Manchester United and Fulham to contest opening Premier League fixture
Manchester City will begin their pursuit of an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title away to Chelsea on the opening weekend of the new season.
The match on Sunday, August 18th will pit Pep Guardiola against his former assistant Enzo Maresca, who was appointed Chelsea boss this summer after guiding Leicester to promotion last term.
FA Cup winners Manchester United will host the opening game of the campaign when Fulham visit Old Trafford on Friday, August 16th.
Newly-promoted Ipswich, back in the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, welcome Liverpool for the 1230 kick-off under their new manager Arne Slot a day later, when Championship play-off winners Southampton travel to Newcastle.
Leicester, back in the top flight after one season in the Championship and yet to name Maresca’s successor, will host Tottenham on the Monday night.
Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton reign will begin away to Everton on the Saturday, when new West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui will welcome Aston Villa.
The other opening weekend fixtures will see Arsenal host Wolves and Bournemouth head to Nottingham Forest on the Saturday, while Brentford face Crystal Palace on the Sunday.
The final day fixtures on May 25th see Manchester United host Villa, while Manchester City travel to Fulham. Liverpool host Palace and Arsenal are at Southampton.
The opening weekend is the only one so far for which games have been selected for television, with all other fixtures subject to change.
Manchester United are due to host traditional rivals Liverpool just two weeks into the new season on August 31st, with the reverse fixture on January 4th. The third round of the FA Cup takes place the following weekend, and there is no winter break this season.
The first Manchester derby of the campaign will be at the Etihad Stadium and is listed for December 14th, although it will move to Sunday, December 15th once United’s Europa League fixtures are confirmed. City are due to head to Old Trafford on April 5th.
Arsenal face an early fixture crunch. The Gunners will be away to rivals Tottenham on September 14th, immediately after the first international break of the season, and a week later Mikel Arteta’s men will head north to face City.
Those fixtures come either side of the first round of Champions League group stage games.
The second north London derby at the Emirates Stadium is scheduled for January 14th, while Arsenal are due to host City on February 1st.
The last Merseyside derby to be played at Goodison Park before Everton’s move to their new home at Bramley Moore Dock is due to be played on December 7th, with the reverse fixture at Anfield a midweek match on April 2nd.
Villa are set to host local rivals Wolves on September 21st, the weekend after their opening Champions League fixture.
Tottenham will be in Europa League action on either September 25th or 26th, and then face a trip to Old Trafford to face United that weekend.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie