Sky to feature Manchester City's Premier League opener against Southampton

Sky Sports have announced that they will feature the first 42 matches of the 2012-13 Premier League season live for viewers.

The opening match on the network's schedule is that of Champions League winners Chelsea's visit to the DW Stadium for an opening clash against Wigan Athletic, which will be followed by league holders Manchester City's match with newly-promoted side Southampton.

Manchester United's battle against Everton will kick off the first Ford Monday Night Football programme, while the top eight teams of last season will be featured on Sky 17 times during the first half of the campaign.

The Merseyside, Midlands, North London and Tyne-Wear derbies will be shown live as well as highly anticipated battles between Arsenal and Chelsea and Liverpool's meetings with Manchester City and Manchester United.

Sky Sports TV schedule in full:

August Sun 19: Wigan vs. Chelsea (1.30pm) Sun 19: Man City vs. Southampton (4pm) Mon 20: Everton vs. Man Utd (8pm) Sat 25: Swansea vs. West Ham (12.45pm) Sun 26: Stoke vs. Arsenal (1.30pm) Sun 26: Liverpool vs. Man City (4pm)

September Sat 1: West Ham vs. Fulham (12.45pm) Sun 2: Liverpool vs. Arsenal (1.30pm) Sun 2: Southampton vs. Man Utd (4pm) Sat 15: Norwich vs. West Ham (12.45pm) Sun 16: Reading vs. Tottenham (4pm) Mon 17: Everton vs. Newcastle (8pm) Sat 22: Swansea vs. Everton (12.45pm) Sun 23: Liverpool vs. Man Utd (1.30pm) Sun 23: Man City vs. Arsenal (4pm) Sat 29: Arsenal vs. Chelsea (12.45pm) Sun 30: Aston Villa vs. West Brom (4pm)

October Mon 1: QPR vs. West Ham (8pm) Sat 6: Man City vs. Sunderland (12.45pm) Sun 7: Southampton vs. Fulham (1.30pm) Sun 7: Newcastle vs. Man Utd (4pm) Sat 20: Tottenham vs. Chelsea (12.45pm) Sun 21: Sunderland vs. Newcastle (1.30pm) Sun 21: QPR vs. Everton (4pm) Sat 27: Everton vs. Liverpool (12.45pm) Sun 28: Aston Villa vs. Norwich (1.30pm) Sun 28: Chelsea vs. Man Utd (4pm)

November Sat 3: Man Utd vs. Arsenal (12.45pm) Sun 4: QPR vs. Reading (1.30pm) Sun 4: Liverpool vs. Newcastle (4pm) Mon 5: West Brom vs. Southampton (8pm) Sat 10: Aston Villa vs. Man Utd (5.30pm) Sun 11: Man City vs. Tottenham (1.30pm) Sun 11: Chelsea vs. Liverpool (4pm) Sat 17: Arsenal vs. Tottenham (12.45pm) Sun 18: Fulham vs. Sunderland (4pm) Mon 19: West Ham vs. Stoke (8pm) Sat 24: Swansea vs. Liverpool (12.45pm) Sun 25: Sunderland vs. West Brom (1.30pm) Sun 25: Chelsea vs. Man City (4pm) Tue 27: Aston Villa vs. Reading (8pm) Wed 28: Wigan vs. Man City (8pm)