Manchester City and Chelsea feature among first televised games of new Premier League season
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Your support makes all the difference.The matches involving Champions League winners Chelsea and Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City will open the new campaign live on television.
The Blues' visit to Wigan on Sunday, August 19 (kick-off 1.30pm) will be the first of 42 top-flight games to be screened by Sky Sports between the start of the season and November, the broadcaster confirmed today.
They will be closely followed by City, who host promoted Southampton later the same day (kick-off 4pm), with Manchester United in action against Everton at Goodison Park the following evening.
Every Premier League club will be featured at least twice, while the list of games includes five major derbies from the midlands, north London, Tyne and Wear, Merseyside and the north west.
Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: "We're all looking forward to the start of the Premier League and we begin with a bang; Champions League winners Chelsea, Premier League Champions Manchester City and Manchester United all in our opening weekend.
"These selections provide our viewers with huge head-to-heads, major derbies and every team at least twice, all in the first three months of the season.
"We have the biggest names providing the most insightful analysis and commentary plus a wealth of unrivalled support programming.
"I'm sure it'll be another fascinating football season on Sky Sports."
Play-off winners West Ham will feature for the first time when they travel to Swansea on August 25, while Reading entertain Tottenham three weekends later.
Sunday, September 23 sees Liverpool host Manchester United and Arsenal visit City, while the Gunners will welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium on the following Saturday.
Sunderland will attempt to gain revenge for their derby defeat last season when Newcastle return to the Stadium of Light on Sunday, October 21, a day after Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas attempts to gain revenge on former employers Chelsea at White Hart Lane, while the first Merseyside derby takes place at Goodison the following Saturday.
A day later, United renew hostilities with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and then face Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday, November 3.
The Emirates will stage the north London derby on Saturday, November 17, while new Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will return to former club Swansea the following weekend.
Meanwhile, ESPN will launch their programme of Saturday evening kick-offs on Tyneside on August 18 when Spurs head to Newcastle, who also feature the following weekend in a tough trip to Chelsea.
United host Spurs on September 29, while derby rivals City's visit to West Ham will be screened on November 3.
AUGUST KICK OFF
Wigan Athletic v Chelsea Sun 19 1:30pm
Manchester City v Southampton Sun 19 4pm
Everton v Manchester United Mon 20 8pm
Swansea City v West Ham United Sat 25 12:45pm
Stoke City v Arsenal Sun 26 1:30pm
Liverpool v Manchester City Sun 26 4pm
SEPTEMBER
West Ham United v Fulham Sat 1 12:45pm
Liverpool v Arsenal Sun 2 1:30pm
Southampton v Manchester United Sun 2 4pm
Norwich City v West Ham United Sat 15 12:45pm
Reading v Tottenham Hotspur Sun 16 4pm
Everton v Newcastle United Mon 17 8pm
Swansea City v Everton Sat 22 12:45pm
Liverpool v Manchester United Sun 23 1:30pm
Manchester City v Arsenal Sun 23 4pm
Arsenal v Chelsea Sat 29 12:45pm
Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion Sun 30 4pm
OCTOBER
Queens Park Rangers v West Ham United Mon 1 8pm
Manchester City v Sunderland Sat 6 12:45pm
Southampton v Fulham Sun 7 1:30pm
Newcastle United v Manchester United Sun 7 4pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Sat 20 12:45pm
Sunderland v Newcastle United Sun 21 1:30pm
Queens Park Rangers v Everton Sun 21 4pm
Everton v Liverpool Sat 27 12:45pm
Aston Villa v Norwich City Sun 28 1:30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United Sun 28 4pm
NOVEMBER
Manchester United v Arsenal Sat 3 12:45pm
Queens Park Rangers v Reading Sun 4 1:30pm
Liverpool v Newcastle United Sun 4 4pm
West Bromwich Albion v Southampton Mon 5 8pm
Aston Villa v Manchester United Sat 10 5:30pm
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Sun 11 1:30pm
Chelsea v Liverpool Sun 11 4pm
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur Sat 17 12:45pm
Fulham v Sunderland Sun 18 4pm
West Ham United v Stoke City Mon 19 8pm
Swansea City v Liverpool Sat 24 12:45pm
Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion Sun 25 1:30pm
Chelsea v Manchester City Sun 25 4pm
Aston Villa v Reading Tue 27 8pm
Wigan Athletic v Manchester City Wed 28 8pm
PA
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