Thomas Tuchel handed nightmare start in his first full season as Chelsea boss

Thomas Tuchel and his Chelsea side have been handed a daunting start to their 2021-22 Premier League campaign, with four of their opening six fixtures against the Big Six.

However, the German will be encouraged by the run-in his team has been handed as he looks to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title, after triumphing in Europe in his first season at the club. 

No club has been handed a trickier start to the campaign, but keeping pace with those at the top of the table will put them in a strong position going into the second-half of the season – with only one fixture planned against the Big Six in their final thirteen outings. 

Chelsea have been handed a tricky start to their 2021-22 campaign by the fixture schedule

The Blues kick off their season by welcoming fellow Londoners Crystal Palace to Stamford Bridge on August 14, before making the short trip to the Emirates the weekend after to face Arsenal. 

They also travel to Liverpool before August is out, with September bringing in the prospect of back-to-back clashes against Tottenham away and Manchester City at home.  

It is a series of matches that, while challenging on paper, should not provide the west London club with any real fear. Tuchel has beaten each of the three sides already in his short Chelsea reign having only arrived at the beginning of this year. 

January provides a similarly tricky patch, with the Reds, City and Spurs providing the opposition for the first three matches in the new year.

Thomas Tuchel’s men have a favourable run-in should they be able to keep pace at the top

Liverpool travel to the Bridge on New Year’s Day, before Chelsea visit City on the weekend of January 15, following the first FA Cup weekend. They then welcome Tottenham on the weekend of January 22.

However, should Tuchel’s side be able to keep pace at the top of the table, then the run-in could facilitate a push for the title.

In their final 13 matches, the Blues face just one of the traditional Big Six – visiting Manchester United on the second-to-last weekend of the campaign.

That includes a run of five fixtures between March 5 and April 9 that sees them face Burnley, Newcastle, Norwich, Brentford and Southampton – sides that are either newly promoted or were busy staving off relegation last season. 

They then wrap things up by welcoming Watford to the Bridge on May 22.

Read the full list below: 

 All fixtures are subject to change once live TV schedule has been finalised.