The Premier League have released the fixtures for the 2022/23 season, and have given the easiest opening five games to Arsenal, Wolves and defending champions Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side retained their title last term after a close-fought battle with Liverpool, who finished only a point behind. The Citizens and Reds were the class of the field as they topped the table with 93 and 92 points, 18 clear of Chelsea in third and the race for fourth.
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Arsenal narrowly missed out on fourth-place and the Premier League’s final qualifying spot for the Champions League. Mikel Arteta’s men finished two points off Tottenham Hotspur, and could rue their dire start to the season after losing to Brentford, Chelsea and Man City.
The Gunners will relish their opening run of five games for the new Premier League season in comparison to last term, as one of just two teams along with Manchester City not facing another top-six club. Their first big test comes on matchday six against Manchester United.
Premier League hand Arsenal one of the easiest opening five fixture runs of 22/23
Arsenal will start the 2022/23 Premier League season under the Friday night lights away to Crystal Palace on August 5. It marks back-to-back campaigns in which Arteta’s men will kick the term off, having also raised the top-flight curtain last year at Brentford in a 2-0 loss.
The Gunners must improve on their last result at Selhurst Park to avoid successive opening day defeats, though. Patrick Vieira oversaw a 3-0 win against his former side in April, while Arsenal required a 94th-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium in October.
Leicester City visit north London for Arsenal’s first home fixture of the new Premier League season on August 13. The Gunners won both meetings with the Foxes 2-0 last term. Arteta then takes his men to the seaside and Bournemouth, who face one of the toughest starts.
A home game against another promoted side follows for Arsenal in Championship winners Fulham, before rounding out August by hosting Aston Villa. The Birmingham outfit lost 3-1 on their travels to the Gunners last October, and would only finish the term in 14th-place.
Manchester City land one of the easiest opening five fixtures for title defence
Manchester City have also landed one of the easiest opening five fixtures for their Premier League title defence. Guardiola’s side will not meet another top-six club until the Citizens play host to Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium on matchday seven in September.
The defending champions instead open the new campaign at West Ham United on August 7. Manchester City drew 2-2 at the London Stadium last term following an own goal from Vladimir Coufal, having trailed the Hammers 2-0 at the break after a Jarrod Bowen double.
Bournemouth will be Manchester City’s first home fixture of the 2022/23 Premier League season, meanwhile. The Cherries are yet to beat the Citizens after 17 encounters across all competitions, while also losing all 10 of their top-flight meetings between 2015 and 2020.
A trip to Newcastle United follows for City before rounding out August with a pair of home clashes against Crystal Palace plus the Championship play-off winners, Nottingham Forest.
Wolves will lap up one of the easiest opening five Premier League fixture runs
Wolves will lap up landing one of the Premier League’s easiest opening five fixture runs of the new campaign. Bruno Lage’s men could only end last term in 10th-place after failing to win any of their final seven games. They also needed four games for a first win last season.
The Molineux natives saw in the 2021/22 campaign with defeats to Leicester, Tottenham and Manchester United. But Lage will enjoy visiting Leeds United to see in the new season on August 6, before then hosting Fulham for the Black Country side’s maiden home match.
A trip to Tottenham features in Wolves’ opening five fixtures, but they can recall memories of a 2-0 win in north London last season. Raul Jimenez and Leander Dendoncker dealt the damage to Antonio Conte’s side in the sixth and 18th-minutes of their February encounter.
Newcastle, meanwhile, visit Molineux before Wolves round out August at Championship runners-up Bournemouth. The Magpies lost 2-1 in their last trip to the West Midlands with Steve Bruce still in charge, although Wolves are without a win in four against the Cherries.
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