00:00Newcastle United's Premier League fixtures for 2025 to 2026 have been released and it's a tough start for the Magpies as Dominic Skirr of the Shields Gazette reports.
00:11Start the season away to Aston Villa on August 16th. It's been selected for live TV broadcast by TNT Sports so it's actually the early kick-off at 12.30pm.
00:21So trips to Villa Park can be brutal at the best of times. 12.30 kick-offs can be brutal at the best of times.
00:26And when you're up against the team you're pipped to Champions League football somewhat controversially on goal difference on the last day of the season back in May,
00:35it's certainly shaping up to be a juicy opening day encounter for Newcastle United.
00:40Newcastle's start of the Premier League season is quite difficult. The first home game is against the Premier League champions Liverpool.
00:45That is set to take place on August 23rd and then they'll play newly promoted Leeds United at Ellen Road on August 30th.
00:52So those three games before the first September international break, everyone is shaping up to be very interesting indeed.
00:58And Newcastle will be looking to get off to a good start before that Champions League football kicks in in September.
01:04Many eyes on Tyneside then look to when they'd be playing Neighbours Sunderland for the first time in the Premier League since 2016.
01:11Newcastle will be travelling to the Stadium of Light on December 13th.
01:15Cold December trip just after Newcastle will have played the Champions League in midweek as well.
01:20They then host Sunderland at St James' Park on March 21st. Obviously these games are subject to slight change due to TV broadcast schedules as well.
01:28Newcastle end the season away to Fulham after what supporters will hope will have been another successful campaign.
01:34Difficult trip for them last season so hopefully they can turn their fortunes around on their next trip to Craven Cottage on May 24th.
01:42So they're starting the season away from home and ending the season away from home and hopefully Newcastle can build on Champions League qualification in their fifth place finish last time around in secure Champions League football once again.
01:53Meanwhile, Sunderland begin with a visit of West Ham to Wearside before then taking on Burnley and Brentford with Phil Smith making clear that it is a promising start.
02:03Yeah, it's all relative isn't it? Really weird seeing the fixtures come out and very mixed emotions because I think as you say there's absolutely no other way to spin it.
02:13It's a generous start for Sunderland. It's a good while before they play any of the biggest clubs in the league and so from that respect there's a bit of opportunity there.
02:22But it's also a little bit sobering as well when we're talking about teams, you know, West Ham and I mean Brentford are probably the classic example of they're certainly opportunities and they're more generous fixtures.
02:33And yet you look at especially what Brentford have achieved in recent years and it kind of goes to show as well that the skill of the challenge Sunderland have got to establish themselves in this division.
02:41So definitely mixed emotions, excitement, positivity and a little bit of nerves and trepidation I guess as well.
02:49Sunderland supporters will also have looked for the Derby fixtures immediately with those two games set to resonate around the football world.
02:57It is, yeah, and I think it's one of those where it probably transcends football a little bit as well and they're two massive occasions I think for the entire region.
03:05I think because of the understanding you've got not just around the country but around the world for the sort of strength and the ferocity of the rivalry.
03:13I think the fact that it's two clubs probably in contrast to the last time they were playing each other regularly on an upward trajectory probably rather than a downward trajectory.
03:21I think there's going to be such a strong narrative, such a strong story around those games and it's a massive opportunity not just for both clubs but I think for the whole region really to capitalise on that.
03:31I think they're two days where the North East will kind of be the centre of the footballing universe and there's going to be such a big interest in those games.
03:39Obviously very, very nervy from a fan perspective because of how much it means to everyone but yeah, they're going to be two massive occasions.
03:46I think it's absolutely massive for the North East not just as a kind of footballing place but for the whole region really to have those games back and to have them to look forward to.
03:55Sunderland's aim will undoubtedly be survival with their final fixture being at home to Chelsea.
04:02Yeah, well I think first and foremost I don't, I think there's excitement rather than trepidation I think is the overriding emotion because of where Sunderland have been in the last few years and because of the time and effort that's gone to sort of dragging them back to this point.
04:15I don't think that maybe some of the teams who've been recently relegated, had difficult Premier League experiences and jumping back up might have a few more scars.
04:24You know, at this stage Sunderland don't have that so I think there's a lot of excitement.
04:28For both Newcastle and Sunderland there is much excitement ahead of the new Premier League season.
04:34Newcastle in terms of what they could achieve following their campaign last year and Sunderland have been back in England's top flight for the first time since 2017.
