Premier League fixtures 2016-17: Is Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho’s trip to rival Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal the Premier League title decider?
Red Devils chief Mourinho to be reunited with feuding enemy Wenger when the clubs do battle at the Emirates on May 6
THE Premier League fixtures have been announced for the 2016-17 season – with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho facing a trip to Arsenal for a potential title showdown on May 6.
The Red Devils and Gunners are two of the three favourites to scoop the Premier League title next season as old adversaries Mourinho and Arsene Wenger go head to head once more.
And the fixtures list has thrown up a humdinger of a clash at The Emirates in the penultimate league match of the season.
Mourinho and Wenger have taunted each other for years with ‘the Special One’ branding Wenger a “voyeur” and “a specialist in failure” after Wenger upset him by claiming the style of his Chelsea meant “the sport is in danger”.
I’m not used to failing. But the reality is Wenger’s a specialist because, eight years without a piece of silverware, that’s failure.
Jose Mourinho
And their simmering rival is likely to hit boiling point on May 6 when Mourinho takes his new charges to Arsenal with both sides like to be challenging for the title.
BIG-FOUR PREM CLASHES IN 2016-17
24 Sep: Arsenal v Chelsea
22 Oct: Chelsea v Man Utd
19 Nov: Man Utd v Arsenal
3 Dec: Man City v Chelsea
17 Dec: Man City v Arsenal
4 Feb: Chelsea v Arsenal
25 Feb: Man City v Man Utd
15 Apr: Man Utd v Chelsea
6 May: Arsenal v Man Utd
And Mourinho faces an emotional return to Stamford Bridge on October 22 with his new team.
Mourinho was axed mid-way through December after appearing to lose the Blues' dressing room - a mere seven months after winning the title.
The Portuguese was in his second spell at Stamford Bridge, but things were turning sour as he suffered 'third season syndrome'... again.
He was axed after losing nine of his opening 16 league matches, with the club sat in 16th spot and just one place above the drop zone.
The traditional 'big four' were smashed apart last season as Leicester secured a stunning 5000-1 title triumph.
Tottenham also surged to a Champions League place with a sustained title challenge, before falling apart at the end of the season and being pipped to third by arch-rivals Arsenal.
But order is expected to be restored next season, with master tactician Pep Guardiola in charge at Euro 2016 and current Italy boss Antonio Conte in Mourinho's former Stamford Bridge hot seat.
