"The two fixtures that really stand out in the first few weeks are the ones at Liverpool and United," said the unpopular England midfielder.
"It's quite simple. If you're serious about winning the championship then those are the games you have to get results in and so we know what's ahead.
"We played very well in the second half at Old Trafford last season - some of the best football we played all season.
"It was a different story at Liverpool, when it seemed that we were caught cold and lost early goals.
"But Liverpool have had a habit of gaining momentum later in the season this past couple of years so. Maybe playing them in the third match could be a good time."