The fixtures for the 2016-17 Premier League season have been announced, with some tantalising match-ups already having fans eager to begin another round of emotional footballing toil.
Surprise champions Leicester City will begin their title defence with a trip to the KC Stadium to take on the newly promoted Hull City, with other opening day highlights including Manchester City facing Sunderland in Pep Guardiola’s first game in charge, high-flyers West Ham posing a tricky first test for Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho’s return to the English top-flight marked with a game against Bournemouth. All this, plus a blockbuster showdown between Arsenal and Liverpool will hail in the 2016-17 campaign.
READ MORE: BREAKING: English Premier League fixtures released
Middlesbrough’s promotion sees the Tees-Wear derby provide the first neighbourly clash of the season with Sunderland on August 20, while the two Manchester sides meet in September, the first North London derby comes in November and the Merseyside derby in December.
Here are the best reactions to come from Twitter surrounding the draw:
#Guardiola v #Conte v #Mourinho v #Wenger – to say im excited is an understatement. #PLfixtures
— tinasnehamateen (@tinasnehamateen) June 15, 2016
Weeks away from a ball even being kicked and the meltdown has started already!! Jesus Christ!!! #COYS #PLFixtures
— Michael Curtis (@pups78) June 15, 2016
Can't wait for Mourinho to face Pep on September 10th and 22 October Mourinho's return to stamford bridge. #PLfixtures
— La politique (@enmarche95) June 15, 2016
oh my god. A brutal end to the season for @SpursOfficial ?! no waaaaaay #PLfixtures #sameold #COYS
— Paul (@paulj86) June 15, 2016
Arsenal vs Liverpool on opening day. Don’t mind if I do #PLfixtures https://t.co/vazHgV1GZA
— SportsMind (@SportsMindUK) June 15, 2016
Great that we have @ChelseaFC away as last game of the season. You just know we'll be in a relegation dogfight as always. #PLfixtures #SAFC
— Jonathan Carling (@JonathanCarling) June 15, 2016
You can write headlines already… Arsenal v Spurs on 5th November will be along the lines of "Fireworks at White Hart Lane" 😴 #PLfixtures
— Jake Smyth (@jake_smyth) June 15, 2016
Will definitely take that! Only tough month will be May on paper but Bournmouth away first game is decent #PLfixtures #MUFC
— Riddy (@Riddy94) June 15, 2016
Bloody hell, just see Liverpool's opening 5 #PLfixtures – Arsenal, Burnley, Spurs, Leicester and Chelsea.
Christ almighty.
— JESAL (@JesalTV) June 15, 2016
We couldn't have asked for a better start. #UTB #Boro #MFC @boro #PLfixtures First 5 are all doable.
— James Proudfoot (@IoMJP) June 15, 2016
6th May 2017, home to Man U, Wenger lifts the trophy. Heard it here first #PLFixtures
— Paynie (@PaynieLF) June 15, 2016
Hull, Liverpool, Man U, Chelsea & Spurs first 5 away games of the season. Tough. #lcfc
— Mark Norman (@mnorman1985) June 15, 2016
#PLfixtures ..what date in December is the "should there be a winter break " debate scheduled to officially start?
— John Dillon (@JohnDillonSport) June 15, 2016
The full draw can be found here.
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