Luiz Felipe Scolari's first league game as Chelsea manager will be against FA Cup winners Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, August 16.

The Brazilian will be hoping for a copy of last season's result against Harry Redknapp's side, a 1-0 win courtesy of a Frank Lampard goal. It is the fourth time in five seasons we have kicked-off the campaign on home soil.

That first game is followed by an away trip to Wigan on August 23 before our first London derby of the season at home to Tottenham on August 30.

Our first meeting of the season with Manchester United will be at Stamford Bridge on September 20, while a week later we make our first ever league visit to Stoke City's Britannia Stadium.

As usual, there is a busy Christmas period that sees us travel to Everton on December 20 before we entertain promoted West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day. Two days later is our first meeting of the season with west London neighbours Fulham, at Craven Cottage.

The season reaches its climax later than usual, on Sunday, May 24, when we travel to Sunderland. Our last home game eight days earlier will be against Blackburn.

The fixtures in full are as follows:

16/8/2008 Chelsea v Portsmouth
23/8/2008 Wigan Athletic v Chelsea
30/8/2008 Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur
13/9/2008 Manchester City v Chelsea
20/9/2008 Chelsea v Manchester United
27/9/2008 Stoke City v Chelsea
4/10/2008 Chelsea v Aston Villa
18/10/2008 Middlesbrough v Chelsea
25/10/2008 Chelsea v Liverpool
28/10/2008 Hull City v Chelsea
1/11/2008 Chelsea v Sunderland
8/11/2008 Blackburn v Chelsea
15/11/2008 WBA v Chelsea
22/11/2008 Chelsea v Newcastle
29/11/2008 Chelsea v Arsenal
6/12/2008 Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea
13/12/2008 Chelsea v West Ham United
20/12/2008 Everton v Chelsea
26/12/2008 Chelsea v WBA
28/12/2008 Fulham v Chelsea
10/1/2009 Manchester United v Chelsea
17/1/2009 Chelsea v Stoke City
28/1/2009 Chelsea v Middlesbrough
31/1/2009 Liverpool v Chelsea
7/2/2009 Chelsea v Hull City
21/2/2009 Aston Villa v Chelsea
28/2/2009 Chelsea v Wigan Athletic
3/3/2009 Portsmouth v Chelsea
14/3/2009 Chelsea v Manchester City
21/3/2009 Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
4/4/2009 Newcastle United v Chelsea
11/4/2009 Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers
18/4/2009 Chelsea v Everton
25/4/2009 West Ham United v Chelsea
2/5/2009 Chelsea v Fulham
9/5/2009 Arsenal v Chelsea
16/5/2009 Chelsea v Blackburn
24/5/2009 Sunderland v Chelsea

Copyright © and Database Right 2008 The Football Association Premier League Ltd / The Football League Ltd. All rights reserved.
Compiled in association with Atos Origin.

Please note that ALL fixtures are subject to change due to TV or policing decisions.