New Premiership fixtures announced
Premiership new boys West Brom face a baptism of fire after being handed a nightmare start to their first top-flight campaign in 16 years.
Gary Megson’s side will open the season on Saturday, August 17 with a desperately difficult trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, and will then entertain Leeds at The Hawthorns a week later.
But if the Baggies think things can only get easier after that opening salvo, they then have to travel to Highbury to meet Double winners Arsenal three days later in what promises to be the sternest test of their Premiership credentials.
However, West Brom are not the only newcomers handed a tough start in the fixture list published today.
Birmingham visit Arsenal on opening day and then entertain Leeds at St Andrew’s on August 31, while runaway Division One champions Manchester City launch their campaign at Elland Road.
The three promoted sides have the pick of the first round of fixtures, although all three are away from home.
Last season’s runners-up Liverpool travel to Aston Villa, while fourth-placed Newcastle welcome West Ham to St James’ Park hoping for a repeat of their final home game in the last campaign in which they beat Glenn Roeder’s side 3-1.
Survivors Blackburn and Sunderland meet at Ewood Park, while Bolton head for Fulham and Middlesbrough embark on the longest trip of the day to Southampton.
London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham are also on the road, Claudio Ranieri’s men making the short journey to Charlton and Spurs heading up to Merseyside to Everton.
But the men from Stamford Bridge do not have to wait too long for their first big home game as Manchester United head south the following weekend.
Boro boss Steve McClaren and his players will get a chance to repeat last season’s shock 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Wednesday, August 28, while the following Saturday throws up appetising clashes between Chelsea and Arsenal, and Liverpool and Newcastle.
But the date Manchester City fans will be scribbling in their diaries is Saturday, November 7 when arch-rivals United head into blue territory with local pride at stake.
That will also figure large in the Old Trafford calendar, but perhaps their most eagerly anticipated fixture will come on December 7 when they get a chance to exorcise the ghost of Arsenal’s 1-0 win at the Theatre of Dreams in May which clinched the Premiership title for the Gunners.
