Alex Keble looks at key matches following Fixture Release Day on Thursday.
Liverpool & Man Utd to relish tough challenge?
Things are not necessarily straightforward for Liverpool or Manchester United, yet this could be seen as a blessing in disguise.
After all, both teams are expecting to challenge for honours this season. Both could do with early statement wins.
Erik ten Hag has the perfect mix, in fact. A start of Wolverhampton Wanderers (home), Tottenham Hotspur (away), and Nottingham Forest (home) offers the strong possibility of a 100 per cent beginning before a headline trip to Emirates Stadium in the final match before the first international break.
Winning at Arsenal would spark talk of United as dark horses for the title.
From here, things stay fairly simple – Brighton & Hove Albion (H), Burnley (A), Crystal Palace (H), Brentford (H), Sheffield United (A) – all the way up until the first Manchester derby on 28 October.
Ten Hag may well be looking at this fixture list and imagining his team riding high, welcoming Pep Guardiola’s side to Old Trafford hoping to announce themselves as legitimate title rivals.
It's tougher for Liverpool. Their first seven matches includes three of their fellow top eight from 2022/23 (plus Chelsea), including trips to Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
But unlike Man Utd, Liverpool have a recent history of Premier League success and will be gearing up for another +90-point season.
In that respect, early challenges are to be embraced, not feared.
If Jurgen Klopp’s side win at Chelsea and at Newcastle in August (they collected four points from these fixtures last season) then the narrative will turn in their favour.
However, a potential stumbling block comes at Christmas. Liverpool have by far the hardest December run, playing Man Utd (H), Arsenal (H), Burnley (A) and Newcastle (H) in a 15-day period over the festive season.
Also in this series
Part 1: Can Pochettino benefit from kind start?
Part 3: Can Postecoglou navigate through series of tough matches?
Part 4: Will Arsenal v Man City in October be season-defining?
