There is never really a good time for a promoted team to play one of the big six in the Premier League.

But Albion's first ever visit to the Emirates could have fallen more inconveniently for Chris Hughton's side.

Hosting Manchester City on the opening day, before Pep Guardiola's galaxy of stars hit goal-laden form, is looking like a benefit now.

A fighting 2-0 defeat is far less damaging to confidence when you are new to the division than getting thrashed by five or six.

Losing heavily is going to be the danger against the big guns, more so away from home than at the Amex where Albion are strong.

Facing Arsenal in an early Sunday kick-off, during a hectic schedule for the Gunners highlighted by Arsene Wenger, could help reduce that risk.

Arsenal supporters, divided over whether Wenger should still be in charge, are not going to be motivated by a noon start against newcomers, so the atmosphere will not be intimidating.

The timing of the fixture - Arsenal travel to Belarus for a Europa League group game against BATE Borisov tomorrow night after beating West Brom on Monday - has also caused Wenger concern.

He said: "I have a decision to make and at the moment I would say that the schedule for us is a bit cruel.

"We play in BATE Borisov on Thursday night and play Sunday at 12 o'clock. When you look at the schedule over the weekend I think there was some room for us to be scheduled differently, but we have to accept it and we want to go to Borisov with a good team. I will go with a team of senior players and certainly with a young bench.

"There is no need to talk to the Premier League because it's the television that decides, but, for example, Brighton v Newcastle could have been played on television on Monday and we could have played on Sunday.

"So for us the time is very short, but television decides and I don't complain about that.

"But what I want to say is that it has an impact for me for the Thursday and for the Sunday game, because we have another home game and it's very important we have a strong record at home."

Big Six Visits

Arsenal October 1

Manchester United November 25

Spurs December 13

Chelsea December 26

Manchester City March 17

Liverpool May 13

Wenger has an embarrassment of riches compared to Hughton. He may not feel the need to field quite such a strong line-up as for the Premier League match which followed Arsenal's Europa League opener, a 3-1 win at home to Cologne. They were at Chelsea three days later.

There is also another way of looking at meeting Arsenal when your central midfield and forward ranks are depleted.

Even at full-strength, the probability of defeat against the big six is high. Albion's survival is more likely to be decided by matches such as the two which follow Arsenal and the international break, at home to Everton and away to West Ham.

The Argus: Hughton (above) said: "It's obvious it's tougher against the top six or seven, home and away. There is more chance we will get our points from teams not in that top six or seven.

"You just hope that you can prove that wrong a little bit by going to an Arsenal and getting a result, or one of the other big lads and getting a result."

Albion's three away games so far have yielded a point, against Watford's ten men, but they led at Bournemouth and were in contention for more than half of the match at Leicester.

That will be the approach on Sunday - the only logical one open to Hughton in the circumstances - to remain in touch for as long as possible.

He said: "It is tougher away from home and you have to build it on a solid platform.

"We are not going to be able to go away from home and score lots of goals. It's difficult for any team, particularly the type of team we are.

"What I hope we can do away from home is make sure we are in every game, stay in every game.

"At Leicester we conceded early but we were right in it, as we were at Bournemouth and Watford, so we need those type of performances."