Premier League 2022/23 fixtures and schedule: Manchester City face West Ham in first game

Liverpool v City showdown date is marked for October 15

Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riyad Mahrez and Ruben Dias celebrate with the Premier League trophy during the victory parade on Monday, May 23. Reuters

Fans celebrate as the Manchester City team go past on the bus. Getty

Manchester City's players on the an open-top bus parade. AFP

Jack Grealish and Fernandinho with the Premier League trophy. AFP

Manchester City players on the open-top bus during the Premier League trophy parade. PA

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Reuters

City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne waves to fans. EPA

Manchester City's Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva celebrate with the Premier League trophy during the victory parade. Reuters

Manchester City players on the open-top bus during the Premier League trophy parade. PA

City players including Fernandinho, Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez during the Premier League trophy parade. PA

City's Oleksandr Zinchenko with the Premier League trophy. Reuters

Fans celebrate as Manchester City players pass by. AP

City's Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva celebrate with the Premier League trophy. Reuters

Riyad Mahrez and Fernandinho with the trophy. AFP

Manchester City players on the open-top bus during the Premier League trophy parade. PA

City goalkeeper Ederson gives thumbs up to fans. AFP

Left to right: Nathan Ake, Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko. AFP

Fans line the streets of Manchester for the open-top bus parade. PA

Fans line the streets of Manchester for the open-top bus parade. AP

Manchester City players celebrate on the bus ahead of parade. Reuters

The Manchester City team on the bus parade. Getty

City midfielder Fernandinho holds up the Premier League trophy. AFP

Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho holds up the Premier League trophy. AFP

Manchester City fans wait for the open-top bus parade to start. AFP

Manchester City fans wait for the open-top bus parade to start. AFP.

Manchester City fans celebrate winning the Premier League. Reuters

Manchester City's fans wait for the open-top bus parade to start. AFP

Manchester City fans gather during the Premier League trophy parade. PA

Manchester City's fans wait for the open-top bus parade to start. AFP

Manchester City's fans wait for the open-top bus parade to start. Reuters

Premier League champions Manchester City will begin the defence of their title at West Ham in the opening weekend fixtures.

Pep Guardiola’s side will start their bid for a fifth championship in six seasons at the London Stadium at 4.30pm on Sunday August 7 - the final match of the weekend, after all their rivals have begun their campaigns.

Main challengers Liverpool go to Fulham in the early Saturday match, which pitches the Reds’ new signing Fabio Carvalho against his old club first up.

Old Trafford gets to see new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag first as the Dutchman opens his maiden season in England at home to Brighton on the Sunday.

Frank Lampard, who guided Everton to safety with one match to spare last month, comes up against his former club Chelsea in the Saturday evening kick-off.

Nottingham Forest’s first match in the top-flight in 23 years will be against Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Promoted Bournemouth, who do not face a team outside last season’s top 12 in their opening five fixture, host Aston Villa first game back before taking on City, Arsenal and Liverpool in consecutive matches.

For the second season running Arsenal have the honour of kicking-off the new campaign with a short trip to Crystal Palace on Friday August 5, when manager Mikel Arteta will hope to avoid last season’s chastening experience of a 2-0 defeat at newcomers Brentford.

Palace look like having one of the toughest starts of any club as after the Gunners they go to Anfield, host Aston Villa and then head to Manchester City.

Liverpool and City renew their rivalry at Anfield on October 15 – after a midweek Champions League tie – with the return fixture scheduled for April 1.

Manchester City season ratings

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is unlikely to be impressed with their fixture allocation in conjunction with their European commitments.

Their three away matches following Champions League group games are Chelsea (September 17), Arsenal (October 8) and Tottenham (November 5).

In addition to their trip to Anfield, City’s post-European away trips are Wolves (September 17) and Leicester (October 29), while they host Spurs on September 6.

The final weekend before the mid-season break for the World Cup in Qatar sees all the traditional ‘Big Six’ kept apart, however, with the most high-profile fixtures being Chelsea’s trip to Newcastle and Tottenham hosting Leeds.

When the campaign resumes on Boxing Day Leeds host City and United welcome Forest, with Newcastle fans faced with the longest journey of the day as they have a 376-mile round trip to Leicester.

The Manchester derbies take place on October 1 (at the Etihad) and January 14 (Old Trafford), while for a third year in a row Everton host the first Merseyside derby of the season on September 3 with the return on February 11.

Arsenal host the first north London derby on October 1, with Tottenham’s home game against the Gunners on January 14.

The final weekend of the season sees City head to Brentford, Liverpool away at Southampton, Tottenham visit Leeds and Chelsea host Newcastle.

All three promoted sides are away on the final day with Forest at Palace, Bournemouth at Everton – the ground where they were relegated to the Championship in 2020 despite a 3-1 victory – and Fulham travelling to Old Trafford.

Opening weekend fixtures

August 5

Crystal Palace v Arsenal

August 6

Bournemouth v Aston Villa

Everton v Chelsea

Fulham v Liverpool

Leeds v Wolves

Leicester v Brentford

Newcastle v Nottingham Forest

Tottenham v Southampton

August 7

Manchester United v Brighton

West Ham v Manchester City

Final day fixtures

May 28

Arsenal v Wolves

Aston Villa v Brighton

Brentford v Manchester City

Chelsea v Newcastle

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest

Everton v Bournemouth

Leeds United v Tottenham

Leicester City v West Ham

Manchester United v Fulham

Southampton v Liverpool