10 Huge English Premier League Matches to Look Forward to Next Season
Fixtures for the 2012-13 English Premier League season are out, and Opening Day is just under six weeks away.
It's never too soon to start thinking about which matches figure to be the biggest of the season. That's what we're talking about here today.
Here are 10 matches that promise to be some of the biggest of the 2012-13 English Premier League season.
Liverpool vs. Arsenal
1 of 10When: Sept. 2
Where: Anfield
Why: Both are big clubs, and both are teams in transition.
Liverpool sacked manager Kenny Dalglish following massive investment in the squad and a disappointing finish to the 2011-12 season. The Reds are now searching for a rebirth under new manager Brendan Rodgers (pictured).
Arsenal surged to a third-place finish last season after an awful start, but the club faces an uncertain future. After the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, captain and star striker Robin van Persie recently revealed he won't sign a new contract with the club.
Will RvP be wearing an Arsenal shirt for this match? Where will both teams sit in the table?
More importantly, where will they be headed?
West Ham United vs. Southampton
2 of 10When: Oct. 20
Where: Upton Park
Why: This is the season's first match-up of teams promoted to the Premier League ahead of the season (the third promoted side is Reading).
The winner—if there is one—will earn a leg up on the race to maintain Premiership status. A loss might be just as costly.
Tottenham-Chelsea
3 of 10When: Oct. 20
Where: White Hart Lane
Why: The same day West Ham and Southampton are battling it out for promoted-team superiority, Spurs and Chelsea will be contesting the AVB Bowl.
Some background: Andre Villas-Boas took over as Chelsea's manager before the start of last season. He came to London with tons of promise, fresh off a domestic title and Europa League crown with Porto at the tender age of 33.
AVB was sacked less than a season into the job. Roberto Di Matteo, his assistant, took over on an interim basis and later became the full-time manager.
Now Villas-Boas is the manager of another London club after Tottenham parted company with Harry Redknapp this summer. Still only 34, AVB has the time and potential to become a success in the Premier League.
He might have to exorcise his Chelsea demons first, though.
Liverpool-Manchester United
4 of 10When: Sept. 23
Where: Anfield
Why: Liverpool and Manchester United are the two most successful clubs (in terms of league titles) in English football. They're also fierce rivals.
Last season in this fixture, Liverpool's Luis Suarez racially abused United's Patrice Evra. That led to a long ban for Suarez and even more bad blood between the teams.
What will happen this time? And will King James show up again?
Manchester City-Arsenal
5 of 10When: Sept. 23
Where: Etihad Stadium
Why: When Arsenal defeated Manchester City 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium last spring, Manchester City's title hopes seemed finished.
City recovered and eventually won the title, but that match might still be on the players' minds.
Regardless, this is becoming a heated rivalry, due in part to the fact that City's roster keeps filling up with former Arsenal players.
Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Kolo Toure have all made the trek from London to Manchester. Will Robin van Persie be next?
Chelsea-Manchester City
6 of 10When: Nov. 25
Where: Stamford Bridge
Why: Big-spenders represent!
Manchester City won the title last season behind epic investment from the club's Middle Eastern ownership.
Tottenham Hotspur-Arsenal
7 of 10When: March 2
Where: White Hart Lane
Why: It's the North London Derby. Enough said.
Here's more, though: Last season, Spurs beat Arsenal 2-1 at home, and Arsenal beat Spurs 5-2 in the return fixture.
There will be fireworks both times they play. This is the later meeting, which means there probably will be more at stake in the standings.
West Ham United-Reading
8 of 10When: May 19
Where: Upton Park
Why: May 19 is the last day of the season.
Both of these teams were promoted from the Championship last term. Both figure to face at least some relegation pressure.
One or both of these teams could be playing for their Premiership lives on May 19. Then again, both of them could be completely secure—or already relegated—by then.
Manchester United-Manchester City
9 of 10When: April 6
Where: Old Trafford
Why: It's the Manchester Derby, and that's reason enough.
As you know, Manchester City pipped Manchester United to the league title last spring. This season promises to be an all-out crosstown war of attrition.
The teams also meet Dec. 8 at the Etihad, but this meeting is later in the season and will likely have higher stakes.
Manchester United-Chelsea
10 of 10When: May 4
Where: Old Trafford
Why: Even later in the season, this match might be the title-decider.
United are always in the mix. Chelsea's squad is looking ready to challenge again on multiple fronts (the Blues won the Champions League last season).
Will the outcome of this match determine who wins the title in 2013? Don't count it out.
