SIR Alex Ferguson will kick off his bid for an 11th Premier League title by going head-to-head with Kevin Keegan.

And Mark Hughes will begin his reign as City boss at one of the club's luckiest grounds after the Premier League fixture list was released today.

Fergie's United have been handed an opening-day home clash with Keegan's Newcastle on August 16.

And the Blues will start the season with a trip to Aston Villa, where they have lost just twice in 11 Premier League visits.

Hughes' first home league game in charge will be against West Ham the following Saturday.

And he faces a Christmas reunion with Blackburn, as the Blues travel to Ewood Park on December 28.

But the real intrigue promises to come almost a month earlier, on November 29, when Hughes and Fergie clash at Eastlands in the Manchester derby.

The return fixture at Old Trafford on May 9 - just two weeks before the end of the season - could have a major say in the Premier League shake-up.

And just seven days after that, United host Arsenal before finishing the season at newly-promoted Hull on May 24. City will finish on the same day with another derby, at home to Bolton.

United face a blockbuster September, as they have to travel to Anfield and Stamford Bridge on successive weekends.

Fergie faces his first clash with new Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari on September 20, seven days after the Reds' trip to Anfield.

`Big Phil' will travel to Old Trafford for the return on January 10.

Scolari's first trip to the North West will see him at Wigan on August 23, seven days after the Latics kick off their campaign at West Ham.

Click here to find out the fixture list for United, City, Bolton, Wigan, Oldham, Stockport, Bury, Macclesfield and Rochdale.



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