The Premier League fixtures are set to be released on June 16 at 9am, with Newcastle United fans eager to learn who they will face over the course of the upcoming campaign.
Newcastle were relegation candidates heading into 2022 only to produce a stunning turnaround to save their season. The Magpies were in inspired form following the turn of the year, finishing their Premier League campaign in 11th place.
However, with the new Premier League season now hurtling down the track, it raises the question just how does English football's top flight determine the 380 match schedule. Well, a host of calculations and decisions go into the fixture making process.
"For me it is at the start of the year when I get the playing dates from the Premier League," fixture-list complier Glenn Thompson told the Premier League website.
"The whole thing is built up, putting in the international dates from FIFA, then the European club competitions. Then the Football Association adds the dates for its competitions. You’re left with the dates when you can play league and League Cup matches.
"We also consult fan representatives, from the Football Supporters' Federation, and other stakeholders, to take on board their views.
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"Around March, the Premier League sends to its clubs a form asking questions such as whether there are there any dates they wish not to be at home - which is answered in conjunction with the local police - and whether there are any teams they do not wish to play at home on Boxing Day."
While Thompson begins work on the fixture list at the start of the year, the actual compilation of the fixtures starts once the last Football League play-off tie has concluded.
The fixture-list compilers place each Premier League team in a pairing grid which decides the dates they will play at home. For every date available during the season, the fixture computer will know which clubs are at home and away. It will then mix them up randomly to determine the matches.
There are also other considerations that must be taken into account as well. For instance, a team will never have more than two home or away matches in a row.
Additionally, a club will never start or finish the season with two home or two away games because it would be unfair on the side that has to finish with two away games.
During the festive period, if you are away on Boxing Day, you will play at home on New Year's day. Due to the 2022 World Cup being moved to the winter later this year, there have been some challenges this time around for the fixture-list makers.
"You can't satisfy everyone," added Thompson. "It's a compromise across all clubs; you can't do anything to favour any one club. There are 2,036 matches across the Premier League and Football League over a nine-month period, and the ideal solution is to ensure that those matches can all be played when scheduled."
