Premier League Fixtures 2008/09
Matches to be Played on The First Day of the 2008 / 2009 Season
The English Premier League season will begin on Saturday 16 August 2008 and end on Sunday 24 May 2009.
Opening Day Fixtures
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion
Arsenal begin their campaign against newly promoted West Brom. Arsene Wegner’s side will be hoping to push Chelsea and Manchester United even closer this year and will continue to produce attractive football, the question will be if they can also provide silverware for their fans.
West Brom face a difficult task at the Emirates Stadium. Experts felt they were the best footballing side in the Championship last season and they will have an early chance to gauge how significant the jump in class is in the Premiership.
Aston Villa v Manchester City
Aston Villa were one the surprises of last season. Martin O’Neill instilled a confidence in a largely British based side that produced a number of exciting displays.
Mark Hughes will take his new side to Villa Park with expectations high. Having guided Blackburn with great skill, it will be interesting to see how he responds to the challenge of following Sven Goran Eriksson.
Bolton v Stoke City
Gary Megson and his Bolton side confounded many pundits by escaping relegation last season. They may well struggle again this term but will be expecting to start with a victory over new boys Stoke City.
Tony Pullis surprised in guiding Stoke to second spot in the Championship and may have wished for a home fixture. They will be hopeful of taking something away from the Reebok in a match unlikely to thrill the purist.
Chelsea v Portsmouth
Luiz Felipe Scolari's first game in charge of the West London club will be against FA Cup holders Portsmouth. Second place in the Premiership and a penalty kick away from European glory wasn’t enough to save Avram Grant, so anything but a three point start will be unthinkable to the Brazilian.
Harry Redknapp will feel the only positive from this fixture is that at least it is out of the way. He has built a resolute team on the South Coast but the Uefa Cup may prove a distraction this season.
Everton v Blackburn
Everton host Blackburn in a game between sides who had excellent campaigns in 2007/08. David Moyes’s side challenged neighbours Liverpool for a Champions League spot until the final weeks of the season and the Goodison Park faithful will be hoping for similar excitement this year.
It may prove a pivotal year for Blackburn. Mark Hughes has departed for Manchester City and many top players could follow him out of Ewood Park. Their success has been built on unity and team spirit so it will be interesting to see how they respond to the recent disruption.
Hull City v Fulham
This will be the first ever season Hull City have competed in the top tier of English football and they will welcome a home start against one of last year’s strugglers, Fulham. In a season where home form will be the key to survival, they could not have wished for a better opening.
Roy Hodgson led Fulham to scarcely believable survival last season. Winning four of their last five matches, including victories over eventually relegated Reading and Birmingham City, produced an epic escape. They would surely settle for less traumatic mid table safety this time around.
Manchester United v Newcastle United
Despite recent outstanding successes, it is proving a less than serene summer for Alex Ferguson. The ongoing uncertainty over Cristiano Ronaldo and the decision of Cardiff star Aaron Ramsey to join Arsenal over The Reds is not making for a calm close season for the champions. However, a beginning against Newcastle United should provide them with three points to begin their defence of the title.
Newcastle ended last season brightly but this year will truly gauge if Kevin Keegan can bring any semblance of success to St James Park. Old Trafford is not the ideal venue for an opening and a point would be a major achievement.
Middlesbrough v Tottenham Hotspur
Middlesbrough have made mid table finishes a regular occurrence in recent years and Gareth Southgate will be looking for his side to push mediocrity aside this term.
Juande Ramos brought a trophy to White Hart Lane last season but could not revive their league performances. An important year for the Tottenham, who will be looking to challenge for at least a top six finish.
Sunderland v Liverpool
Sunderland comfortably survived on their return to the Premiership, largely due to an outstanding home record. Roy Keane will be expecting more funds to improve his squad and they will provide tough opening day opponents for Liverpool.
Liverpool have perennially under achieved in the league and Rafa Benitez could come under pressure for his job if they have another disappointing domestic campaign. A good start will be essential for the Merseysiders and anything less than a victory will be a disappointment.
West Ham United v Wigan
Alan Curbishley will not have the transfer funds of recent times at his disposal and will hope his injury list proves less destructive this period.
Wigan performed excellently after Christmas to secure their position for another season. Steve Bruce managed the team to critical wins at crucial times but anything other than another struggle to survive seems hard to imagine.
The Big Four Fight
It is inconceivable to imagine a side other than Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool winning the EPL in season 2008/09. These four sides have monopolised the league in recent times and it will almost certainly be the same in the forthcoming campaign.
