Premier League champions Manchester City will start the defence of its title away to Tottenham after the fixtures for the 2021-22 season were unveiled.

City is among the sides heavily linked with Spurs striker Harry Kane, throwing up the tantalising possibility that the England captain could line up against the north London club on the opening weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s side won the division by 12 points last term ahead of rivals Manchester United, which opens its campaign against old foes Leeds United at Old Trafford.

Elsewhere on the weekend of August 14, new boys Brentford begin life back in the top flight for the first time in 75 years with a London derby at home to Arsenal, while Championship winners Norwich City entertains Liverpool on its return to the Premier League.

🗓 Happy #PLFixtures day 🗓

All 380 matches for the 2021/22 season are out now 😍

— Premier League (@premierleague) June 16, 2021

Champions League winners Chelsea welcomes managerless Crystal Palace to Stamford Bridge while Everton, another side looking for a new head coach, hosts Southampton, with Leicester facing Wolves at the King Power Stadium in an early battle for Midlands bragging rights.

Watford, the third promoted side, takes on Aston Villa at Vicarage Road, Brighton visits Burnley and West Ham are away to Newcastle in the other matchday-one fixtures.

The Premier League campaign concludes on May 22 with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all finishing on their own turf – against Villa, Wolves and Watford, respectively – while Manchester United rounds off the term at Crystal Palace.

There are a number of early meetings between the ‘big six’, who were all involved in the Super League fiasco, with the weekend of September 25 seeing a repeat of the Champions League final when Manchester City travels to Chelsea.

Arsenal also hosts Spurs on matchday six in the first north London derby of the term.

The opening 3️⃣ Matchweeks for the 3️⃣ newly promoted teams 👀@NorwichCityFC
🆚 Liverpool (H)
🆚 Man City (A)
🆚 Leicester (H)@WatfordFC
🆚 Aston Villa (H)
🆚 Brighton (A)
🆚 Spurs (A)@BrentfordFC
🆚 Arsenal (H)
🆚 Crystal Palace (A)
🆚 Aston Villa (A)#PLFixtures pic.twitter.com/9KZeUwwLGw

— Premier League (@premierleague) June 16, 2021

The second clash between the teams who finished seventh and eighth respectively last season occurs on January 15.

Matchday seven, the weekend of October 2, is the first meeting between the most recent Premier League winners with Anfield the scene for the latest instalment of Jurgen Klopp v Guardiola and later in the month (October 23) the Reds visit Old Trafford to face arch rivals Manchester United.

Two weeks later brings the first Manchester derby of the campaign at Old Trafford, while Manchester City hosts Chelsea in one of the opening matches of 2022 (January 15) and City faces Manchester United in the return meeting on the weekend of March 5.

-AAP