NEWCASTLE UNITED have been handed a daunting start to the 2014-15 season as they will host reigning champions Manchester City on the opening day of the campaign.

In a reverse of last season's fixtures, which saw the Magpies travel to the Etihad Stadium on the opening weekend, Manuel Pellegrini's title holders will visit St James' Park on the weekend of August 16 in a game that is almost certain to be switched for live television coverage.

The City game precedes a relatively inviting run that will see Newcastle travel to Aston Villa before staging a home game with Crystal Palace.

December looks like being a big month, with successive matches against Chelsea and Arsenal preceding the opening derby of the season, which will see Newcastle host Sunderland at St James' in a game that is provisionally scheduled for December 20.

The Magpies travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Boxing Day, with Burnley visiting Tyneside on New Year's Day.

March sees home matches against Manchester United and Arsenal, with Newcastle's trip to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland scheduled for April 4.

Alan Pardew's side face QPR in the final away match of the season, before hosting Sam Allardyce's West Ham United on the final weekend.

NEWCASTLE 2014-15 FIXTURES

Aug 16 Manchester City (h)

Aug 23 Aston Villa (a)

Aug 30 Crystal Palace (h)

Sep 13 Southampton (a)

Sep 20 Hull City (h)

Sep 27 Stoke City (a)

Oct 4 Swansea City (a)

Oct 18 Leicester City (h)

Oct 25 Tottenham Hotspur (a)

Nov 1 Liverpool (h)

Nov 8 West Bromwich Albion (a)

Nov 22 Queens Park Rangers (h)

Nov 29 West Ham United (a)

Dec 2 Burnley (a)

Dec 6 Chelsea (h)

Dec 13 Arsenal (a)

Dec 20 Sunderland (h)

Dec 26 Manchester United (a)

Dec 28 Everton (h)

Jan 1 Burnley (h)

Jan 10 Chelsea (a)

Jan 17 Southampton (h)

Jan 31 Hull City (a)

Feb 7 Stoke City (h)

Feb 10 Crystal Palace (a)

Feb 21 Manchester City (a)

Feb 28 Aston Villa (h)

Mar 4 Manchester United (h)

Mar 14 Everton (a)

Mar 21 Arsenal (h)

Apr 4 Sunderland (a)

Apr 11 Liverpool (a)

Apr 18 Tottenham Hotspur (h)

Apr 25 Swansea City (h)

May 2 Leicester City (a)

May 9 West Bromwich Albion (h)

May 16 Queens Park Rangers (a)

May 24 West Ham United (h)