It's one of the most enduring myths in football. Every team has to play each other twice, so why should it matter what order in which the games are played?
Were that the case, then the fixtures could literally be in the same sequence every season, save for swapping in promoted teams for those who have been relegated.
Except, of course, they're not. And for good reason will there have been genuine interest from Liverpool at discovering on Thursday morning what their Premier League schedule would be for the forthcoming campaign.
Having requested to play their opening game away from home to have more time to apply the finishing touches to the £80m Anfield Road stand redevelopment, the Reds always knew they'd be on the road to start.
READ MORE: Liverpool Premier League fixtures 2023/24 LIVE - opening day matches and full schedule
A trip to Chelsea, though, represents arguably their toughest initial assignment since Jurgen Klopp's first season when Liverpool travelled to Arsenal, where a thrilling 4-3 victory was a significant early statement of intent in a season that saw the Reds fly out of the blocks and ultimately regain their place in the Champions League.
Certainly, a repeat of that scenario would be most welcome. And the truth of the matter is the calendar can make a difference to a team's fortunes, particularly early on.
That became an obvious concern last season with Liverpool's pre-World Cup programme on the road saw them due to play two of the three promoted clubs, four of their main top-four rivals and neighbours Everton. While the trip to Chelsea was eventually postponed, in the other six away games Liverpool took just five points.
Yes, there were several factors behind the Reds' subsequent strong showing during the closing months of the campaign. But it cannot be overlooked their run of just two league defeats in their last 18 games - one of which was at Manchester City - was partly due to a more favourable fixture list compared to the first half of the term.
Which is why there will be some trepidation at Liverpool once again being given a tough start to their away schedule this season. In the first seven away games, the Reds must travel to four of their main six challengers for a top-four place, with a trip to Newcastle later in August, Tottenham Hotspur in September and Manchester City in late November. There's also a game at promoted Luton Town, and matches at Wolves and Brighton, where Klopp's side were thrashed 3-0 on visits to both last term.
It all adds up to the new-look Liverpool will be given a particularly stern test during the opening weeks as they look to continue the momentum they gained during the 11-game unbeaten run towards the end of last season.
At least the Reds have what appears a more appealing run of home games, with Manchester United the first top-four rivals to visit on December 16, although it starts a run of four such games either side of Christmas. With Arsenal away then following, the middle of the season appears a pivotal time.
That said, looking beyond the opening months is often a futile task, given the campaign is so often shaped by those early matches. And Liverpool will just want to improve on their poor start of last year when they took just 10 points from their first eight games to fall a whopping 14 points behind then leaders Arsenal. Not once were they in the top four.
With no winter World Cup, a proper pre-season and a decent break between campaigns, many of the issues with which Klopp and his squad had to contend last season no longer apply.
And while Liverpool haven't been handed the easiest beginning, those first few months still offer an opportunity to make a sizeable statement their failure to qualify for the Champions League this season was very much a temporary aberration.
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