THE toughest league in the world has started for another thrilling season with football fans around the globe back to their routine – stay awake, watching and shouting for their club success in the next 10 months.

Our Malaysian fans – arguably one of the best in the world to support the Premier League in decades – would further ignites this seasonally rivalry between them. The words-of-war may spark between the fans of Chelsea and Manchester City; Liverpool-Manchester United; Arsenal Tottenham Hotspur or even Everton-Liverpool.

Yes, the Whatsapp groups and other social media platform will be back in action actively, with daily chats, poking fun and trolling each other – before or after matches.

For those who are familiar, the phrase ‘masuk balik gua’ must be the most popular line in recent seasons and the animosity will be the same for the new season. Literally translated, it means ‘back to the cave’ – referring to the die-heart fans who supported their losing team. Or, simply to put – go and hide your face in the darkness.

But we don’t have to go overboard teasing our rivals for losing matches. Just be cool and make this most popular sport to fill-up our time and be happy. Rivalry yes, but don’t be too ugly. It’s football that connects us, so just love it.

The owners of Mamak restaurants must be feeling relief too knowing the EPL is back for a new season. The cashiers will be busy counting the notes and coins again after the regular calls for ‘roti canai satu, teh tarik satu’ from the fans.

Each week must be lively again for the Ali’s, Ah Chong’s or Muthu’s in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Kelantan or Penang. Yes, Sabah and Sarawak too.

Most of us – mainly the hard core sports fans – might be still exhausted after following closely the Euro 2024 in Germany and also the Copa America in USA, which ran concurrently, last month. Then came the just concluded Paris Olympics (July 26 till August 11) that made us to wake up late night till early morning to catch some of the best live events.

Some are still carrying a pair of tired eyes but the Malaysian football fans are an energetic lot. They will now quickly shift focus to England where EPL is a sport full of thrill and excitement for them. Good luck.

For the pundits and critics, many might again predict Man City to win the Premier League trophy for the fifth successive time. Or, will this be the moment for Arsenal finally crossing the line to grab the title for the first time in 21 years.

With the focus too much on both sides, what about Liverpool under new manager, Arne Slot? The Anfield side do not look completely shaken after the departure of Jurgen Klopp and to further testify, winning all the pre-season matches sweeping past Manchester United, Arsenal and Sevilla.

You can’t close your eyes on Chelsea, Tottenham or even Newcastle too. With some new signings and quality in these teams, they are capable to turn the tables on the Citizens, Gunners or Reds.

Yes, there is also Man United. Remember, they just bought two Bayern Munich defenders – Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to beef up their strength for title race.

Erik Ten Hag and his men are always ambitious. They just keep on going.

With the script likely to remain the same, some fans even said it’s getting a bit boring to talk about these giant’s battle. It’s like almost easy to predict. It may go like, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool again. I can’t see the fourth or fifth yet.

Some neutral fans said it would be rather fun to predict which teams are to be relegated by end of the season in May, next year. As we know, Leicester, Southampton and Ipswich are back in the top flight.

This three may have a tough time to play 38 matches. But do expect them to upset some big guns in a few fixtures. After all, it has happened regularly in EPL and this make the league much interesting to follow. Losing points against them could be damaging for the title chasers.

But again, the scale of the task they face is laid bare by the fact that all the three promoted sides, last season were relegated. Can there be a repeat or the new three will have their last laugh.

Back to the top, Man City will be the best team yet for another season with the best players and the best manager, Pep Guardiola. Rodri is the finest holding midfielder in world football, Erling Haaland a goal machine and a class acts of Kevin de Bruyne and Bernando Silva at the right time.

Arsenal led by Mikel Arteta and Liverpool need to do something special this season if they were to deny the English champions from retaining their crown. The Malaysian fans too want to see a new champion, a new thrilling finish.

Majulah sukan untuk negara!