SPURS open the new Premier League season with a tough away trip to the Riverside to tackle Middlesbrough on Saturday, August 16. And if the Lilywhites need three points to clinch the title on the last day of the season - Sunday May 24 – they will have to

SPURS open the new Premier League season with a tough away trip to the Riverside to tackle Middlesbrough on Saturday, August 16. And if the Lilywhites need three points to clinch the title on the last day of the season - Sunday May 24 - they will have to beat Liverpool at Anfield.

Tottenham, who finished 11th last season, entertain Roy Keane's Sunderland in their first home game at the Lane the following Saturday.

The first north London derby is scheduled for Tuesday October 28 with the return pencilled in for Saturday February 7.

Before that Juande Ramos's outfit travel to the Bridge on August 30 for the first of the big London derbies against league runners-up Chelsea.

Spurs finish their league programme with a visit to Liverpool on Sunday, May 24 and their final game at the Lane is against Mark Hughes's Manchester City on May 16.

Spurs have a pre-season friendly at Norwich on Monday, July 28 and their Premiership fixtures are:

Saturday August 16: Middlesbrough away; (Saturday August 23: Sunderland home; Saturday August 30: Chelsea away;

Saturday September 13: Aston Villa home; Saturday Sept 20 Wigan home; Saturday Sept 27: Portsmouth away;

Saturday Oct 4: Hull home; Saturday Oct 18: Stoke away; Saturday Oct 25: Bolton home; Tuesday Oct 28 Arsenal away;

Saturday Nov 1: Liverpool home; Saturday Nov 8 Man City away; Saturday Nov 15: Fulham away; Saturday Nov 22 Blackburn home; Saturday Nov 29 Everton home;

Saturday Dec 6 West Ham away; Saturday Dec 13: Man Utd home; Saturday Dec 20 Newcastle away; Friday Dec 26 Fulham home; Sunday Dec 28 West Brom away.

Saturday Jan 10: Wigan away; Saturday Jan 17 Portsmouth home; Tuesday Jan 27 Stoke home; Saturday Jan 31: Bolton away.

Saturday Feb 7: Arsenal home; Saturday Feb 21: Hull away; Saturday Feb 28: Sunderland away.

Tuesday March 3 Middlesborugh home; Saturday March 14: Aston Villa away; Saturday March 21: Chelsea home.

Saturday April 4: Blackburn away; Saturday April 11: West Ham home; Saturday April 18: Newcastle home; Saturday April 25: Man Utd away.

Saturday May 2: West Brom home; Saturday May 9: Everton away; Saturday May 16: Man City home; Sunday May 24: Liverpool away.

Dates are subject to change because of television and cup commitments.