Early Premier League fixtures do Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United no favours

Jose Mourinho will hope to fare better at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium that Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman left England's South with a 2-1 defeat to digest, and the Cherries have been confirmed as Manchester United's opening day opponents for the 2016/17 campaign. Manchester United are then at home to (currently) managerless Southampton before heading off to play Steve Bruce's newly-promoted Hull. Not too tricky a start, but September and October see things really heat up. Mourinho will welcome Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to Old Trafford on September 10. They have Watford away before Premier League champions Leicester City come to Manchester, on September 24. October starts with Stoke City at home before United hit the road for consecutive away fixtures at Liverpool and Chelsea, both of whom are likely to be in better shape than at the corresponding point last season. December and April both feature six league games for the Red Devils and, if United are still in the hunt for the league title, their run-in will be tricky. They have Arsenal then Tottenham away on consecutive weekends [May 6 and 13] before their final game of the season, at home to Crystal Palace, in a repeat of the 2015/16 FA Cup final. Here are United's full fixtures: https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/742990065991831552