Roberto Di Matteo: Chelsea have an easy Premier League start, unlike Manchester United

Roberto Di Matteo – West Brom, (Getty Images)

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Chelsea assistant coach Roberto Di Matteo believes his side can use an easy Premier League start to spoil Manchester United‘s early hopes of retaining the title.

The Blues take on Stoke, West Brom and Norwich in their first three fixtures of the season, while United entertain West Brom, Tottenham, and Arsenal.

And the former West Brom coach admits his new club have the easier start to the campaign as he puts the emphasis on the Red Devils to show their champions’ mettle.

“Like another couple of teams, Chelsea will have an easy start, well at least until week five when we are away to Manchester United,” Di Matteo told Sky Sport Italia, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.com.

“United will have two big games early on, Tottenham in week two and then Arsenal in week three, but they will know how to show why they are the champions.”

Speaking on the teams who were promoted – Queens Park Rangers, Norwich and Swansea – he said: “It will be hard for the newly-promoted teams, especially for Swansea.

“For them it’s the first time and they will have to show they have the mentality and faith to stay in the Premier League, against Manchester City.”

The former Lazio midfielder spent six years at Chelsea as a player between 1996 and 2002. He returns as assistant to Andre Villas-Boas.