An image showing a ‘leaked’ set of fixtures for the opening round of the 2023/24 Premier League season has emerged online, although Liverpool fans will likely have spotted one obvious flaw destroying its plausibility.
As per Liverpool Echo, the picture of that list of games for the first weekend of the new campaign is suggesting that Jurgen Klopp’s side will be away to newly-promoted Luton Town.
Lol… when did the Premier League end that Fixtures for next Season are already scheduled to be out tomorrow?
Let Football fans breeeeeave please. pic.twitter.com/AoYZKTda2J
— R. (@alrhemist) June 14, 2023
If that were to happen, it would be the fifth season in a row in which the Reds began their league schedule against a team who’ve just come up from the Championship. While that may still be a possibility, it won’t be against the Hatters.
READ MORE: Former Liverpool midfielder’s next move confirmed as club make official announcement
Last month, Liverpool lodged a request to the Premier League to be given an away fixture for their first game due to the ongoing redevelopment work with the Anfield Road Stand (BBC Sport).
However, Luton have asked for the same due to their own renovations to Kenilworth Road to ensure compliance with top-flight broadcasting regulations (BBC Sport).
Therefore, it seems incredibly unlikely that the two clubs will be paired against each other on the opening weekend of 12/13 August, particularly when they each have 18 other opponents available.
If Burnley are the promoted side who provide Liverpool’s first opposition, it’d be the fifth successive year in which the Premier League opener for Klopp’s team would be against the reigning Championship title holders (Norwich in 2019/20 and 2021/22, Leeds in 2020/21, Fulham last year).
The fixtures for the new season will be officially announced tomorrow at 9am, so until then we can only speculate as to who we’ll be playing on opening weekend, as fans’ attention slowly gravitates towards eager anticipation of another top-flight campaign for the Reds.