5 Premier League Fixtures for Manchester United to Focus on in 2015/16 Season

The Premier League fixtures for 2015/16 have been announced, and Manchester United fans will be hoping that their apparently straight-forward run-in is still relevant come May 2016.

United's final four fixtures are against West Ham United, Leicester City, Norwich City and Bournemouth. In order for those fixtures to matter, of course, United will have to have kept pace with their rivals up to that point. May 2016 seems a long way off for now, and there is a great deal of football to be played between now and then.

Let's take a look at five games which will require extra focus during the 2015/16 season.

8 August 2015: Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford

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United have been handed a humdinger of a fixture as their season opener. Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur is an evocative encounter, which has produced many memorable games.

Fortunately for Louis van Gaal and the Red Devils, they start the season at Old Trafford.

However easily Spurs were brushed aside when the sides met there in March 2015, though, United will have to make sure they hit the ground running in order to avoid a repeat of last season's opening-day home defeat. 

With a qualifier for the Champions League within the first couple of weeks of the season, having a relatively challenging first game is probably good news for United. They will know they cannot afford to be at anything less than their best to navigate the choppy waters they will face in August. Pre-season is going to be absolutely crucial this time out.

12 September 2015: Liverpool at Old Trafford

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Having done the double over their rivals in 2014/15, United will face Liverpool early in the season. It is picked out as a key fixture here for two reasons. Firstly, it is against Liverpool, a game which always matters a little bit more. Secondly, it comes during a tough early-season run of games. 

Sandwiched by trips to Swansea City and Southampton, with an international break squeezed in between the Swansea game and this one, it will be a test for United's momentum. Nine points from those three games would be an enormous boost if United are seriously in for a run at the title. It would also be a marked improvement over last season's poor start.

But mostly, it's Liverpool.

24 October 2015: Manchester City at Old Trafford

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The hits keep coming early on in the season. After the aforementioned trip to Southampton, United play Sunderland at home. They will, of course, be expected to win that one. 

What comes next, though, are back-to-back away games against Arsenal and Everton, followed by the season's first derby. 

As with the Liverpool game, it is both the opposition and the context that make this one so crucial. United go from this game into a run of apparently more winnable fixtures. If they can take some momentum into that run, it could have enormous significance as the season progresses. 

28 December 2015: Chelsea at Old Trafford

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The Christmas period is always packed, and even the simplest games become exponentially tougher due to fixture congestion. 

This season, United are going to have to be at their very best to bring festive cheer to their fans.

Boxing Day sees a potentially draining trip to Stoke City. Two days later, United host the champions. Chelsea will be coming off the back of a home game against Watford. 

This one is going to be very tough for the Red Devils. Hopefully, however, some of the crowd will at least get a present from the manager.

16 March 2016: Manchester City at the Etihad

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The season's second derby is also worthy of a mention because it marks the beginning of a tough run which continues into April, ahead of the apparently-manageable end to the season. 

If United can keep pace with their rivals up to this point, a win here could be absolutely crucial heading into the home stretch. United will be hoping for a repeat of their excellent form of March 2015 when they travel to a ground where they have struggled a good deal in recent times.

A win here, like many of those on this list, could be a real momentum generator, and thus is worthy of extra attention.