NEWCASTLE UNITED have been given the intriguing second weekend fixture of a trip to arch-rivals Sunderland when the Premier League campaign begins in August.

The Magpies, who will face Arsenal at St James' Park on August 13, have been handed a date at the Stadium of Light on August 20 when they will be looking to build on the four points they claimed from the Black Cats last season.

It is an incredible opening to the new campaign for the Tyne-Wear rivals and the return fixture at St James' has been initially scheduled for March 3, although both derbies are likely to change for security and television reasons.

After ending August with another home date with Fulham on August 27, they then face a trip to Championship champions Queens Park Rangers on September 10.

Newcastle will also encounter back-to-back trips to Manchester to face City and United on November 19 and November 26 respectively before then facing Chelsea at St James' Park on December 3 in three fixtures that should have an impact on title race.

Newcastle face a festive period on their travels. After a trip to Bolton on Boxing Day they have been asked to head for Anfield to take on Andy Carroll's Liverpool on New Year's Eve.

Other interesting dates for Newcastle are the trips to Norwich City on December 10 and to Swansea City on April 7, while Manchester United will be heading for Tyneside on January 2 in an early in the New Year fixture.

Carroll, who left Newcastle for £35m last January, will make his first return to St James' Park with Liverpool on March 31.

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For a full list of Newcastle United, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool's fixtures for the new season see Saturday's The Northern Echo for a full page poster of all the dates for your diary.