Saturday 8 August 2015 07:10, UK
Ahead of the new Premier League season, we take a look at which teams face a difficult start.
While neither titles nor safety are secured in August, getting off to a positive start, before the rigours of European competition or international call-ups kick in, is essential for those at both ends of the Premier League table.
But which teams will be up against it? Who will have to be at their very best to ensure they don’t fall behind early on?
We looked at the first three fixtures for each Premier League team and the average final league position of those teams from last season. And the results suggest champions Chelsea may not have it easy early on…
Newcastle
Southampton (h) Aug 9: 7th
Swansea (a) Aug 15: 8th
Man Utd (h) Aug 22: 4th
Average opponent position: 6.3
Just what new boss Steve McClaren needed. After inheriting a squad with just one win from their last 11 Premier League matches, the former England manager comes up against three of last season’s top eight straight away.
Southampton's new signings will want to prove they are worthy successors to the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathaniel Clyne, Swansea have an excellent recent record against the Magpies, while Manchester United complete a tough-looking trio of fixtures.
Chelsea
Swansea (h) Aug 8: 8th
Man City (a) Aug 16: 2nd
West Brom (a) Aug 23: 13th
Average opponent position: 7.7
Never one to miss an opportunity to create a siege mentality at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho will no doubt be keen to point out just how tough the beginning of Chelsea's Premier League title defence is. Swansea, who won at Old Trafford on the opening day of last season, are up first, with innovative coach Garry Monk likely to have a few tricks up his sleeve.
A trip to title rivals Manchester City follows, where Chelsea have won just twice in their last eight visits, before an away day at West Brom, where the champions have lost three of their last four.
Manchester City
West Brom (a) Aug 10: 13th
Chelsea (h) Aug 16: 1st
Everton (a) Aug 26: 11th
Average opponent position: 8.3
Manuel Pellegrini’s men also face strong opposition in their opening three games. While West Brom fell away as last season wore on, they’ll be no pushovers first up with new signing Rickie Lambert combining with Saido Berahino up front. Then comes champions Chelsea, who will be hoping to lay down an early marker, before Everton follow.
One win in six visits to the blue half of Merseyside will hardly fill City fans with confidence, but Raheem Sterling and his team-mates will know maximum points from their first three could set them up for a good season.
West Brom
Man City (h) Aug 10: 2nd
Watford (a) Aug 15: 22nd (2nd in Championship)
Chelsea (h) Aug 23: 1st
Average opponent position: 8.3
If it wasn’t for new boys Watford bumping up the average, West Brom would be facing an almighty task. Despite boasting impressive recent records against the big sides, back-to-back home games against Manchester City and Chelsea, sandwiching a tough trip to face the Hornets, means Tony Pulis will be hoping August doesn’t leave the Baggies bruised.
Tottenham
Man Utd (a) Aug 8: 4th
Stoke (h) Aug 15: 9th
Leicester (a) Aug 22: 14th
Average opponent position: 9
Tottenham will have to be on their game from the first whistle of the new season, with a trip to Old Trafford first up. A clash against an attacking-looking Stoke – who will be hoping for a repeat of their victory in north London last season – and a trip to Leicester follow, completing a difficult opening trio of fixtures.
Arsenal
West Ham (h) Aug 9: 12th
Crystal Palace (a) Aug 16: 10th
Liverpool (h) Aug 24: 6th
Average opponent position: 9.3
Is this their year? We seem to address this very conundrum every season, but with a settled squad brimming with attacking prowess, Arsenal could finally maintain a title challenge – if they start well.
West Ham, who ended 2014/15 poorly, are up first, but it is a trip to Palace, who exceeded all expectations in the last campaign, that will worry Arsene Wenger. Liverpool then travel to the Emirates, and the Gunners would love a repeat of last season’s impressive display against Brendan Rodgers’ men, when a blistering first-half showing helped secure a 4-1 victory.
Everton
Watford (h) Aug 8: 22nd
Southampton (a) Aug 15: 7th
Man City (h) Aug 23: 2nd
Average opponent position: 10.3
It really was a case of second season blues for Roberto Martinez at Everton. The Spaniard emulated his predecessor David Moyes’ achievements in his first season in charge by finishing fifth, but coping with the rigours of European football got the better of the Toffees last time out.
This time around, opening day opponents Watford represent beatable opposition on their return to the top flight, but a tough trip to the south coast, followed by a clash with title-chasing Manchester City, complete a tough-looking treble.
Watford
Everton (a) Aug 8: 11th
West Brom (h) Aug 15: 13th
Southampton (a) Aug 23: 7th
Average opponent position: 10.3
Some managers like to stick with the players that gained promotion to the Premier League but not Quique Sanchez Flores and the Watford hierarchy.
The new Spanish boss has acquired a wealth of talent from across the globe, but they will have to gel quickly, with trips to Everton and Southampton, along with the visit of West Brom, to come in the first three encounters.
Swansea
Chelsea (a) Aug 8: 1st
Newcastle (h) Aug 15: 15th
Sunderland (a) Aug 22: 16th
Average opponent position: 10.7
Can another impressive young Swansea boss continue to build a fine reputation for another season? Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez both cut their teeth at the club, and in Garry Monk the Swans have another young coach using modern techniques to make a name for himself.
Some astute signings will have to perform right from the off with a trip to champions Chelsea representing the toughest of opening days, before north east rivals Newcastle and Sunderland follow – both of whom have failed to win in their last six against the Welsh side.
Liverpool
Stoke (a) Aug 9: 9th
Bournemouth (h) Aug 17: 21st (1st in Championship)
Arsenal (a) Aug 24: 3rd
Average opponent position: 11
With the humiliation still fresh after Liverpool were obliterated 6-1 by Stoke on the final day of last season, the first fixture of the new season sees the Merseysiders travel to the scene of the crime once more.
New boys Bournemouth represent beatable opposition in their first match on home soil, before a very different Liverpool to the one that was brushed aside by the Potters travel to the Emirates to take on title chasing Arsenal.
Leicester
Sunderland (h) Aug 8: 16th
West Ham (a) Aug 15: 12th
Tottenham (h) Aug 22: 5th
Average opponent position: 11
Without their talismanic veteran Esteban Cambiasso marshalling the midfield this time around, what better way to silence the naysayers who believe Leicester face relegation than starting the season in fine fettle?
Sunderland at home on the opening day looks like the perfect opportunity to get points on the board, before a trip to West Ham and clash with Tottenham, who did the league double over the Foxes last season, complete Claudio Ranieri’s first three fixtures in charge.
Stoke City
Liverpool (h) Aug 9: 6th
Tottenham (a) Aug 15: 5th
Norwich (a) Aug 22: 23rd (3rd in Championship)
Average opponent position: 11.3
Can anyone burst the bubble around the Britannia? Ibrahim Afellay has become the second former Barcelona player to be added to a side that finished in the top half of the Premier League for a second straight season, completing 2014/15 campaign with a 6-1 thumping of Liverpool.
Who would you want on the first day? Well, the very same victim of the thrashing! Tough trips to Tottenham and Norwich threaten to dampen the mood, but they’ll take some bringing back to earth.
Aston Villa
Bournemouth (a) Aug 8: 21st
Man Utd (h) Aug 14: 4th
Crystal Palace (a) Aug 22: 10th
Average opponent position: 11.7
Goals were hard to come by at Villa Park last season, and without Christian Benteke, who scored 12 in his last 12 Premier League appearances before his big-money move to Liverpool, the Villans are tipped to struggle once again this time around.
Trips to Bournemouth and Crystal Palace come either side of a home clash with Manchester United – an opponent that Villa have not beaten at home in the league since 1995.
Bournemouth
Aston Villa (h) Aug 8: 17th
Liverpool (a) Aug 17: 6th
West Ham (h) Aug 22: 12th
Average opponent position: 11.7
While the Cherries have bolstered their ranks with a blend of youth and experience, Eddie Howe has spoken of the need for Bournemouth to maintain an element of continuity, and he is likely to keep faith with many of the players who have served him so well.
Home matches against Aston Villa and West Ham – not renowned for their excellence away from home – represent a good opportunity for those players to get a foothold in the Premier League, with a trip to Liverpool giving them a glimpse of the glamour of England's top flight.
Norwich
Crystal Palace (h) August 8: 10th
Sunderland (a) Aug 15: 16th
Stoke (h) Aug 22: 9th
Average opponent position: 11.7
Norwich were unbeaten in their six matches against Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Stoke in the 2013/14 Premier League campaign – and Alex Neil will hope his side can repeat the trick this time around.
A short summer after a gruelling Championship campaign which ended in a play-off final victory has given Norwich little time to prepare for their return to the top flight but they have the opportunity to get off to a positive start.
Manchester United
Tottenham (h) Aug 8: 5th
Aston Villa (a) Aug 14: 17th
Newcastle (h) Aug 22: 15th
Average opponent position: 12.3
The opening three fixtures have been kind to Louis van Gaal. While an opening day clash with Tottenham will be far from straightforward, the Manchester United boss will hope the Old Trafford faithful can help his side lay down a marker. A trip to Aston Villa – where they are unbeaten in 20 years – follows. A home match with Newcastle completes Manchester United's opening three games – and Van Gaal will no doubt have his eye on all nine points.
West Ham
Arsenal (a) Aug 9: 3rd
Leicester (h) Aug 15: 14th
Bournemouth (h) Aug 22: 21st
Average opponent position: 12.7
After kicking-off their season on July 2 with Europa League football, there's an argument that suggests West Ham may be more match fit than many of their Premier League rivals. They'll certainly have to be at their best to take anything from a trip to Arsenal on the opening day.
Home games with Leicester and Bournemouth follow and are golden opportunities for Slaven Bilic to get points on the board. But that's easier said than done against a Leicester side which defied the odds last term and a Bournemouth team buzzing with excitement on their Premier League adventure.
Crystal Palace
Norwich (a) Aug 8: 23rd
Arsenal (h) Aug 16: 3rd
Aston Villa (h) Aug 22: 17th
Average opponent position: 14.3
From the French champions to the Eagles, Yohan Cabaye's move to Crystal Palace certainly raised a few eyebrows. However, Cabaye's arrival, coupled with some other astute acquisitions, makes the south Londoners a team to look out for this season.
Alan Pardew's Selhurst Park revolution could gather yet more pace at the beginning of the 2015/16 season should they capitalise on an opening day trip to newly-promoted Norwich. Two home games follow against Arsenal and Villa, and with the electric atmosphere generated around the old ground, they'll fancy their chances against anyone on their own patch.
Sunderland
Leicester (a) Aug 8: 14th
Norwich (h) Aug 15: 23rd
Swansea (h) Aug 22: 8th
Average opponent position: 15
Sunderland convinced Dick Advocaat to stay on as manager after the Dutchman steered them to survival in 2014/15, and he will be targeting a fast start this time around.
Leicester and Norwich offer opportunities for Sunderland to take important points off their potential relegation rivals, although the visit of Swansea could prove a tricky afternoon's work.
Southampton
Newcastle (a) Aug 9: 15th
Everton (h) Aug 15: 11th
Watford (a) Aug 23: 22nd
Average opponent position: 16
The maths tell us that Southampton have the easiest first three fixtures of the lot. A trip to a new-look Newcastle side – who the Saints thrashed 6-0 last campaign – kicks things off before a home game against Everton and a trip to newly-promoted Watford complete a run of fixtures that are the envy of the others.
