The 2018/19 Premier League fixtures were announced on Thursday morning, and new Everton manager Marco Silva and Toffees fans would have been quick to scan through and see not only when they were facing arch-rivals Liverpool, but when they had both favourable and unfavourable runs on paper.

If the Merseyside outfit are to build upon the eighth-place finish they secured under Sam Allardyce last term following a disastrous start to the campaign, their new boss will know that he needs to get off to a good start to avoid suffering the same fate that Ronald Koeman did last year.

With the squad they currently have – and with a few additions – Everton certainly have the capabilities to make a real push for a top-seven finish minimum, especially as they have no European football to concentrate on while Burnley and the top six clubs all do.

A look through the fixture list quickly highlights when Silva, who is ready to risk the wrath of the fans with a major transfer decision, and his men need to be on their game if they are to do what they wanted to do last term.

Here are the three months that will decide Everton’s 2018/19 season…

Everton took four points from their three matches in August last season – including trips to Manchester City and Chelsea – and having taken a look at the fixture list they will know that they can realistically – and should be aiming to – take nine points this year.

A trip to newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day is certainly winnable despite the west Midlands outfit’s backing in the transfer market, while the home and away matches against south coast sides Southampton and Bournemouth respectively that complete the month are also a huge opportunity to take maximum points.

The beginning of the season looks to be a real chance for Everton to start well and build momentum for the rest of the campaign, which is something they failed to do in September last term.

The Toffees took three points from a possible nine available as they were heavily beaten by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United before beating Bournemouth at Goodison Park, but once again their 2018 September is looking far more favourable.

Home fixtures against Huddersfield Town, West Ham United and Fulham are sandwiched by a trip to Arsenal, and Silva should once again have nine points in his sights – especially given how strong they were on their own patch in 17/18.

After a busy December – in which Everton have seven Premier League fixtures – Silva will be determined for his men to have a strong January in the build-up to the final run-in, and they certainly have the fixtures to do exactly that.

Successive home games against Leicester City and Bournemouth are followed by trips to Southampton and Huddersfield, and if the Merseyside enter the New Year on the back of a strong festive period then they will certainly fancy their chances of picking up nearly the maximum of points from those contests.

Do you agree, Toffees fans? Let us know below.