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Man City kick off title defence against Southampton

Manchester City kick off the defence of their Premier League crown at home to Southampton © Getty Images

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Manchester City will begin the defence of their Premier League title at home to newly promoted Southampton, before travelling to Liverpool for their second fixture of the new campaign.

Premier League fixtures
Championship fixtures
League One
League Two fixtures

Roberto Mancini's men, who clinched the championship in dramatic circumstances when Sergio Aguero netted a winner deep into injury-time against QPR on the final day, will be at home once again if a similar scenario arises, with Norwich this time visiting The Etihad Stadium on the final weekend.

Rivals Manchester United, who were cruelly denied by that Aguero strike, start the 2012-13 campaign with a tricky trip to Everton, before finishing at West Brom. The first Manchester derby comes on December 8 at Eastlands, with the return scheduled for April 6 at Old Trafford.

European champions Chelsea travel to Wigan on the opening day, while Brendan Rodgers will have to wait for his first Anfield fixture in charge of Liverpool as the Reds face Steve Clarke's West Brom.

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal host Sunderland while north London rivals Tottenham visit Newcastle, and there are home games for the other two promoted clubs as Reading welcome Stoke and West Ham meet Paul Lambert's Aston Villa.

Elsewhere, Fulham play host to Chris Hughton's Norwich and Michael Laudrup's Swansea travel to QPR.

Big days to look out for include Liverpool locking horns with Manchester United at Anfield on September 22, when City are at home to Arsenal, while Everton and Liverpool meet in a Goodison Merseyside derby on October 27. Arsenal play Tottenham in the North London derby at the Emirates on November 17.

The Boxing Day fixtures see Arsenal at home to West Ham, Manchester United hosting Newcastle, Manchester City at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland, Tottenham away at Aston Villa and Chelsea at Norwich.

Opening Day fixtures, Saturday, August 18, 2012:
Arsenal v Sunderland
Everton v Man Utd
Fulham v Norwich
Man City v Southampton
Newcastle v Tottenham
QPR v Swansea
Reading v Stoke
West Brom v Liverpool
West Ham v Aston Villa
Wigan v Chelsea

Second weekend, August 25, 2012:
Aston Villa v Everton
Chelsea v Newcastle
Liverpool v Man City
Man Utd v Fulham
Norwich v QPR
Southampton v Wigan
Stoke v Arsenal
Sunderland v Reading
Swansea v West Ham
Tottenham v West Brom

Final weekend, May 19, 2012:
Chelsea v Everton
Liverpool v QPR
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Arsenal
Southampton v Stoke
Swansea v Fulham
Tottenham v Sunderland
West Brom v Man Utd
West Ham v Reading
Wigan v Aston Villa

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