LONDON — Champions Manchester United will begin their title defence with a trip to League Cup winners Swansea, the English Premier League said yesterday as it announced the 2013/14 fixtures.
Reuters
New manager David Moyes, who was appointed after Alex Ferguson retired in May, takes his team to south Wales on August 17 and will take charge for his first home game the following week.
United’s opponents for Moyes’ debut at Old Trafford will be Europa League-winners Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho reinstalled as manager and hungry for fresh success.
Chelsea begin their campaign at home against newly-promoted Hull City, while Manuel Pellegrini will get his first taste of English top-flight football when Manchester City welcome Newcastle United to Eastlands.
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal take on Aston Villa at the Emirates in their opener, while Tottenham Hotspur travel to promoted Crystal Palace. Last year’s third promoted team from the Championship, Cardiff City, travel to West Ham.
Moyes and Pellegrini will taste the highly charged atmosphere of the Manchester derby for the first time on September 21, when City host United, with the return fixture at Old Trafford on March 1, 2014. Northwest England rivals Liverpool play Manchester United at Anfield on August 31, with the return fixture on March 15.
The two dates for the north London derby between Arsenal and Spurs are August 31 and March 15.
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The Merseyside derbies between Roberto Martinez’s Everton and Liverpool take place on November 23 and January 28.
In south Wales, Cardiff City play their first Premier League derby against Swansea at home on November 2, with both sides meeting again at the Liberty Stadium on February 8.
The season runs through until May 11 with Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal — who are all expected to be in the running for the title — playing away.
United are at Southampton, Chelsea at Cardiff and Arsenal play Norwich City. Manchester City play West Ham United at home.
Opening day fixtures: Arsenal v Aston Villa Chelsea v Hull Crystal Palace v Tottenham Liverpool v Stoke Manchester City v Newcastle Norwich v Everton Sunderland v Fulham Swansea v Manchester United West Brom v Southampton West Ham v Cardiff
