Man Utd kick off defence against newcomers

Manchester United will host promoted Birmingham in its opening match of the 2009-10 Premier League season, while Carlo Ancelotti's first test as Chelsea manager will be Hull, which just survived the drop last season.

The Premier League on Wednesday released fixtures for the 2009-10 season, which starts the weekend of August 15-16. The exact dates of matches will be decided by the broadcasters.

After hosting Birmingham, reigning champions United will visit League Championship playoff winner Burnley as it adjusts to life without Cristiano Ronaldo, the world player of the year who is completing a world record Stg80 million (NZ$207 million) move to Real Madrid.

Alex Ferguson's team plays against one of the traditional "Big Four" for the first time on August 29 when it hosts Arsenal, with the return fixture at Emirates Stadium on Jan. 30. United closes the season at home to Stoke on May 9.

The Red Devils travel on October 24 to Liverpool, which was beaten to the 2008-09 title by four points, and the Premier League runners-up are at Old Trafford on March 20. Liverpool won the fixture home and away last season.

Liverpool starts the new campaign where it finished the last one: against Tottenham. Rafa Benitez's side visits Chelsea on October 3 and hosts last season's third-placed team on May 1.

Liverpool hosts Arsenal on December 12 and the Reds go to north London on February 9.

Chelsea, which hired Ancelotti after Guus Hiddink's four-month temporary stint in charge ended with FA Cup glory, is the last of the genuine title contenders to face United on November 7. The return fixture is in Manchester on April 3.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose side starts the campaign against Everton, will test himself against Ancelotti's Chelsea on November 28 and February 6.

Wolverhampton, which won the second-tier, starts life back in the top flight at home to West Ham.

AP