Opta's Power Rankings predict the most challenging and straightforward starts to the Premier League season. Manchester United face the toughest opening fixtures, while Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have the easiest.

Anyway, from a more neutral stance, Opta has ranked the difficulty of the first five PL fixtures for all 20 Premier League clubs . According to Opta’s model this is how it ranks in difficulty from top to bottom… Newcastle United ranked as only having the seventh most difficult opening five fixtures.

Premier League fixtures are set, igniting excitement as clubs battle for supremacy in England's elite division.