Fixture Forecast

The 20 games that could define the next season for the 20 Premier League Teams:

Saturday August 15th

1. Chelsea v Hull - The 09/10 season begins here with an encounter between a newly-directed Chelsea side that have struggled to match the high standards set by their owner over the last couple of years, and a Hull team that scraped survival last year but began their inaugural Premiership season on fine form. Not sure what Carlo Ancelotti will make of this Phil Brown fella.

Potential Hero - Deco. Just kidding. Frank Lampard is more conceivable.

2. Everton v Arsenal - No team has more question marks surrounding them right now than the Gunners. The crux of the discussion centers around whether they a talented young team, ready to mature and win their first trophy in four years or whether the losses of Adebayor and Toure are symptomatic of their decline. Everton will be looking to build on successive 5th places and last season's FA Cup Final.

Potential Hero - Marouanne Fellaini's barber.

Wednesday August 19th

3. Burnley v Man Utd - With no disrespect to Stoke, this is where the big time begins for the Clarets; at home, to the champions. United have not started all that smoothly over the last few years and can't afford to add ammunition to their post-Ronaldo doubters.

Potential Hero - If it's not Brian Jensen then Burnley might have a problem.

Saturday August 29th

4. Man Utd v Arsenal - The first meeting between any of the Premiership's most potent powers.

Potential Hero - Anyone who manages to sit through half an hour of Andy Gray after the game.

Sunday September 13th

5. Birmingham v Aston Villa - The Second City Derby has been an infrequent feature of the Premiership era, despite Villa's constant place in the top flight. The Blues will no doubt already be eyeing this fixture but it's the Villain's that may have more to play for at this stage. Word is that Martin O'Neill may be under a little pressure to propel his team to a top-4 finish and derby defeat could be troubling.

Potential Hero - Martin O'Neill. Love that guy.

Sunday September 20th

6. Man Utd v Man City - A likely barometer of both team's chances of success this year. All eyes on Carlos Tevez.

Potential Hero - Anybody but Carlos Tevez.

Saturday October 3rd

7. West Ham v Fulham - Would have been a very enjoyable game to watch last term, featuring two surprising sides that played good football. Hopefully a encore is in store.

Potential Hero - Gianfranco Zola. He would easily be the best player on the park in this game.

Saturday October 17th

8. Portsmouth v Tottenham - Portsmouth don't have enough players. Tottenham have too many yet it's Savvy Harry that's adding from the Fratton Park stable. Portsmouth need to perform well at home if they are to enjoy Premiership fixtures for another year.

Potential Hero - Peter Crouch or Jermain Defoe.

Sunday October 25th

9. Liverpool v Man Utd - Last year's title contending pair meet for the first time. Liverpool did the double over their rivals last season but saw United equal their record for most League trophies.

Potential Hero - Nemanja Vidic might be due. Torres might be injured. The two could go hand-in-hand.

Saturday October 31st

10. Arsenal v Tottenham - The same fixture finished 4-4 last year in arguably the game of the season (honorable mention to Liverpool 4 - 4 Arsenal and Liverpool 4 - 4 Chelsea in the Champions League). No pressure on this match then.

Potential Hero - Whoever Arsenal sign in the next couple of weeks.

Saturday December 12th

11. Liverpool v Arsenal - Two heavyweights meet days after the final round of Champions League group fixtures. Andrei Arshavin will no doubt be eyeing this fixture.

Potential Hero - See above.

Saturday December 26th

12. Hull v Man Utd - Crazy things tend to happen in the games over the Christmas period and this could be a prime example. Expect a day of abundant goals, red cards and bottom feeders nibbling away at the big fish.

Potential Hero - Jimmy Bullard could be back playing. Michael Owen should already be back scoring.

Monday December 28th

13. Aston Villa v Liverpool - The marquee game in the last round of fixtures for 2009.

Potential Hero - Looks like a Steven Gerrard 'scruff-of-the-neck' kinda game

Saturday January 16th

14. Everton v Man City - City will have to improve away from Eastlands to contend and Everton have more competition than ever to be the best of the rest.

Potential Hero - I'm hoping it's Jo and not Joleon.

Saturday February 20th

15. Blackburn v Bolton - Grit. Determination. Tenacity. Other Synonyms. My money's on a 0-0 and last segment on Match of the Day.

Potential Hero - Whoever commentates and stays excited throughout.

Saturday February 27th

16. Stoke v Arsenal - Stoke's victory over Arsenal launched their season last time around against perennially bullied Arsenal. A benchmark for both teams progress.

Potential Hero - Robin van Persie? I don't know, why you asking me?

Saturday March 6th

17. Wigan v Liverpool - Roberto versus Rafa. Hopefully the Spaniards will be knee-deep in attractive, expansive football as the sun starts to come out. I have my doubts.

Potential Hero - Someone Spanish.

Saturday April 3rd

18. Sunderland v Tottenham - The Darren Bent Bowl.

Potential Hero - Um...Darren....B...Be...Ben...no, I can't bring myself to type that.

Saturday May 1st

19. Liverpool v Chelsea - A six-pointer between two of the main protagonists in the penultimate week of the season. But will it matter?

Potential Hero - Didier Drogba's agent, already working to get his client a lucrative move for the 2010/11 season.

Sunday May 9th

20. Bolton v Birmingham - It's far more likely that the fate of the teams at the foot of the table, rather than the top, will be at stake come the last day of the season. This seems a candidate for some exaggerated Sky Sports video packages about the 'colossal' and 'monumental' nature of survival. Can't wait.

Potential Hero - Any player who doesn't get injured ahead of the 2010 World Cup.