Nottingham Forest have a more difficult start to the Premier League season than most teams, on paper at least.
With the new fixtures released this morning for the upcoming Premier League season, fans will be looking through the calendar eagerly to pick out the big games over the next nine months. As always it’s vital to get a strong start to the league campaign and build momentum during the opening rounds.
And with four games before the first international break, this first block of fixtures will be a great indicator of who has had the best pre-season, the strongest transfer window, and the most beneficial summer break.
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But looking at their opening four games, Forest have it harder on paper than most other sides. Steve Cooper’s team visit Arsenal on the opening day, before hosting Sheffield United ahead of games against Manchester United (a) and Chelsea (a).
Their opponents’ average finishing position last season was 9.8, with only five teams having a tougher start statistically. Newcastle have the most difficult beginning to the season, though.
The Magpies host Aston Villa on the opening day, before travelling to champions Manchester City, then facing Liverpool at home and Brighton away from home, giving their opposition an average league position of 4.8 last year. They are followed by Fulham (7.3), Bournemouth (9.0) and Wolves (9.3).
Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning Manchester City side have one of the easiest starts in theory. Although they do face Newcastle, they also meet newly-promoted Burnley and Sheffield United in the opening four rounds, giving their opponents an average league position of 14.3 last season, with former Championship sides given the position of 21, 22 and 23 for the purposes of the calculation.
Only Chelsea have an easier start to the season, as they play Liverpool, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest at home, with a trip to West Ham their only away game in the first four, and an average league position of 14.5 for their opposition last year. Following City and Chelsea, West Ham (14.0), Brighton (13.5) and Luton (13.3) have the next easiest starts on paper.
The full list for all teams can be found below...
Newcastle 4.8 Aston Villa (h) Man City (a) Liverpool (h) Brighton (a)
Fulham 7.3 Everton (a) Brentford (h) Arsenal (a) Man City (a)
Bournemouth 9.0 West Ham (h) Liverpool (a) Tottenham (h) Brentford (a)
Wolves 9.3 Man United (a) Brighton (h) Everton (a) Crystal Palace (a)
Liverpool 9.5 Chelsea (a) Bournemouth (h) Newcastle (a) Aston Villa (h)
Burnley 9.8 Man City (h) Luton (a) Aston Villa (h) Tottenham (h)
Man United 9.8 Wolves (h) Tottenham (a) Nottingham Forest (h) Arsenal (a)
Nottingham Forest 9.8 Arsenal (a) Sheff United (h) Man United (a) Chelsea (a)
Arsenal 10.0 Nottingham Forest (h) Crystal Palace (a) Fulham (h) Man United (h)
Brentford 11.0 Tottenham (h) Fulham (a) Crystal Palace (h) Bournemouth (h)
Sheff United 11.3 Crystal Palace (h) Nottingham Forest (a) Man City (h) Everton (h)
Crystal Palace 11.5 Sheff United (a) Arsenal (h) Brentford (a) Wolves (h)
Aston Villa 11.8 Newcastle (a) Everton (h) Burnley (a) Liverpool (a)
Tottenham 12.0 Brentford (a) Man United (h) Bournemouth (a) Burnley (a)
Everton 13.0 Fulham (h) Aston Villa (a) Wolves (h) Sheff United (a)
Luton 13.3 Brighton (a) Burnley (h) Chelsea (a) West Ham (h)
Brighton 13.5 Luton (h) Wolves (a) West Ham (h) Newcastle (h)
West Ham 14.0 Bournemouth (a) Chelsea (h) Brighton (a) Luton Town (a)
Man City 14.3 Burnley (a) Newcastle (h) Sheff United (a) Fulham (h)
Chelsea 14.5 Liverpool (h) West Ham (a) Luton (h) Nottingham Forest (h)
What do you make of Forest's first few fixtures? Have your say in the comments section
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