The fixture computer has this morning revealed the schedule for the 2011/12 Premier League season and has handed Everton an away fixture at White Hart Lane to kick off the campaign on the weekend of the 13th August. The Merseyside derbies will be contested on 1st October at Goodison and on 25th February at Anfield and, should we need a final-day victory to win the league/secure European qualification/avoid relegation, then we will have to beat Newcastle at Goodison.
We will kick off the new campaign in August with a trip to the capital to play Tottenham. A tough opener, but any kind of good result there could set us off perfectly for the season. Goodison will taste its first piece of 2011/12 Premier League action when newly-promoted QPR come to town the following weekend, and an away game against Blackburn will end the first month of the season.
September will see Everton play host to Aston Villa and Wigan, before we head off down the M62 to collect our customary 3 points at Eastlands from Man City.
October looks like being the toughest month in our calendar, and what better way to kick it off than a Goodison derby with Liverpool? We then face two trips to London to face Chelsea and then Fulham, before Man United visit Goodison to finish off the month.
There are just the three games scheduled for November - although the list is likely to change once Sky have had their say - and the month begins with a trip to St. James' to face Newcastle. We will then face Wolves at home and Bolton away.
By contrast, no fewer than six matches are scheduled for December. We face Stoke at home before a tricky away fixture at Arsenal. We will then come up against two of the promoted sides at home in succession - with Norwich visiting Goodison a week before Welsh side Swansea. The Boxing Day fixture - that is, if it is not postponed - is an away game at Sunderland and we will end the calendar year with a trip to face West Brom.
We'll kick off 2012 with a home game against Bolton, before a trip to Aston Villa followed by a home game against Blackburn.
February begins with a midweek home fixture against Manchester City before a trip to Wigan. We will hope to recreate the final day off last campaign in our next home game against Chelsea before the Anfield derby with Liverpool. A tough month indeed.
March begins with an away game at QPR, before we welcome Tottenham and then Arsenal to Goodison. A trip into Europe (Wales counts) is up next as we face Swansea at the Liberty Stadium and the month will draw to a close after a home fixture with West Brom.
The run-in looks to have been kind to Everton, but as we all know there is no such thing as an easy game (Man City aside), and an away fixture at Norwich may prove a tough start to April. We then host Sunderland before two dreadful away fixtures at Stoke and Manchester United. The month ends with a Goodison affair with Fulham in which we will look to continue our immaculate home record against the Cottagers.
The season will wind down with a trip to face Wolves and, should we need a win to secure the title on the last day, we will have to beat Newcastle at home.
You can see a full list of fixtures by clicking here.
No comments:
Post a Comment