Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has revealed that he cannot wait to face Liverpool in the Premier League next season.

Benitez managed the Merseyside outfit between 2004 and 2010, leading the club to Champions League glory during a successful spell.

The fixtures for the 2017-18 campaign were announced on Wednesday morning, with Newcastle facing Liverpool at St James' Park on September 30, before travelling to Anfield on March 3.

Benitez has said that taking on his former club "will be extra special", while he is also looking forward to locking horns with fellow promoted outfit Brighton & Hove Albion once again.

"Obviously I look forward to the two games with Liverpool," Benitez told Newcastle's official website. "Those days will be extra special for me, but really every game is exciting and every game has its own challenges.

"It will be nice, too, to come up against Chris Hughton and his Brighton side again this season. This will be Brighton's first time in the Premier League and the way both our clubs performed in the Championship will make it a special game, I think."

Newcastle's full list of Premier League fixtures for the 2017-18 season can be found here.