‘Big four’ to clash as fixture list delivers double crunch

THE NEW Premiership campaign will twice deliver key clashes between the “big four” clubs over one weekend.

While all eyes may be on Bolton’s Reebok Stadium for the return of Sam Allardyce with his Newcastle side when the season kick off in August, the television schedulers have no doubt already pencilled in mid-December for their first blockbuster double bill.

Champions Manchester United travel to Anfield to face Liverpool, while Arsenal host Chelsea, with the games certain to be moved from Saturday afternoon into one of the prime-time slots on Sky Sports — who still have the pick of the new £1.7 billion (€2.51 billion) broadcasting deal.

The weekend of March 22 will also see the reverse of the crunch encounters.

By then, of course, we should all know more about who will be fighting it out for the Premier League title.

Liverpool will get an early chance to show their credentials when Chelsea come to Anfield on August 18, with Jose Mourinho’s men looking to erase the heartache of their Champions League semi-final defeat last season.

Champions United, who begin the defence of their crown against Reading, host Chelsea on September 22, giving the Red Devils the opportunity to regain some bragging rights following the Blues’ FA Cup triumph.

The clash between the two most likely contenders for the top spot at Stamford Bridge on April 26 is already being billed as a title decider.

A lot of football, however, has to be played between now and then. The fixture compilers will, though, have to make some quick amendments because of the Champions League qualifiers.

Both Liverpool and Arsenal were scheduled to be in action at home to West Ham and at Newcastle respectively on Wednesday, August 15.

That date, however, has already been set aside for the third qualifying round for Europe’s elite club competition. The delicate balance of domestic and Champions League games will no doubt also cause plenty of debate.

Chelsea boss Mourinho has often been critical of the scheduling of matches around the European ties. The opening round of Champions League group games this year will come on September 18 and 19 — just days ahead of the United versus Chelsea match at Old Trafford.

The final round of the first phase comes on December 11/12, which will be swiftly followed by potentially all four clubs going up against one of their rivals in the Premier League that weekend.

Should Chelsea make it to the knockout stages, a quarter-final would have to be sandwiched between trips to Manchester City and the visit of Wigan, with the domestic clash against United coming around the date of a possible semi-final European tie.

Meanwhile Sunderland’s promotion will see former United captain Roy Keane return to Old Trafford on September 1, and the Cork man will welcome Alex Ferguson to the Stadium of Light on St Stephen’s Day.

The Tyne-Wear derby is back in the top flight this season, in Newcastle on April 19, while Birmingham will take on Second City rivals Aston Villa again on the same day after coming up.

Manchester City and United clash at Eastlands on the second weekend of the new season; Everton host Liverpool in October; while Tottenham are at Arsenal just before Christmas and

The reward for Derby’s play-off victory over West Brom at Wembley is a home date with Portsmouth on the opening day — a first Premier League game at Pride Park since 2002.