MALAYSIANS of all walks of life will again gather around mamak stalls, pubs and, of course, the living room for the annual dose of glory, pain and shame. It’s the Premier League and it’s back in all its pumped-up glory. 

Last year, I picked Chelsea to win the title on the back of their talented squad and new manager Antonio Conte but mainly because they had no European commitments in the midweek. True enough, they won the title with Spurs pushing them hard in the end.

The final few weeks were the difference when a friend asked why not Liverpool as they, too, had no European commitments.

The difference was, as we all saw, the mental strength of the players in Chelsea’s squad – there were some players there who had won the title before and it showed in the final weeks leading up to their success.

Now another point to ask is can Premier League teams battle on two fronts? Do they have to give up European glory for domestic dominance or can they have both like the Germans (well, Bayern Munich) or the Spaniards and Italians?

Now no disrespect to the leagues mentioned but their domestic rivals hardly provide the challenge the Premier League does week in, week out.

I mean a cold night in Stoke after a European away tie on the midweek is not the same as some of the leagues on the continent.

Every team in the Premier League is battle hardened and will always give you a right game. This means you can field a weakened side unless you are deliberately forsaking one of the competitions.

The fact that there is no winter break leaves English sides well off the pace of their European rivals come when the Champions League resumes in February.

A year ago, it was going to be a Pep procession with Jose Mourinho a glum second. Tottenham were going to fade away because of missing out on the title when Leicester just kept on going, Arsenal were going to pip Liverpool for fourth and Chelsea were the logical third-placed team.

A year on, and it would seem the consensus among the football radio and newspaper pundits is a two-club Manchester title battle again.

Chelsea weren’t seriously tested by most of their opposition last season and had few injury problems and obviously no European tie fixture congestion to worry about. Unlikely that will be the case this time round.

Eden Hazard won’t be fit for the first couple of months, and with no pre-season under his belt, it is unlikely he will influence the first half of Chelsea’s season much.

Can Morata replace Costa’s goals and all-round menace? Possibly, but more Spanish imports fail to make a big impression than succeed, I would argue.

Tottenham have to overcome the Wembley jinx or rather the fact that the opposition get a huge kick out of playing there as relatively few teams and players will experience the stadium in the normal course of events. Hard to see it becoming the fortress White Hart Lane has been of late.

Liverpool look suspect defensively, no matter that they are very strong going forward because in the Premier League, you have to be able to win ugly and unless they strengthen their defence, I can’t see them doing better than fourth to sixth.

Arsenal are still in the uncertainty of not knowing if Sanchez, Ozil or Oxlade-Chamberlain will still be at the club on September 1 and Lacazette looks a very poor man’s Mbappe despite the plus £50 million price tag. Has Arsene Wenger found the new Henry or the new Wiltord?

So United or City? Mourinho has a second season track record that suggests they will be champions or very, very close. City look awesome in the attacking third but suspect at the back and with another rookie goalkeeper who will be criticised fairly or otherwise for every mistake he makes, especially if Joe Hart shines at West Ham.

Perhaps a club will surprise us all and do a Leicester. Everton, Crystal Palace or Bournemouth look the most likely candidates.

Anyway, I wish all the fans an enjoyable season as I catch up with live streams of the Championship and watch my beloved Aston Villa fight for promotion. – August 12, 2017. 

* Gogulan reads The Malaysian Insight.