THE fixture computer has given Phil Jagielka a major incentive in his rehabilitation bid with Everton due to face Manchester United and Liverpool at the defender’s scheduled comeback time.

Premier League fixtures for the 2009/10 season were announced yesterday with Everton handed a home start for the sixth consecutive season as Arsenal come to Goodison Park on the opening day.

Everton Player of the Year Jagielka – cruelly denied a place in last month’s FA Cup Final with a anterior cruciate ligament injury picked up a week after his winning penalty against Manchester United had booked David Moyes’s men a return trip to Wembley – is not expected to be pushing for a first team return until November though.

But with a trip to Old Trafford to face his boyhood heroes and a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park that month, Jagielka is looking forward to being thrown back in at the deep end.

He said: “I’ve been trying not to set myself any targets but I’ve been aiming for November.

“I’m going to see the surgeon in the next few weeks though and hopefully he’ll be able to give me a date that I can realistically aim for.”

After their stern test against the Gunners on the opening day, Everton face a trip to Burnley and a home game with Wigan in August – a midweek trip to Manchester City has already been put back because of commitments in the play-off round of the Europa League.

With Jagielka having to watch his team-mates from the sidelines, he can afford to have a smile on his face when he predicts that they should have few problems getting off to a good start.