The Premier League fixtures for 2019/2020 have been release, and it has given Newcastle a home game against Unai Emery’s Arsenal.
The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on Sunday August 11, with a 2.00pm kick off.
It will be the third season in a row they have an opening starter, and the third in succession against one of the North London sides – with the previous two being against Tottenham.
It looks like another tricky first few weeks for Newcastle, with five of their first nine games being against ‘top six’ sides.
Other than Arsenal, the Toon will play Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea before the end of October.
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Fans will face a long journey for their first couple of away games, with a trip to Norfolk to face newly promoted Norwich City, followed back-to-back by a trip to New White Hart Lane to take on Spurs.
Fans face Manchester United trip on Boxing Day
Boxing Day has fans on their travels to Old Trafford, and New Year’s Day has a home game against Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City.
As well as a tricky opening sequence, there is a tough finish to the campaign, with Manchester City away, Spurs at St James’ Park and a season-ending home game with Liverpool, all in their last five games.
So it is fair to say that we may, as we did this year, have a major say in the title race next season.
Aston Villa fans will have November 23 and March 21 circled in their diaries when their fans will be eagerly waiting to play Newcastle in their self-promoted fake rivalry with us.
As usual, some fans will say it is pretty much an irrelevance, as everyone has to play each other twice every season, but when those games are is definitely important.
It is another daunting start, but not quite as bad as last term.
Of course, it remains to be seen who is in charge of the club when the Arsenal game comes round, and indeed, we do not know who will be owning the club then.
We have a massive amount of work to do between now and then, and the hard work of recruitment must start now.