Preplanned Opening Away Game
Due to seeing some Aston Villa supporters grumbling online about Villa having another away date to kick off their season, it’s worth pointing out there is a very practical reason that Steven Gerrard’s side travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth on the opening day of the season on Saturday, August 6.
It was decided before the ‘random’ fixtures draw, after the request was made to the Premier League.
MOMS was informed several months ago that the West Midlands police and the club would be requesting an away day due to Birmingham hosting the Commonwealth Games on the opening weekend of the Premier League. The Commonwealth Games runs between the 28th July and 8th of August.
Due to the need to free up policing, transport services and other logistical considerations, Wolves will also be playing away from Molineux on the opening weekend too, with a trip to Leeds United.
Villa’s Fixture List
In the end, Villa received a fairly spread out fixture list in terms of not having any pockets of consecutive fixtures against the top six teams.
They’ll be no easy return though after the World Cup in Qatar, with Villa facing back-to-back games against both Liverpool and Spurs in their festive fixtures. Although, playing them cold after the World Cup break, could be a positive.
The month of October sees teams contesting six Premier League fixtures, but it also features a heavy concentration of Champions League group games in the period. Thus any team playing one of the Premier League’s top four from last season, potentially will catch them at a good time, when they will need to rotate players.
Villa will play Chelsea at Villa Park on the 15th October, so that could work out as decent timing.
Villa will certainly welcome their opening fixtures to the 2022/23 season, which offer up an opportunity to put some points on the board, although it can be a notably unpredictable period with teams not battle ready and up and running.
Aston Villa’s Opening Fixtures
- 6: AFC Bournemouth (a) 3pm
- 13: Everton (h) 3pm
- 20: Crystal Palace (a) 3pm
- 27: West Ham (h) 3pm
- 30: Arsenal (a) 7.45pm
Come in villa