Chelsea legend Roberto Di Matteo’s five Premier League fixtures to look forward to in 2011-12

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By Jonathan Birchall

The announcement of the upcoming season’s Premier League fixtures has become a ritualistic event in the footballing calendar that makes fans from across the world pine for the return of top-flight action despite it still being over a month away.

Whether it is Newcastle fans planning their 720-mile round trip to Swansea in the midst of winter (December 17), Wigan supporters dreading their Boxing Day visit to Manchester United – a side they have failed to pick up a single point against in 12 attempts – or Everton and Liverpool fans preparing for the first Merseyside derby of the season on October 1, the next campaign is already being meticulously worked out.

However, it’s not only fans that get caught up in the excitement, and Goal.com spoke to former Chelsea midfielder and ex-West Bromwich Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo to find out which games he is looking forward to this upcoming season, as well as how he feels the campaign will pan out over 38 games.

Having brought West Brom up from the Championship in 2009-10, Di Matteo knows how tough it is for newly promoted sides to pick up points against Premier League teams and the former Chelsea man feels that each of these sides should try to take advantage of the games against teams that they are most familiar with.

He said: “I like the way Swansea play football and I think they’re very easy on the eye to watch but they probably have the least chance to retain their Premier League status. I hope between Norwich and QPR that one of them can stay up.

“These matches are important because you can target the other promoted teams but unfortunately over 38 games, only beating them won’t be enough. Both sides have a little bit of experience in their squads so they will have the best chance I feel.”

Having seen the Baggies survive under Roy Hodgson, the former Italian international feels that his former club could now look to break into the top 10 and cement themselves as a quality Premier League side and says the same of Tony Pulis’ Stoke side following their remarkable road to the FA Cup final in May.

He said: “There are going to be a number of teams battling to get into the top 10 this season I think. Alongside Fulham under Martin Jol who already have got into Europe with the Fair Play league, you have Stoke and West Brom.

“Stoke have a great chance to cause a bit of a shock in the league I think and so do my former club West Brom, so these types of games should be interesting.”

The 41-year-old also enthused about Kenny Dalglish’s resurgent Liverpool and is looking forward to seeing a side with a number of new signings attempting to break back into the top four and the Champions League places.

“I think Liverpool are going to be very strong this season and their matches against Arsenal are usually great games, especially at Anfield, as they are when they face Chelsea also,” said Di Matteo.

“They’ll be big matches this season because I think we have to count Liverpool as a top club again since Dalglish took over. They’ve flourished under him and signed some very exciting young players in January and they’re looking to add more so they’ll be a force that the top clubs have to look out for.”

Frank Lampard was awarded a controversial goal in this fixture last season to keep alive Chelsea’s slim title hopes and Di Matteo admitted to looking forward to the same London derbies that he himself took part in during his time at Stamford Bridge.

“When I was at Chelsea the fixtures against Spurs were always quite big games and if you look at Tottenham over the past few seasons, they’ve been in some absolutely cracking matches for the neutral in the league and in Europe.

“They are always a spectacle I look forward to because I always look out for the London derbies and this is a great one.”

With Manchester City ending their 35-year wait for a trophy with the FA Cup and their city rivals Manchester United picking up a record 19th league title, there can be little doubting that the city’s derbies are going to be something to savour next season, and the ex-Chelsea star is looking forward to seeing Roberto Mancini’s men go head-to-head with the champions in the third-last week of the season.

He said: “The Manchester derby stands out to me because Manchester City are coming up so strongly. I think we’ve got another title contender in City alongside Arsenal and Chelsea.

“I really think they’re going to be challenging United in the title race which should make this a great game as it adds something extra to it.”

With the Barclays Premier League fixtures launched for the 2011-12 season, Barclays announces a once-in-a-lifetime prize for the Barclays Fan of Hong Kong winner. A trip for two people to the UK to watch their favourite Barclays Premier League team play live. To enter, go to www.barclaysfootball.com