On the first day in the previous season, Liverpool defeated Norwich 4-1. The Reds won the title, while the Canaries were demoted. They will meet again Saturday, the opening weekendManagers will stress the fact that the Premier League season is lengthy and not settled in the first weeks of play when the campaign opens this weekend.Bill Shankly, the legendary Liverpool manager, famously stated that "the league was a marathon and not a sprint", while Alex Ferguson, Manchester United's former manager, used to speak about title challenges starting in February.These views may change as the game changes, but do they still hold?Evidence suggests that both sides of the table need to get started quickly in order to succeed.Take the lead at the topThere was less correlation between winning the top flight and being in the title race early on before the Premier League was established 29 years ago.Only 26% of the teams that led the table in September were able to win the title. In fact, less than half of those teams would be at the top of the league at the end.Fast forward 100 years, and 69% of the Premier League's top teams in September went on to win the title. This figure rises to 76% in October.Ferguson's suggestion of waiting until next year to get into your title stride is a good idea.Prior to 1992, 64% of December's top sides were champions. In the Premier League, that number is 86%.It is more important than ever to get started quickly in an era where a few losses can make a club lose its chances of being champions.Another indication of the importance these early matches have is that almost two-thirds (or more) of the final champions' 10 matches give a higher percentage of points than the 28 other games.Is it possible to avoid a slow death by starting quickly?The Premier League has seen 47% of promoted teams relegated within their first season.It is therefore not surprising that their record on the first day has been so poor. They have lost 20 of the 30 fixtures they have won in the last decade and only three of those are theirs.However, getting early-season points lower down the table is just as important as at the top. Those who survive quickly rebound from early setbacks.The threshold promoted teams must reach in order to ensure their survival has been clear for the past 20 seasons. It is 11 points after the first 10 matches. Below is a list of the points that promoted teams earned in their first 10 Premier League matches, as well as the survival rate and number of teams being relegated.Promotional teams - how they did over the last 20 seasons. Points after 10 games. Relegated % survival rate. 0-7 2 15 12 8-10 8 7 53% 11-12 8 2 83% 12+ 10 1 94%A campaign that has 11 points or more will have an 89% chance to succeed. However, if you get less than 11, your survival rate drops to 31%.Are the first games more important than those of the end? Is it possible for teams to regroup after the transfer window closes?Crystal Palace and Leicester City made remarkable runs to avoid the drop before, winning 18 points and 22 points, respectively, from their last 10 games. However, these extraordinary efforts are very rare.Comparing the 10 opening and 10 closing games for promoted teams gives 71% survival chance, while 58% survival chance (Palace and Leicester aside).What about the magic 11 points in 10 games? This feat has been achieved by 25 clubs in 10 games. Only 15 teams have succeeded in the final 10.Poor start can result in a disappointing season. It is important to analyze the opening fixtures carefully and make the most out of them, regardless of whether you are trying to reach the top or just survive at the bottom.
