Liverpool have been handed one of the toughest starts to the season of any Premier League team on paper.
With the new fixtures released this morning for the upcoming Premier League season, fans will be looking through the calendar eagerly to pick out the big games over the next nine months.
As always it’s vital to get a strong start to the league campaign and build momentum during the opening rounds. And with four games before the first international break, this first block of fixtures will be a great indicator of who has had the best pre-season, the strongest transfer window, and the most beneficial summer break.
But looking at their opening four games, Liverpool have it harder on paper than almost any other side. Jurgen Klopp’s team visit Chelsea on the opening day, before hosting Bournemouth ahead of games against Newcastle (A) and Aston Villa (H).
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Their opponents’ average finishing position last season was 9.5, higher than that of all but four other teams’ opening four games.
Newcastle have the most difficult beginning to the season, though.
The Magpies host Aston Villa on the opening day, before travelling to champions Manchester City, then facing Liverpool at home and Brighton away from home, giving their opposition an average league position of 4.8 last year.
They are followed by Fulham (7.3), Bournemouth (9.0) and Wolves (9.3). Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning Manchester City side have one of the easiest starts in theory.
Although they do face Newcastle, they also meet newly-promoted Burnley and Sheffield United in the opening four rounds, giving their opponents an average league position of 14.3 last season, with former Championship sides given the position of 21, 22 and 23 for the purposes of the calculation.
Only Chelsea have an easier start to the season, as they play Liverpool, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest at home, with a trip to West Ham their only away game in the first four, and an average league position of 14.5 for their opposition last year.
Following City and Chelsea, West Ham (14.0), Brighton (13.5) and Luton (13.3) have the next easiest starts on paper.
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