Leicester begins title defense at Hull News

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Leicester begins title defense at Hull

By Daily Sports on June 16, 2016

Champions Leicester City will begin their Premier League title defence with a trip to newly-promoted Hull City and Jose Mourinho's Manchester United reign kicks off at Bournemouth.

The release of the fixtures on Wednesday threw up some meaty first-day tussles with last season's runners-up Arsenal hosting Juergen Klopp's Liverpool.

The 2016-17 season kicks off earlier than usual on August 13.

Claudio Ranieri's Leicester, who stunned the football world by claiming the Premier League title last season at pre-season odds of 5000-1, have a testing opening six weeks with Arsenal visiting them before away trips to Liverpool and Manchester United.

Leicester are listed as 25-1 seventh favourites to retain the title.

Pep Guardiola will make his league debut as Manchester City manager when his team, already marked out as favourites for the title, host Sunderland.

Mourinho, who replaced Louis van Gaal as United manager last month, will be aiming to maintain his record of never having lost any of his seven opening-day fixtures in England.

He will not have to wait long to renew his old rivalry with Guardiola either, with the first Manchester derby being held at Old Trafford on September 10.

The drastic managerial shake-up in the Premier League means Chelsea also venture into a new era with Antonio Conte, currently in charge of Italy at Euro 2016, at the helm.

His first assignment in English football will be a feisty London derby against West Ham United at Stamford Bridge.

West Ham's first match at their new Olympic Stadium home is against Bournemouth on August 20.

Mourinho will return to his old stomping ground when Chelsea host Manchester United on October 22, a week after the Portuguese's former club host Leicester City.

Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham Hotspur, who pushed Leicester for the title before finishing third, begin at Everton, who named Ronald Koeman as their manager on Tuesday.

Arsenal will host Tottenham in the first north London derby on November 5 while the other eagerly anticipated derby clash, between Merseyside clubs Liverpool and Everton, takes place at Goodison Park on December 17.

Burnley mark their return to England's top-flight by welcoming Swansea City, while Middlesbrough, who were also promoted, host Stoke City.

WEEK 1 FULL FIXTURES

13 August 2016 (Matchweek 1)

AFC Bournemouth v Manchester United
Arsenal v Liverpool
Burnley v Swansea City
Chelsea v West Ham United
Crystal Palace v West Bromwich Albion
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur
Hull City v Leicester City
Manchester City v Sunderland
Middlesbrough v Stoke City
Southampton v Watford

•Culled from supersports.com

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 16, 2016