Alan Shearer reckons Newcastle can get off to a flying start to next season after they were given a gentle introduction to the new campaign.

Newcastle will kick off 2002-03 with a home game against West Ham on August 17 before visiting Kevin Keegan's Manchester City seven days later.

The Maine Road fixture could also see Sylvain Distin make his home debut for City following his controversial desertion of Newcastle last month.

The Magpies will then face a stern test of their title credentials with successive games against Liverpool, Leeds and Chelsea.

Shearer is delighted with the way the fixture list has fallen, however, and he said: "Although there are no easy games in the Premiership, it looks as though we've been given a decent enough start."

The first Tyne-Wear derby is scheduled to be at St. James' Park on September 21, but could be switched to suit live television. A Sky spokesman said they will announce which games will be screened "early next week".

But Newcastle have already had two games moved. They will face Tottenham on December 29, 24 hours later than originally scheduled, and their trip to Everton has been put back to April 6 to avoid a clash with the Grand National a day earlier.

Middlesbrough assistant manager Bill Beswick is already eyeing a victorious opening to the season after last year's horrific start.

Boro, who lost their first four games last August, face a near 600-mile round trip to Southampton on the first day of their campaign.

Beswick said: "We have to look at the Southampton game as offering a good chance of an away point or possibly a win.

"When you look at the fixture list, you automatically think back to last season, when we had no points after four matches.

"This time, we look at the first four games and believe that we should have several points in the bag after we've played them."

Boro's first home game is against Fulham before Steve McClaren returns to Manchester United four days later.

Beswick added: "Playing Manchester United is always a great test of how far you've come. You sometimes learn more about your team when they're playing against the very best, and that will be a great learning game.

"Last season, teams may have considered the game against Middlesbrough as one of their better matches. But now they'll be thinking it's a hard game."

United will visit the Riverside on Boxing Day, with Middlesbrough due to round off the season at Bolton.

Like Boro, Sunderland will begin the season with an away fixture, with Blackburn providing the opposition on August 17.

Sunderland host Everton before facing a devilish end to August, with Leeds and United meeting the Black Cats within four days of each other.

Sunderland have a tough end to the campaign, too, with Arsenal the visitors on May 11.

The first North-East derby is on September 10, when Middlesbrough visit the Stadium of Light.

In Division Three, Hartlepool visit Carlisle on day one before meeting Football League new boys Boston in their first home game.

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