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Premier League fixtures: Leicester seek revenge on Arsenal and the key games to look for

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 15 Jun 2016

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Leicester City will hope to make amends for a rare blot on their title-winning campaign when they host Arsenal in their first home match of the 2016-17 Premier League campaign.

Claudio Ranieri’s side stunned the world as they romped to the title by 10 points in May, and their home form played a crucial role in their success.

Twelve wins and six draws came their way as they turned the King Power Stadium into a fortress, the only team to take maximum points there being Arsenal – the Gunners in scintillating form in September as an Alexis Sanchez hat-trick inspired a 5-2 win.

Leicester will get an immediate opportunity for revenge at the start of the new campaign with Arsene Wenger’s side visiting on the second weekend of the season.

While Leicester enjoy plenty of home comforts, West Ham face the challenge having to settle into new surroundings after leaving Upton Park for the Olympic Stadium.

And Slaven Bilic’s side – who signed Sofiane Feghouli on Tuesday – will be keen to start with three points when AFC Bournemouth travel to their new home on August 20.

Before West Ham take to the Olympic Park turf they provide the opposition for Antonio Conte’s first game in charge at Chelsea.

There will be plenty of new factors in play when the first Manchester derby is contested on September 10, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola renewing their previous rivalry at Real Madrid and Barcelona in the contest at Old Trafford.

Mourinho will get his first taste of a Manchester United and Liverpool clash a month later at Anfield, with the return match in mid-January.

Liverpool’s Merseyside derbies with Everton will see Jurgen Klopp face a new foe in Ronald Koeman, the former Southampton boss having replaced Roberto Martinez.

December 17 brings the first meeting at Goodison Park, before a April 1 clash at Anfield that both sides will hope can boost their hopes of at least a European finish.

The north London derby provided plenty of excitement last season but neither side was able to claim bragging rights as both league encounters ended in draws.

Arsenal’s late leveller from Alexis Sanchez at White Hart Lane secured a 2-2 stalemate in May and ultimately proved crucial as they pipped Spurs to second place behind Leicester.

There could be more explosive action when they meet for the first time at Emirates Stadium on November 5, while the return clash at White Hart Lane comes in the final five games of the campaign.

Having battled their way out of the Championship last season Burnley, Hull City and Middlesbrough all start the 2016-17 campaign with home matches.

Champions Burnley welcome Swansea City to Turf Moor, while Stoke City are the first top-flight side to visit the Riverside since 2009.

Meanwhile, play-off winners Hull have the honour of welcoming Leicester to the KC Stadium for their first match of the season.

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