First three months could be key for Arsenal's season

Next season's Premier League fixture lists were announced today and handed Arsenal a three month respite before we face one of this season's top four teams.

The Gunners will kick off the campaign at home against West Brom on 16th August, while the final game of the season will see us face Stoke, also at the Emirates Stadium on 24th May.

And with our first 11 Premier League games involving teams that finished significantly below Arsene Wenger's men last season - West Brom, Fulham, Newcastle, Blackburn, Bolton, Hull, Sunderland, Everton, West Ham, Tottenham and Stoke - Arsene Wengers men will hopefully have amassed a hefty number of points before we entertain current champions Man United in early November.

Of course, once Sky and Setanta get their grubby hands on the fixture list most games will be rescheduled, but the season's biggest clashes have been pencilled in and will fall on or around the same weekends, so the dates for your diary are: Manchester United 8th November (H) and 16th May (A); Chelsea 29th November (A) and 9th May (H); Liverpool 20th December (H) and 18th April (A); Tottenham 28th October (H) and 7th February (A).

So if you're as sad as me and have been holding off booking your holidays, now is you chance to get planning. For the full provisional fixture lists continue reading on the next page...

Provisional Arsenal fixture list:

AUGUST
12/13 UEFA Champions League Qualifier - 1st Leg
Sat 16 West Bromwich Albion (H)
Sat 23 Fulham (A)
26/27 UEFA Champions League Qualifier - 2nd Leg
Sat 30 Newcastle United (H)

SEPTEMBER
Sat 13 Blackburn Rovers (A)
16/17 UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Matchday 1
Sat 20 Bolton Wanderers (A)
23/24 Carling Cup Third Round
Sat 27 Hull City (H)

OCTOBER
30/1 UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Matchday 2 (played on 30th Sep or 1st Oct)
Sat 4 Sunderland (A)
Sat 18 Everton (H)
21/22 UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Matchday 3
Sat 25 West Ham United (A)
Tue 28 Tottenham Hotspur (H)

NOVEMBER
Sat 1 Stoke City (A)
4/5 UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Matchday 4
Sat 8 Manchester United (H)
11/12 Carling Cup Fourth Round
Sat 15 Aston Villa (H)
Sat 22 Manchester City (A)
25/26 UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Matchday 5
Sat 29 Chelsea (A)

DECEMBER
2/3 Carling Cup Fifth Round
Sat 6 Wigan Athletic (H)
9/10 UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Matchday 6
Sat 13 Middlesbrough (A)
Sat 20 Liverpool (H)
Fri 26 Aston Villa (A)
Sun 28 Portsmouth (H)

JANUARY
Sat 3 FA Cup Third Round
6/7 Carling Cup Semi-Final - 1st leg
Sat 10 Bolton Wanderers (H)
Sat 17 Hull City (A)
20/21 Carling Cup Semi-Final - 2nd leg
Sat 24 FA Cup Fourth Round
Wed 28 Everton (A)
Sat 31 West Ham United (H)

FEBRUARY
Sat 7 Tottenham Hotspur (A)
Sat 14 FA Cup Fifth Round
Sat 21 Sunderland (H)
24/25 UEFA Champions League Last 16 - 1st leg
Sat 28 Fulham (H)

MARCH
Sun 1 Carling Cup Final
Tue 3 West Bromwich Albion (A)
Sat 7 FA Cup Quater-Finals
10/11 UEFA Champions League Last 16 - 2nd leg
Sat 14 Blackburn Rovers (H)
Sat 21 Newcastle United (A)

APRIL
Sat 4 Manchester City (H)
7/8 UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final - 1st leg
Sat 11 Wigan Athletic (A)
14/15 UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final - 2nd leg
Sat 18 Liverpool (A)
Sat 18 FA Cup Semi-Finals
Sat 25 Middlesbrough (H)
28/29 UEFA Champions League Semi-Final - 1st leg

MAY
Sat 2 Portsmouth (A)
5/6 UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals - 2nd leg
Sat 9 Chelsea (H)
Sat 16 Manchester United (A)
Sun 24 Stoke City (H)
Wed 27 UEFA Champions League Final
Sat 30 FA Cup Final

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Posted by Gordon Masson on June 16, 2008 10:03 AM in News
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