Premier League fixtures - the runs to look out for

Football fans up and down across the globe will be poring over the Premier League fixture schedule after it was announced on Thursday.

While clubs will all play each other twice over the course of the season, the ordering of the matches can have a significant impact on their fortunes.

An easy or difficult run at a critical stage can create or disrupt momentum, particularly given the additional fixture congestion created by the 2022 World Cup in November and December.

To help unravel this season's fixtures, the PA news agency analysed the 2022/23 Premier League schedule using an aggregation of leading bookmakers' odds and identified the most notable runs.

SEE | Full fixture list here

City to make fast start

Manchester City will start the new season as favourites to retain their title for a third successive year, especially given their favourable-looking run at the start of the campaign.

Pep Guardiola's side play two of the promoted sides at home in August, and do not face any of the traditional 'big six' until mid-September when they host Tottenham.

Arsenal made a bad start to the season in 2021-22, losing their opening three games by an aggregate of nine goals to nil, but will expect to fare much better this year – a September trip to Old Trafford is the only one of their first eight fixtures against a team expected to finish in the top six.

Palace punished again

Crystal Palace ended last season strongly under Patrick Vieira, taking 10 points from their final six games to finish 12th.

This was after overcoming a difficult start – they played six of the seven toughest teams in their first 10 matches, according to pre-season odds.

Vieira's side have once again been handed some tricky opening fixtures, hosting Arsenal on the opening