New Man United boss Moyes handed tough start with early games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City

It all adds up to the sort of start that Moyes and United could have done without as Old Trafford gets used to life after Sir Alex Ferguson

  David Moyes was today handed a crash-course in the pressures of being Manchester United boss as the champions were handed the toughest Premier League start of the title contenders.
Moyes, who ended his spell as Everton boss with a defeat at Chelsea last month, takes on new Blues chief Jose Mourinho in his opening game at Old Trafford on the second weekend of the season.
That follows a testing opening weekend trip to Capital One Cup holders Swansea.
And after the Chelsea clash, Moyes will return to Merseyside to face Liverpool at Anfield and also has to travel across Manchester for the first derby of the season against City on September 21.
It all adds up to the sort of start that Moyes and United could have done without as Old Trafford gets used to life after Sir Alex Ferguson.
United's rivals will see the difficulties facing Moyes as an opportunity, although none of them have an easy ride.
Chelsea, who begin against newly-promoted Hull at Stamford Bridge - as they did in their 2009-10 title-winning campaign under Carlo Ancelotti – wil be looking to extend Mourinho's remarkable record of never having lost a home Premier League match with games with Aston Villa and Fulham before heading to White Hart Lane at the end of September.

That re-union between former friends turned rivals Mourinho and Andre Villas-Boas will be the second of two huge early season derbies for Spurs, who make the short trip along the Seven Sisters Road to the Emirates, scene of back to back 5-2 drubbings in the past two seasons, on the third weekend.
Arsene Wenger and new City chief Manuel Pellegrini appear to have most to smile about.
The Spurs game represents the only match against any of last season's top eight, while Chilean Pellegrini will feel he has been dealt a far easier hand by the fixtures computer.
City face two of the promoted sides, Cardiff and Hull, in their first three fixtures after kicking off at home to turmoil-strewn Newcastle, and will hope to be building momentum ahead of that United clash.
Liverpool, desperate to make a real top four challenge after four wilderness seasons, have also been given the chance to put down a platform, starting at home to Stoke before travelling to Villa Park and finishing the first full month of the season with games against Swansea, Southampton and Stoke.
Cardiff - who start at West Ham - and Swansea fans will have already pencilled the weekend of November 2 for the first top flight derby between the two Welsh rivals, with the return at the Liberty Stadium on February 8.
The other promoted side, Crystal Palace, start with a home game against Tottenham while Roberto Martinez' spell at the Everton helm begins at Norwich.

One man who might have even more reason to curse the planners, though, is Villa boss Paul Lambert.
The West Midlands side, who flirted with relegation all season, have to play three of last season's top four and also host Brendan Rodgers' outfit in their first six games.
Other obvious highlights include the first meeting between Wenger and Mourinho since 2007 on the weekend before Christmas, while the Special One plays host to Real Madrid predecessor Pellegrini at the end of October.
And looking at the business end of the season, Arsenal face a potentially campaign-defining three math run in March, playing the return derby in N17, then travelling to Chelsea before welcoming City to the Emirates.

The fixtures are in and we can all now go about planning our weekends from now until May.
So you can start booking any mid-season holidays/weddings/parties and the like, we've helpfully put together a list of the key dates coming up this season.
The first Manchester derby takes place on September 21, when David Moyes takes his new charges to the Etihad in what will also be new City boss Manuel Pellegrini's first derby.
Swansea and Cardiff will do battle in the Premier League's first ever south Wales derby at the Cardiff City Stadium on November 2.
David Moyes returns to his old stomping ground at Goodison Park on April 19 and will be hoping the Toffees don't spoil the Red Devils' title chase.
Last year's final Champions League place was a battle between the two north London clubs and we don't have to wait long for Tottenham and Arsenal to lock horns again, as Spurs visit the Emirates on August 31.
What about the Special One's return to Old Trafford we hear you scream? New/old Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho takes his side to Manchester United on the second weekend of the season, with a August 24 clash scheduled.
New Everton manager Roberto Martinez has his first taste of the scouse derby on November 23 when Liverpool visit Goodison Park.
Liverpool versus Manchester United is usually a quiet, understated affair and we can all look forward to that on August 31 when the Red Devils visit Anfield.
North-east rivals Sunderland and Newcastle do battle for the first time on October 26, when the Magpies visit the Stadium of Light.
Jose Mourinho had plenty of fiery clashes at Anfield during his first spell as Chelsea boss and the new boss takes his Blues side to Liverpool at the business end of the season on April 26.
The first midlands derby of the season takes place when West Brom host Aston Villa on November 23.