Chelsea face a mightily difficult start to their 2021/22 Premier League campaign, facing four of the so-called big six in the opening six weeks of the domestic season.
While the Blues' curtain-raiser comes at home to Crystal Palace on 14 August, the following five matchdays will see them play both Arsenal and Liverpool away, then Aston Villa (H), Tottenham (A) and Man City (H) following an international break at the end of August.
Inevitably, beyond that fearsome start things do ease up for Thomas Tuchel's men - on paper at least - with consecutive November matches against Leicester (A) and Man Utd (H) providing their biggest challenge before the new year. Their first game against a newly-promoted side arrives on 16 October in the form of a west London derby away to Brentford.
However, right from the start of 2022 things will get tasty again, with Chelsea facing their return against Liverpool on New Year's Day, then Man City and Spurs in consecutive gameweeks.
But once more that intense January will give way to an objectively simpler run that could go some way to deciding their Premier League fate, with a trip to Man Utd on 14 May the standout hurdle before Tuchel's charges (providing he's still in charge) finish the campaign at home to Watford on 22 May.