seasons.""Anyone who finishes above last year's champions is a champion."After the removal of coronavirus restrictions, capacity crowds will now be permitted to link externally for the first time since 17 months.Brentford, also known as the Bees, are now competing in the Premier League. Watford and Norwich both have quick returns since being relegated in 2019-20.The season begins with four clubs: Crystal Palace, Wolves and Everton, as new bosses.What are the key signings? What rule changes are there? What are the Covid-19 protocols What is the latest?So far, big signings: Grealish and Sancho, Varane & WhiteManchester City finished 12 points ahead of the rest last season at the top and have now spent 100m to buy Grealish, Aston Villa captain, and midfielder.This fee is more than the 89m Manchester United paid in 2016 to resign Paul Pogba, a Juventus midfielder.City are also interested in Tottenham striker Harry Kane, as they seek to win the league for the fourth consecutive season under Pep Guardiola.External-link clubs still have plenty of time to improve their squads after the season starts, despite the closing date for the summer transfer window at 23:00 BST (31 August).Manchester United spent 107m to buy England winger Jadon Sáncho and France 2018 World Cup winner Raphael Varane.Jadon Sancho, who previously played for Manchester City in Germany, returns to the United States.Chelsea are interested to sign Romelu Lukaku, a former United striker, from Inter Milan. Arsenal have signed Ben White, Brighton's England defender for 50m. The Gunners hope to improve their eighth-place finish last season.Liverpool have Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk back in contention following long-term injuries. They have also added Ibrahima Konate, a defender from RB Leipzig, for 35m.Villa spent a total of 83m on England striker Danny Ings and Argentine midfielder Emiliano buendia from Norwich. Leon Bailey was from Bayer Leverkusen.FA Cup champions Leicester, who beat Manchester City last Saturday in the Community Shield, have signed midfielder Boubakary Soumare, a Lille player, for an estimated 17m.Tottenham has signed Atalanta's Argentina defender Cristian Romero for 42.5 million.Notable outgoings include Sergio Aguero from Manchester to Barcelona, Olivier Giroud from Chelsea to AC Milan, and Georginio Wijnaldum (Leicester) to Paris St-Germain.Season to begin with near-capacity crowdsCovid-19 has not allowed for capacity crowds at Premier League matches since March 2020.Capacity limitations at sporting venues were lifted by the government on 19 July. This was when almost all legal restrictions relating to coronavirus were removed.The 2021-22 season will begin with the grounds at full capacity.The UK government has yet to decide whether it will make it mandatory for fans to present proof of vaccination starting at the end of September.Top-flight matches will be played at near full capacityReports suggest that proof may be needed for events such as football matches with crowds exceeding 20,000.The Premier League encourages all clubs to test Covid-19 ticketing before obtaining government-mandated passports.Chelsea has announced that fans will have to show evidence that they are not at high risk of passing Covid-19 to be allowed to enter Stamford Bridge.Solskjaer claims that season hasn’t been successfulThere are new faces in chargeSince the 23 May end of the last season, one-fifth (51%) of Premier League clubs have had their managers changed.Nuno Espirito Sante, who led Wolves to two top-7 finishes, the FA Cup semi finals and Europa League quarterfinals, before leaving in May. Ryan Mason was in temporary charge at Tottenham after Jose Mourinho's departure.Rafael Benitez has returned to the Premier League following a two year absence from Everton. This was not well received by all Toffees supporters.After a draw in Merseyside derby 2007, Carlo Ancelotti, the former Liverpool manager, called Everton "small club".Benitez, the second man to manage Everton and Liverpool, said "It was quite a while ago" in response to a question about his "small clubs" comment.Start the season at a brand new club: Nuno Espito Santo (left), Rafael Benitez (2nd left), Bruno Lage (right), Patrick Vieira (3rd)Benitez is among four Spaniards who manage the top flight, along with Arsenal's Mikel Arieteta, City Guardiola and Watford’s Xisco Munoz.Bruno Lage, former boss of Benfica, has been replaced by fellow Portuguese Nuno at Wolves. Patrick Vieira, winner of the 1998 World Cup in France is now Crystal Palace's new boss.Thicker lines: VAR will be 'dialled back"In 2019, the Premier League introduced the video assistant referee system to review "clear, obvious errors" in four crucial game-changing situations: penalties, goals, straight red cards, and misidentity.Managers have voiced their disapproval of VAR, but the system has been modified.When VAR is used to evaluate offside calls, thicker lines will be used.Fans and pundits felt that the game was being destroyed by several cases last season where goals were ruled out because of a player's armpit or toe.Officials will be instructed not to penalise trivialities when VAR is used.Referees won't be able to award the same penalty as Raheem Sterling, England's semi-finalist in Euro 2020 against Denmark.Sterling won a spot-kick late in the game, but there was very little contact.What is the latest for 2021-22?Handball and offside calls are the most contentious aspects in VAR, aside from the time it takes to make decisions.Both have been modified for the 2021-22 season.Handball:How does body movement affect the position of the arm or hand?Are the proportions of the body becoming unnaturally larger?For accidental handball:If an attacker scores immediately or shortly after the ball touches an arm or hand, it is considered an offense.The penalty Leeds had conceded to Liverpool in September last year would not be imposed because Mo Salah flung the ball off Robin Koch’s knee and arm.Also, Wolves' Max Kilman wouldn't be punished for his handball against Leicester. His arm would be considered natural and he would not be penalized.OffsidesNow, there is no doubt that attacking sides have the benefit of doubt.As an added benefit, assistant referees now have more freedom to flag clear offsides right away, instead of waiting for them to be wrong.Players continue to take the kneeAll 20 Premier League clubs will continue taking the knee before matches in protest against racism.Premier League members say that they support the decision made.Players and match officials will wear a 'No Room for Racism' badge on their shirts."We feel it is more important than ever for us to continue taking the knee as a sign of our unity against racism," stated a player statement through the Premier League.Premier League players kneel in solidarity with Black Lives MatterWhat to do?Government permission has been granted to the Premier League to extend its domestic television agreement with broadcasters for an additional three years.The new agreement with Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime Video will be in effect from 2022 through 2025.The previous deal was valued at 4.7bn.Premier League matches will be televised live on Sky Sports and BT Sport while Match of the Day will continue to show highlights.BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra will also have Premier League commentaries live throughout the season.
