THEY SAY retaining a league title is tougher than winning one in the first place, but Manchester United have proven adept at both in recent years and look to have a gentle start to their attempt to make it four in a row next year, a feat that would put them one ahead of Liverpool’s tally of 18 campaign successes.
Alex Ferguson’s men welcome newly promoted Birmingham City to Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the season (the game is currently set for August 15th although television may yet push it back by 24 hours) with a trip to Burnley’s Turf Moor to follow a few days later.
Chelsea kick off their campaign at home to Hull City while the other two members of the Premier League’s perennial top-four club, Liverpool and Arsenal, face rather trickier looking games at Tottenham and Everton respectively.
“It’s quite funny as my wife picked it when we were guessing who we would get first,” said Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish upon hearing the news yesterday. “She said, ‘I bet you get the champions away,’ and she was absolutely right. But we had to go to Old Trafford at some stage and it’s a great challenge.
“If I remember correctly,” he continued, “Reading went there a couple of years ago and dug out a draw and then Newcastle did the same thing last season. So we’ll approach the game in a positive frame of mind and hopefully with a good pre-season behind us we can go there and cause a shock.”
No sooner was yesterday’s list published than the first alterations were being made with three of the second round of games, a midweek programme between the first two Saturdays, postponed due to European qualifiers. Those planning to book flights to the games also need to be wary as television will cause a fair bit of movement closer to the start of the campaign.
The biggest draw, of course, will be the clashes between the main title contenders and United again appear to have been dealt a favourable hand here with only Arsenal to be played away during the second half of the season. Liverpool must visit Old Trafford towards the end of March while Chelsea head there in early April.
The first of the big-four clashes takes place at the end of the August when Arsene Wenger’s men visit the champions while Chelsea host Liverpool at the start of October.
In Scotland, Rangers start the defence of their title at home to Falkirk while new Celtic manager Tony Mowbray takes his side to Aberdeen. The first Old Firm game of the season will be at Ibrox over the first weekend in October.
The stark reality of life in the Championship may have been brought home to everyone at Newcastle United yesterday, meanwhile, with the still managerless club handed a map of their route back to the top flight.
They kick-off against West Brom, who have also just been relegated, before hosting Reading but the likes of Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Plymouth lie further down the road while Roy Keane’s Ipswich travel to Coventry.
