Liverpool now know harsh reality of Premier League fixtures as Man City favourable run becomes clear

Could have been better, could have been a lot worse. Such will surely be reaction of new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot after confirmation of the Premier League fixtures for this season.

However, that a new era begins with a 12.30pm kick-off at Ipswich Town will not be lost on Reds supporters who, throughout Jurgen Klopp's reign and much to the chagrin of the departed manager, were far more often given the unloved and unwanted Saturday lunchtime fixture for live television coverage.

And recent trends indicated it would be against a promoted team, the fifth time in sixth years Liverpool will have opened by facing a team riding the crest of a wave after being elevated to the Premier League. Mind you, with two wins over Norwich City, one against Leeds United and a draw at Fulham, the Reds have usually negotiated the hurdle.

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Indeed, not since the 2012 thumping at West Bromwich Albion have Liverpool lost an opening game, with that one of only two such losses in the last 21 years.

The inconvenience of the first weekend aside, Slot can have few grumbles with his start, particularly at Anfield where the first home game against Brentford is followed by visits of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth before the first arrival of a major rival in Chelsea in mid-October.

The Dutchman's first real taste of the big time, though, will come with their second away game at the end of August when they make the short trip down the East Lancs Road to take on bitter North West rivals Manchester United, who will still be helmed by Slot's compatriot and former Eredivisie opponent Erik ten Hag.

The start of the season - a trip to a promoted team, followed by a home game against a London club and then an Old Trafford clash - mirrors the opening of the 2022/23 campaign in which the Reds took only two points from their first three games and eventually missed out on Champions League qualification.

United, though, are the only top-eight rival in the opening seven games, although that four of those fixtures are on the road does not work in Slot's favour. While the tasks could have been trickier, his team will have to hit the ground running away from home.

Things become a bit more difficult after that, with the home game against Chelsea followed by a trip to Arsenal the week later. There are runs of difficult games - Manchester City at home, Newcastle United in midweek and then Everton away in most likely eight days is a tough schedule at the start of December - while the extra two games in the Champions League group stage make for a busy January, although, of the eight matches, the Reds are then at home in the Premier League on six occasions.

The run-in, too, could have been more sympathetic. In the final five games, Liverpool entertain Tottenham Hotspur, go to Chelsea and face Arsenal at Anfield before closing with a trip to Brighton and a home game against Crystal Palace.

What, then, of Liverpool's chief rivals? Last season's other title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal meet on the fifth matchday, with the Gunners facing four of last season's top eight away from home by mid-November. Their run-in, though, sees six of their last 10 games scheduled at home with the only the Anfield trip offering any sort of obvious fear.

And that is replicated by City's end to the campaign. While the champions are involved in the biggest game of the opening weekend then they travel to Chelsea, their final 11 games see them take on only three of last season's top 10 with two of those fixtures being at home.

The reality is, if Liverpool are to have any realistic hope of again challenging for the Premier League crown this season, they must be within touching distance of the summit at the very least by the end of February. Slot, then, knows a strong start is crucial.