Chelsea have most to cheer with release of next season's fixtures

Blues given run of home matches after European games and opener against West Bromwich at Stamford Bridge

(GETTY IMAGES)

Champions Chelsea would appear to have been handed a significant advantage by the Premier League computer with yesterday's announcement of next season's fixtures. Carlo Ancelotti's Double winners will have home matches on the weekends that follow midweek group stage matches of the Champions League five times out of six.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to be furious that his side are at home only twice following the first six Champions League games, with four away trips including a visit to Chelsea on 18 December. No doubt Sir Alex will soon be letting the Premier League know exactly what he thinks.

The matches immediately following Champions League encounters posed particular problems for United last season. They lost seven times in the Premier League in 2009-10, and five of those occurred the weekend after a Champions League fixture, including two defeats to Chelsea.

Arsenal have been treated more evenly, with three home games and three away following their six Champions League group games. The advantage for Chelsea continues into the second half of the season when the knock-out stages of the Champions League begin. In the first two rounds, international fixtures account for two weekends following midweek fixtures, leaving two weekends for domestic fixtures. Of those two weekends, Chelsea are at home twice, while United are at home once and away once, and Arsenal are away twice.

The fixture list has also given Chelsea a relatively easy start to the defence of their title, with an opening home game against promoted side West Bromwich Albion, managed by the former Chelsea midfielder Roberto Di Matteo, followed by Wigan Athletic away, Stoke at home, West Ham United away and Blackpool at home.

Chelsea have however been given a particularly tough period around Christmas, with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur on 11 December, a home game with Manchester United a week later, and a Boxing Day encounter with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

United, runners-up in 2009-10, also start with a home match against a newly promoted team in Newcastle United. Newcastle manager Chris Hughton said: "It's a tough start for us, we would have preferred a home game. We can take heart from the 1-1 draw we earned at Old Trafford two years ago on the opening day of the 2008-09 season."

Liverpool's new manager faces a tough baptism with a home game with Arsenal on the opening day of the new Premier League season. Kenny Dalglish and Roy Hodgson are the two favourites to succeed Rafael Benitez, whose six-year reign ended abruptly two weeks ago, and whoever lands the job will face Arsène Wenger at Anfield on 14 August.

Blackpool start with a home game against Wigan, followed by a trip to Arsenal. Manager Ian Holloway said: "That's fantastic, that's exactly what I wanted. It will be a new experience for all of us going to the Emirates. Hopefully all the butterflies will be out of the way and we can see what we can do against Arsenal."

Dates not to miss

Premier League

14 August Liverpool v Arsenal, Manchester United v Newcastle, Tottenham v Manchester City

18 September Manchester United v Liverpool

2 October Chelsea v Arsenal

16 October Everton v Liverpool

30 October Aston Villa v Birmingham City, Newcastle United v Sunderland

10 November Manchester City v Man United

20 November Arsenal v Tottenham

11 December Manchester United v Arsenal

18 December Chelsea v Manchester United

26 December Arsenal v Chelsea

15 January 2011 Birmingham City v Aston Villa, Liverpool v Everton, Sunderland v Newcastle United

12 February Manchester United v Man City

26 February Tottenham v Arsenal

5 March Liverpool v Manchester United

30 April Arsenal v Manchester United

7 May Manchester United v Chelsea

Other key fixtures

League Cup final, 27 February (Wembley)

FA Cup final, 14 May (Wembley)

Europa League final, 18 May (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

Champions League final, 28 May (Wembley)