New managers, old rivalries punctuate Premier League's 2016-17 fixtures
The Premier League released its 2016-17 fixture list on Wednesday, and with the influx of new managers into the richest league on the planet, one cannot help but note a few dates.
Matchweek 1: August 13, 2016
Arsenal vs. Liverpool headlines the opening week of fixtures, as Jurgen Klopp begins his first full season in England with a trip to the Emirates. Arsenal will begin yet another campaign with dreams of winning a title, which in recent history have dovetailed into settling for a top-four finish. The Gunners face Liverpool, Leicester City and Chelsea within the first six weeks, so a strong start could provide the bounce the Gunners need. Or false hope.
Also, new bosses Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola will debut at home for Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively. Jose Mourinho will have his Old Trafford debut as the Red Devils’ boss in the second week, Aug. 20, against Southampton.
Matchweek 4: September 10, 2016
Mourinho and Guardiola will face off in their first Manchester derby, as Old Trafford pits two of the game’s brightest minds against one another. The duo faced off in El Clasico regularly until Guardiola left Barcelona and took a sabbatical, before turning up at Bayern Munich. The reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium will take place on Feb. 25, 2017. Mourinho’s continuing rivalry with Guardiola expects to be one of the highlights of the 2016-17 season.
Matchweek 8: October 15, 2016
The Premier League’s last two champions, Leicester City and Chelsea, meet at Stamford Bridge in an early season contest that should provide insight into both teams’ title hopes. With Champions League on offer for Leicester City, the squad rotation required could cause a few headaches for the reigning title-holders. This match should be an early season measuring stick.
Also, Liverpool and Manchester United meet in the North West derby. Klopp got the better of outgoing manager Louis van Gaal in these two clubs’ first ever meeting in Europe, but Mourinho’s United should make for fascinating viewing. Could Zlatan Ibrahimovic be involved and score the winner? The return leg of this historic derby between the two winningest clubs in English football takes place at Old Trafford in Matchweek 21 on January 14, 2017.
Matchweek 9: October 22, 2016
Mourinho is a headline maker, and on this date, the Portuguese tactician will return to Stamford Bridge for the first time as Manchester United manger. Likely, Chelsea supporters will cheer for their former manager or possibly go mum, but the overall feeling is that he won’t be whistled. Still, a Mourinho return to Stamford Bridge as manager of Manchester United is something most supporters never wanted to imagine, even if his love affair with Sir Alex Ferguson was well documented. Also, Mourinho will be coming off a tough match at Anfield against Klopp’s army the week prior.
Matchweek 11: November 5, 2016
Arsenal and Tottenham renew the North London derby for yet another season, as Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino turn up as two heavyweight managers seemingly forgotten due to the new managers docking across England. The reverse of this fixture arrives on Matchday 35, April 29, 2017, at White Hart Lane. All London derbies are festive affairs, but this London derby tends to consistently provide the best entertainment.
Matchweek 19: December 31, 2016
The holiday fixtures provide the flurry of activity, and the highlight of the series is former Borussia Dortmund manager Klopp facing off against former Bayern Munich manager Guardiola. In many ways, Guardiola’s arrival in Germany dismantled Klopp’s dominance in the Bundesliga and eventually saw the energetic manager leave his post after seemingly being unable to compete with the Spaniard. At Anfield, the two will renew their rivalry ahead of the New Year, and a return fixture at the Etihad arrives in Matchweek 29, March 18, 2017.
Matchweek 30, April 1, 2017
On April Fools’ Day, Liverpool and Everton meet at Anfield for the Merseyside derby, as new Everton manager Ronald Koeman experiences Anfield in a derby atmosphere for the first time. The two teams will meet at Goodison Park in Matchweek 17, December 17, 2016.
Also in Matchweek 30, Guardiola’s Manchester City will travel to London to face off against Arsenal. The Citizens will face a telling few weeks at that stage in the season, and the title could well be won or lost by the string of results. In Matchweek 29 on March 18, 2017, Man City will host Liverpool before travelling to Arsenal in Matchweek 30, with an international break splitting to two games. Matchweek 31, which arrives in the midweek on April 5, 2017, sends the Citizens to Stamford Bridge to face Conte’s Chelsea. After spending time with overpowering squads in Germany and Spain, where the majority of opposition did not challenge his Bayern and Barcelona teams, the Premier League will doubtlessly test Guardiola’s resolve. The speed and intensity of those three rounds could well knock the Spaniard off his feet.
Matchweek 37, May 13, 2017
With all the talk of new managers and the star power, one can easily forget that Leicester City is the champion. In Matchweek 37, Claudio Ranieri will lead his troops—with or without Jamie Vardy—to the Etihad Stadium in what could prove to be a ceremonial passing of the torch. If the spending spree following the European Championships goes as expected, Guardiola will have a new- look squad that is worthy of a title, and he is certainly a brilliant enough manager to win the league in his first season. After all, Ranieri took Leicester to the title in his first season in charge.
Matchweek 38: May 21, 2017
Likely, the final round of play will have more to do with relegation than choosing a champion, so Middlesbrough at Anfield, Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, Crystal Palace at Old Trafford and Bournemouth at the King Power are three matches that expect to have relegation implications. Also, Burnley hosts West Ham, Hull City hosts Tottenham Hotspur and Watford hosts Manchester City on the final day of the season. Sadly, three teams have to go down.
