While it remains to be seen whether Antonio Conte will still be in charge, and whether owner Roman Abramovich will legally be allowed to work in the UK, Chelsea fans don't really have any other option but to look ahead to next season after an incredibly underwhelming 2017/18 campaign.

The Blues ended it with silverware in the form of the FA Cup, but that only glossed over a relatively early exit from the Champions League and another woeful Premier League title defence, eventually finishing 30 points behind champions Manchester City in fifth place.

Currently, there aren't too many causes for optimism at Stamford Bridge. But perhaps the official confirmation of the Blues' first six Premier League fixtures of the 2018/19 season, as detailed below, can give Chelsea supporters something to look forward to...

11th August - Huddersfield (A)

18th August - Arsenal (H)

25th August - Newcastle (A)

1st September - Bournemouth (H)

15th September - Cardiff City (H)

22nd September - West Ham (A)

[brid autoplay="true" video="255887" player="12034" title="Watch Chelsea's opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season"]

Verdict

Whoever is the custodian in charge at Stamford Bridge they will be delighted with the opening fixtures they have to contend with. With the exception of Arsenal at home early doors, it is fair to say that the Blues will be looking at near on maximum points in the games that follow, which will certainly provide early momentum for the club and put pressure on their title rivals this season by putting down a marker in the race for the Premier League title.

With the exception of April, games against the top sides are relatively spread out. Chelsea have a relatively balanced fixture list to contend with and with no Champions League distractions this season, you would like to think that the schedule is setup nicely for the Blues to mount a decent challenge.