Blades entertain Reds in kick-off to Sky’s Premiership coverage

SKY SPORTS will start the new season of live Barclays Premiership matches with Sheffield United v Liverpool exclusively live on Saturday, August 19.

Sheffield United’s first match in the top division since 1994 will also be the first live Premiership match to be broadcast in high definition on Sky HD.

Sky Sports, in consultation with the FA Premier League and clubs, has scheduled 43 live games over the first five months of the Barclays Premiership season.

Within these selections, champions Chelsea will be seen twice in the opening two weeks of the season and every club will be seen live by mid-October and at least twice within the first set of fixtures.

Among the selected live matches are: Chelsea v Liverpool — Jose Mourinho’s champions meets Rafael Benitez’s FA Cup winners at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, September 17.

Manchester United v Arsenal — The first meeting of the year between the two clubs will be live from Old Trafford as part of a double-header on Sunday, September 17.

Reading v Arsenal — Newly-promoted Reading, last season’s Championship winners, entertain the UEFA Champions League runners-up on Sunday, October 22.

Manchester United v Chelsea — Last year’s champions face their closest challengers live from Old Trafford on Sunday, November 26.

FIXTURES — AUGUST

Saturday 19: Sheffield United v Liverpool, 12.45pm

Sunday 20: Chelsea v Manchester City, 4.00pm. Sunday 27: Blackburn v Chelsea, 4.00pm. Monday 28: Middlesbrough v Portsmouth, 8.00pm.

SEPTEMBER

Sunday 10: West Ham United v Aston Villa, 4.00pm; Monday 11: Reading v Manchester City, 8.00pm; Sunday 17: Chelsea v Liverpool, 1.30pm; Manchester United v Arsenal, 4.00pm; Saturday 23: Liverpool v Tottenham, 12.45pm; Sunday 24: Newcastle v Everton, 4.00pm; Monday 25: Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers, 8.00pm; Saturday 30: Bolton Wanderers v Liverpool, 12.45pm.

OCTOBER

Sunday 1: Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth, 4.00pm; Monday 2: Watford v Fulham, 8.00pm; Saturday 14: Wigan v Manchester United, 12.45pm; Sunday 15: Newcastle United v Bolton Wanderers, 4.00pm; Monday 16: Fulham v Charlton Athletic, 8.00pm; Sunday 22: Manchester United v Liverpool, 1.00pm; Reading v Arsenal, 4.00pm; Sunday 29: West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers, 4.00pm; Monday 30: Manchester City v Middlesbrough, 8.00pm.

NOVEMBER

Saturday 4: Fulham v Everton, 12.45pm; Sunday 5: West Ham United v Arsenal, 1.30pm; Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea, 4.00pm; Saturday 11: Manchester City v Newcastle United, 12.45pm; Sunday 12: Reading v Tottenham, 1.30pm; Arsenal v Liverpool, 4.00pm; Sunday 19: Wigan v Aston Villa, 1.30pm; Blackburn Rovers v Tottenham Hotspur, 4.00pm; Sunday 26: Newcastle United v Portsmouth, 1.30pm; Manchester United v Chelsea, 4.00pm; Tuesday 28: Watford v Sheffield United, 8.00pm; Wednesday 29: Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea, 8.00pm.

DECEMBER

Sunday 3: Everton v West Ham United, 4.00pm; Monday 4: Manchester City v Watford, 8.00pm; Sunday 10: Chelsea v Arsenal, 4.00pm; Monday 11: Sheffield United v Aston Villa, 8.00pm; Sunday 17: Everton v Chelsea, 1.30pm; West Ham United v Manchester United, 4.00pm; Saturday 23: Fulham v West Ham United, 12.45pm; Tuesday 26: Chelsea v Reading, 1.00pm; Watford v Arsenal, 5.30pm; Wednesday 27: Charlton Athletic vs Fulham, 8.00pm.

PREMPLUS fixtures — AUGUST: Saturday 19: Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur, 5.15pm; Sunday 20: Manchester United v Fulham, 1.30pm; Saturday 26: Liverpool v West Ham United, 12.45pm; Saturday 26: Manchester City v Arsenal, 5.15pm.