The Premier League schedule dropped and someone in the Manchester United analytics department probably smiled. The numbers say United got the softest opening three games of any club in the top flight. That’s not opinion. That’s math.
According to average finishing positions from last season, United’s first three opponents are the lowest combined quality. They start at Hull City, then host Ipswich Town, followed by a trip to Everton. Hull and Ipswich both spent last season fighting to stay in the league. Everton is Everton. It’s not a murderers’ row by any stretch.
Liverpool has it second-easiest. They open away to Newcastle, which sounds tough until you remember Newcastle finished mid-table last year. Then they host Nottingham Forest and visit Ipswich. Not exactly a gauntlet.
Manchester City sits third on the friendliness list. They start with Bournemouth at home, then Crystal Palace away, then Coventry City at the Etihad. Comfortable on paper, but City have a habit of making easy starts look difficult when they take their foot off the gas.
Leeds sits right in the middle of the pack
Leeds United fans hoping for a gentle re-introduction to the league will have to settle for mid-table difficulty. Their opening three fixtures rank 10th overall. They go to Nottingham Forest, host Brentford, then travel to Brighton. A mixed bag. The ownership would probably take that kind of mid-table platform if it holds through May.
The first Manchester derby comes early
Both Manchester clubs get an early exam on matchday four. United host City on September 12th at Old Trafford. That’s the fourth game of the season. No time to ease in. Whoever drops points in that one will already feel behind.
Ipswich Town drew the shortest straw. The newly-promoted side has the toughest start in the league. They host Sunderland, then go to Manchester United, then welcome Liverpool. Every single one of those teams finished in the top seven last season and qualified for European competition. Ipswich are coming up for their seventh top-flight campaign and they’re getting thrown into the deep end immediately.
Nobody’s crying for them, but it’s a brutal way to start a season when you’re trying to establish yourself.
The full fixture list releases next week, so we’ll see who catches breaks later in the season. For now, United’s calendar is screaming opportunity. Whether they take advantage of it is a different question entirely.
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