Thursday saw the official release of the Premier league schedule, and with that the beginning of the countdown to the regular season. It won’t be long until we have actual league games to talk about again, instead of silly season transfer rumors and international competitions that draw only mild at best levels of interest.
As for Manchester United, they open the season in the weekend’s headliner fixture, hosting reigning Europa League champions Chelsea on Sunday August 11. It will be the start of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first full season in charge, and it will likely come against a side breaking in a new manager.
It still seems highly likely that Maurizio Sarri will be departing last season’s third place finishers for Juventus this summer. The Red Devils, who finished last season as dismally as possible, have probably the toughest start possible in 2019-2020. The schedule makers did them no favors this time.
In week two they travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers, who beat them twice last season, and if Solskjaer is going to improve last season’s sixth place showing, they will have to do so without the luxury of easing into the season.
They don’t face a promoted team until they travel to Norwich City on October 26th. That said, here are some other “circle the dates” for Manchester United supporters. We list out below all the big rivalry games, and clashes against the top six for you to peruse.
Manchester Derby
Dec. 7 – Man City v. Man Utd
March 7 – Man Utd v. Man City
Liverpool-Man Utd
Oct. 19 – Man Utd v. Liverpool
Jan. 18 – Liverpool v. Man Utd
Other Big Six Matches Involving Manchester United
Aug. 11 – Man Utd v. Chelsea
Sept. 28 – Man Utd v. Arsenal
Dec. 3 – Man Utd v. Spurs
Jan. 1 – Arsenal v. Man Utd
Feb. 8/15 – Chelsea v. Man Utd
March 14 – Spurs v. Man Utd
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.