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Liverpool have been handed one of the toughest starts to the Premier League for next season. Official.

Trinity Mirror's number crunchers at our Data Unit have calculated that the Reds’ opponents in their first five games had an average finishing position of 6.8 in last season’s Premier League.

Only Watford have a tougher opening five fixtures next season than Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp’s side play three teams who finished last season in the top four - champions Leicester, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Rivals Everton, meanwhile, have been handed one of the easiest starts.

Ronald Koeman’s first five Premier League fixtures as Blues boss will be against teams who finished 12.4 on average in the table last season.

This is the third easiest start, on paper, for next season.

Everton take on Tottenham, West Brom, Stoke, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in their opening five fixtures.

We used last year’s relegated sides in the place of the three promoted clubs in the order they finished in the Championship.

Burnley replace Newcastle in 18th, Middlesbrough replace Norwich in 19th and play-off winners Hull replace Aston Villa in 20th.

LEAGUE TABLE OF TOUGHNESS:

Rank (1 = hardest) - Team - Average finishing position of opening five matches, 2015/16

1 Watford 6

2 Liverpool 6.8

3 Hull City 7.6

4 Sunderland 8.6

5 Bournemouth 9

6 Arsenal 9.6

7 Southampton 9.8

8 Burnley 10.2

9 Stoke City 10.4

10 Manchester City 10.8

11 Swansea City 11

12 West Ham United 11.4

13 Chelsea 11.6

14 Manchester United 11.8

15 Leicester City 12

15 Tottenham Hotspur 12

17 Crystal Palace 12.2

18 Everton 12.4

19 Middlesbrough 13.2

20 West Bromwich Albion 13.6