Arsenal will open the new Premiership season with an away game at Sunderland, according to the new fixture list issued on Thursday morning. And we don't have to wait long for our traditional early-season defeat at the hands of Liverpool - they're coming to Highbury on the first Wednesday.

We go to White Hart Lane the week before Christmas, and welcome them to our place on 31 March. Man Utd come to Highbury on 30 Sept, we go to OT on 24 Feb. We've got Leicester at home on Boxing Day, and can nurse a post-New Year hangover at The Valley.

And the year will end on the sunny south coast, with a trip to the Dell where - presumably - we could be the team to finally get rid of Southampton. If someone else hasn't done it already.

All fixtures subject to the whim of Sky, UEFA and Cup commitments (see 2000-2001 ArseWeb calendar for updates).

August 
19: Sunderland (A) 
22: Liverpool (H) 
26: Charlton (H) 

September 
6: Chelsea (A) 
9: Bradford (A) 
16: Coventry (H) 
23: Ipswich (A) 
30: Man Utd (H) 

October 
14: Aston Villa (H) 
21: West Ham (A) 
28: Man City (H) 

November 
4: Middlesbrough (A) 
11: Derby (H) 
18: Everton (A) 
25: Leeds (A) 

December 
2: Southampton (H) 
9: Newcastle (H) 
16: Tottenham (A) 
23: Liverpool (A) 
26: Leicester (H) 
30: Sunderland (H) 

January 
1: Charlton (A) 
13: Chelsea (H) 
20: Leicester (A) 
30: Bradford (H) 

February 
3: Coventry (A) 
10: Ipswich (H) 
24: Man Utd (A) 

March 
3: West Ham (H) 
17 Aston Villa (A) 
31: Tottenham (H) 

April 
7: Newcastle (A) 
14: Middlesbrough (H) 
16: Man City (A) 
21: Everton (H) 
28: Derby (A) 

May 
5: Leeds (H) 
19: Southampton (A)