IT’S LIKE SPRING COMING LATE OR

FOR football fans in any division the prospect of fixtures being released is akin to the dawn of spring.

That day, usually in early June, is anticipated by scarf-wearing legions as eagerly as children await the arrival of Santa Claus.

The shuddering halt in March of the football season with nine games or so for each club still to play raised fears of an early end to proceedings. But Project Restart has created the unlikely release of a mini-fixture list in order to complete the Premier

League campaign, one that was greeted with near delirium.

And like any normal fixture list, fans scoured it for their team’s big games, for the chance to win a derby, for the date on which glory or fate could be sealed.

All football fans were happy simply to see a fixture list and confirmation that the season will be finished and all issues at both ends of the table decided by players scoring goals rather than statisticians creating a formula to rank teams from one to 20.

The defending champions,

Manchester City, as the main attraction against Arsenal on the new opening night is a mouthwatering prospect if for no better reason than Liverpool fans will be cheering on the Gunners.

Should Arsenal win that game, four days later, on June 21, Jurgen Klopp’s players will clinch Liverpool’s first title in 30 years with a win at Everton. Even without help from Arsenal, victory at Goodison will set up the Reds to finish the job at Anfield on June 24 when Crystal Palace come calling. But there are other great games to enthuse about away from the title race. Jose Mourinho kicks off again when Tottenham welcome his former club Manchester United in the opening week. And Spurs also have a north London derby against Arsenal to play.

Whatever transpires in the Premier League’s remaining 92 games and the handful of FA Cup ties to be resolved, football fans are simply rejoicing at seeing a fixture list again, however short and odd it appears.