Baptisms of fire: the fixture list has not been kind to Coventry, Hull and Ipswich

Tough start awaits for promoted trio, with Premier League matches against last season’s top three and European qualifiers Coventry signed off their previous Premier League campaign with a match against Bradford City, the one team to finish below them in 2000-01. They pick up again in the top flight away to Arsenal; last season’s champions , favourites to retain the crown and the No 1