adminMANCHESTER CITY begin the defence of their Premier League title away to Newcastle United, while Louis van Gaal’s first game as Manchester United manager is at home to Swansea City. The Premier League and Football League fixtures were released yesterday, with the top-flight season starting on 16 August and tiers two to four beginning one week earlier. After facing Newcastle at St James’ Park on the opening day, City then play Liverpool at home the following weekend. Manuel Pellegrini’s side were beaten 3-2 on a dramatic afternoon at Anfield the last time the two teams met in April but a late slump from Liverpool allowed City to usurp them at the top of the table and secure the Premier League title by two points, their second success in three years.
United began last season against Swansea in Wales, with David Moyes starting his tenure with a victory despite his ill-fated spell in charge. His successor, Van Gaal, starts at Swansea before a trip to Sunderland and then the three promoted Championship teams – Burnley, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City – in succession.
United have a tough run at the end of October and beginning of November, playing Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal in the space of four matches. Chelsea, who kick off against Burnley at Turf Moor, have a similarly difficult end to the season, playing United, Arsenal and Liverpool in the space of four matches in April and May.
Arsène Wenger’s first game since signing a new contact is a home fixture against Crystal Palace, before big games against Manchester City in mid-September and back-to-back matches with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
The first north London derby of the season is scheduled for the Emirates Stadium on September 27 before a return fixture at White Hart Lane in February.
Brendan Rodgers’s Liverpool start with a home game against Southampton, in Ronald Koeman’s first game in charge, and their first Merseyside derby is scheduled for September 27. Mauricio Pochettino begins his Tottenham reign at West Ham while Alan Irvine and West Bromwich Albion host Sunderland.
All three promoted teams will play at home on the opening weekend, QPR playing Hull, Leicester hosting Everton and Burnley facing Chelsea.
Boxing Day provides some intriguing duels, including two London derbies. Arsenal are at home to QPR, while Chelsea host West Ham. Burnley and Liverpool play at Turf Moor, Manchester City face West Brom, while United are at home to Newcastle. Tottenham travel to Leicester, Sunderland host Hull, Crystal Palace face Southampton, Everton play Stoke and Aston Villa are away to Swansea.
The last day of the Premier League season on May 24 sees Everton play Tottenham at Goodison Park, where both sides could potentially be vying for a European place, and Leicester at home to QPR.
The pick of the opening-day Championship fixtures is Wolves against Norwich at Molineux. There will be no Football League fixtures on New Year’s Day, although Premier League matches are set to go ahead, two days before the third round of the FA Cup on January 3.
First Week Fixtures
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Burnley v Chelsea
Leicester City v Everton
Liverpool v Southampton
Manchester United v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Manchester City
Queens Park Rangers v Hull City
Stoke City v Aston Villa
West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur
— The Guardian
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