Arsenal face Premier League champions in third week of the season

Arsenal will play champions Manchester United and Liverpool in the first three weeks of the season after today’s fixture announcements handed them a testing start to the 2011-12 Premier League campaign.

The Gunners kick off on August 13 with a trip to Newcastle United, the ground where they famously surrendered a 4-0 lead to draw 4-4 last season, before they play Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool at the Emirates, and then make the journey to Old Trafford on August 27.

The first north London derby of the season comes at White Hart Lane on October 1, while Arsene Wenger’s side travel across London to play Chelsea on October 29.

Arsenal go to Manchester City on December 17, kicking off a difficult festive season in which they will also face Aston Villa away four days before Christmas.

The return match against Manchester United comes on January 21, before, on February 25, Tottenham come to the Emirates.

March will see trips to Liverpool, Everton and newly-promoted Queen’s Park Rangers, before a difficult run-in pits Wenger’s side against Man City at the Emirates on April 7, and Chelsea on April 21.

And the Gunners wrap up their campaign with a home clash with Norwich on May 5, and a trip to West Brom on May 13.