We've actually played a similar set of fixtures as our two closest rivals, the main difference is we've played almost all of them away, that would normally indicate an advantge to us in the second half of the season but the numbers both across the league and our own personal ones are telling a different story right now. we've lost one and drawn one home and away, difference being it was spurs and Liverpool away, Southampton and Palace at home. Whether it gives us an edge or not remains to be seen but it certainly doesn't make it any harder for us, at absolute worst we're on a par with our rivals, at best we've got home advantage. We're in a good spot.
There's many many flaws with this nut job theory but you are aware the league fixture list came out about 2 months before the champions league draw was even made by a separate footballing body aren't you? Or are you suggesting they conspired to fix it so we got psg and fix it so we happened to play them away that exact fixture. What about Chelsea playing their hardest fixture Juve away immediately after our game, was that a ploy to demoralise their season with two big defeats in a matter of days too?
The tough start wasn't a coincidence, you are correct on that, it was a statistical liklihood.