With the Premier League set to announce the 2022/23 season’s fixture list, Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United players and fans alike are waiting in eagerness to find out who the Red Devils will face for the Dutchman’s first competitive match in charge.
The fixture list will be announced at 9am BST on Thursday 16th June, with the opening weekend of the season commencing on Saturday 6th August – a change from the usual mid-August commencement due to the 2022 Qatar World Cup being held across November and December.
This season represents the start of a new chapter in Manchester United’s history; the 6th chapter since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, should you count Ralf Rangnick’s time at the club as its own.
With Erik ten Hag at the helm, the club will be looking to secure Champions League football through a finish in this coming season’s top 4, with rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea all vying for the positions below clear favourites for the Premier League title battle in Liverpool and Manchester City.
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With the end goal in mind, the club getting off to a good start domestically before the introduction of the Europa League group-stage is imperative if Manchester United want to guarantee said goals.
The opening day of the Premier League season is always a spectacle, and in recent years, United have had some brilliant results.
Last season, United opened the season by thumping historic rivals Leeds 5-1 courtesy of a stunning hat-trick from fan favourite Bruno Fernandes.
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Other results that spring to mind are a brilliant 4-0 win over Chelsea which saw Daniel James score on his debut for the club, as well as a smashing 5-1 victory over Fulham in 2006, with current starter Cristiano Ronaldo getting on the scoresheet in that fixture.
With the opening day in mind, Absolute Chelsea have simulated what the maiden weekend of the season could look like; and it is a fixture list to be reckoned with.
In this simulated list, Manchester United have drawn top 4 rivals and historic sworn enemy – Arsenal.
A fixture that has produced a set of top-class memories in recent times such as David de Gea’s shot-stopping masterclass and Marcus Rashford’s double on his Premier League debut, sports fans and players alike will be licking their lips at that fixture.
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In preparation for the real opening day of the domestic season, Manchester United will be jetting off to Asia and Australia to establish the new systems and tactical changes that Erik ten Hag will no doubt make in his opening months at the club.
Full simulated opening day fixture list:
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Nottingham Forest
Fulham vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Brentford vs West Ham United
Manchester City vs Newcastle United
Leicester City vs Crystal Palace
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur
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Arsenal vs Manchester United
Liverpool vs Chelsea
Southampton vs Leeds United
Everton vs AFC Bournemouth
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League, Football, Arsenal
Dylan Penketh