The fun begins today

I am talking about the English Premier League. Finally the wait is over. Many teams have strengthened their squads in the summer and this sure looks like an exciting season.

I hope there will not be one team that runs away with the title from the very first month. There should be some fight and this time around the top four (Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal) plus one or two others (like Spurs and Newcastle) look set to rule the roost.

I am not keen to make any predictions (though my heart wants Liverpool to win the league). Many things can happen in the course of the season – key players getting injured, a soft goal conceded here and there, a spark of genius by an unknown player etc. All these can determine how a team performs in a match.

On paper Man Utd look strong enough to maintain the run from last season. Chelsea too look good. Liverpool have bought some big names, Arsenal’s youngsters would have come out of age.

On field all factors must come in place. It is an often heard mantra – a team must be consistent to win the league. Man Utd had that last year, Liverpool didn’t.

I hope for a reversal of that fortune this season, and then what my heart wants can materialize.

So my prediction? Beat Man Utd in the points tally in the next nine months, and you shall be the new champion.