NEWCASTLE UNITED will kick off the Premier League season with a home game against Tottenham Hotspur for the second year in a row.

Last August, the Magpies marked their return to the top-flight with a 2-0 home defeat to Spurs on the opening weekend, and the two sides will lock horns again at St James’ Park on August 11, although there is a good chance that either Sky Sports or BT Sport will select the fixture for live television coverage.

Newcastle’s first away trip of the 2018-19 season is a long one, with Rafael Benitez’s side heading to newly-promoted Cardiff City on August 18.

The Magpies face an exceptionally tough start to the campaign. As well as facing Spurs on the opening day, they will also meet Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal in their opening five matches.

Chelsea are due to visit Gallowgate on August 25, while Arsenal head to Tyneside on September 15. The games sandwich a daunting trip to the reigning champions, Manchester City, on September 1.

Newcastle visit Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on October 6, and their opening midweek game of the season sees them travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on December 5.

They return to Merseyside to take on Liverpool on Boxing Day, with a long trip to Watford scheduled for December 29.

Their first fixture of 2019 is an attractive one, with Manchester United scheduled to visit St James’ Park on New Year’s Day, and their first away game of the New Year will come at Stamford Bridge with a game against Chelsea on January 12.

Manchester City head to Tyneside for a midweek game on January 30, and unlike their testing start, Newcastle’s run-in looks reasonably inviting.

Their final three home games pit them against Crystal Palace, Southampton and Liverpool, while their final three trips of the season take them to Leicester, Brighton and Fulham.

Newcastle end the campaign with a visit to Craven Cottage on May 12.


NEWCASTLE’S 2018-19 FIXTURES:


Aug 11 TOTTENHAM (H)

Aug 18 Cardiff (a)

AUG 25 CHELSEA (H)

Sep 1 Man City (a)

Sep 15 ARSENAL (H)

Sep 22 Crystal Palace (a)

SEP 29 LEICESTER (H)

Oct 6 Man United (a)

Oct 20 BRIGHTON (H)

Oct 27 Southampton (a)

Nov 3 WATFORD (H)

Nov 10 BOURNEMOUTH (H)

Nov 24 Burnley (a)

Dec 1 WEST HAM (H)

Dec 5 Everton (a)

DEC 8 WOLVES (H)

Dec 15 Huddersfield (a)

Dec 22 FULHAM (H)

Dec 26 Liverpool (a)

Dec 29 Watford (a)

Jan 1 MAN UNITED (H)

Jan 12 Chelsea (a)

Jan 19 CARDIFF (H)

Jan 30 MAN CITY (H)

Feb 2 Tottenham (a)

Feb 9 Wolves (a)

Feb 23 HUDDERSFIELD (H)

Feb 27 BURNLEY (H)

Mar 2 West Ham (a)

Mar 9 EVERTON (H)

Mar 16 Bournemouth (a)

Mar 30 Arsenal (a)

Apr 6 CRYSTAL PALACE (H)

Apr 13 Leicester (a)

Apr 20 SOUTHAMPTON (H)

Apr 27 Brighton (a)

May 4 LIVERPOOL (H)

May 12 Fulham (a)