Arsenal will begin the 2016-17 Premier League campaign with a clash against Liverpool after the fixtures for the new season were announced. The Gunners face a tough start, with the visit of Jurgen Klopp’s side on August 13 followed by a trip to defending champions Leicester City a week later. Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho starts life as Manchester United manager with a trip to Bournemouth while Manchester City host Sunderland and Chelsea face West Ham as Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte make their competitive debuts.
Champions Leicester travel to newly promoted Hull City on the opening day while Tottenham – who will be looking to push on from their title tilt in 2015-16 – face Ronald Koeman’s Everton.
Mourinho’s Old Trafford bow as Manchester United manager comes against Southampton on August 20 before he locks horns with Guardiola once again with Man City arriving for an early season blockbuster on September 10, with back-to-back trips to Liverpool and Chelsea coming on October 22 and 29.
Arsenal’s tough start to the season continues when they play host to Chelsea on September 24, while the first north London derby against Tottenham takes place on November 5, with the White Hart Lane fixture four games from the end of the season on April 29.
Leicester’s bid to retain the title they won against all the odds sees Claudio Ranieri’s men travel to Liverpool and Manchester United on September 9 and 24, with trips to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coming on October 15 and 29.
New Chelsea boss Conte has games against Watford (a), Burnley (h) and Swansea (a) after the opening day as he settles into Premier League life, before the temperature rises with Liverpool the visitors to London on September 17 and a trip to Emirates Stadium to meet Arsenal the following weekend.
Klopp’s first full Premier League season as Liverpool boss sees Burnley visit Anfield on August 20, before away games at Tottenham and Chelsea sandwich a home meeting with Leicester before September is out. The first Merseyside derby with Everton comes at Goodison Park on December 17, with the Anfield clash on April 1.
New Manchester City boss Guardiola will have noted a run of fixtures which sees the Etihad Stadium side face Liverpool at home on March 18 before travelling to Arsenal on April 1 and then Chelsea four days later.
The final day of the season is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, when Arsenal play host to Everton, Chelsea welcome Sunderland to Stamford Bridge, Tottenham travel to Hull City and Leicester meet Bournemouth at the King Power Stadium.
Liverpool and Manchester United are both at home on the final day with respective meetings against Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace, with Manchester City making the trip to Vicarage Road to face Watford.
Goal.com
