LIVERPOOL (Sporting Alert) — Two English Premier League games are on the schedule for Sunday’s second set of opening round fixtures.
EPL Fixtures For Sunday Aug. 17
8:30 ET Liverpool v Southampton Anfield
11:00 ET Newcastle v Man City St. James’ Park
TV Channels and Live Streaming on: NBC Sports Live Extra, NBCSN, TalkSport Radio UK, Sky Sports 1/HD, Sky Go Extra, NOW TV, Sky Go, LFCTV GO
Defending champions Manchester City will start the defense of their title on the road at St. James’ Park against Newcastle United.
Manchester City head into the game looking to bounce from the 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal last weekend at Wembley.
Visiting boss Manuel Pellegrini has hinted that some of key players could be rested for the clash – giving them extra time to continue their season preparations after a longer break following the FIFA World Cup this summer.
“We will see (about Sunday) but not all of them [the players] will be available for Sunday,” Pellegrini told a media conference on Friday.
“Most of them will. Maybe some players need some more days to be 100 per cent but the whole squad is ready to start.
“I am not too happy with our preparations because I think we need more days for the players that arrived late, though it was important for the players to have a good rest after the World Cup.”
The other English Premier League game on Sunday is Liverpool against Southampton at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers’ side begins its EPL campaign without departing top-scorer Luis Suarez, who left to join Barcelona in the summer, while Southampton are bracing to reunite with several of the players who left the club for the Reds in the current transfer window.
