Months-long wait nearly over for football fans
Sports enthusiasts eager to see English Premier League resume on June 17
Local English Premier League fans are looking forward to seeing the action-packed competition resume on June 17 after a three-month shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Retiree Dave Madhavan said as a Liverpool fan, he was happy that the season would finally restart with his team sitting comfortably at the top of the league.
“I have been a Reds supporter since the late 1970s, especially during the era of great players such as Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and John Barnes,” he said.
“This has been Liverpool’s season as the Reds have been consistent in all of their matches.
“I believe that the team, players and fans around the world will be disappointed if the season is scrapped,” he said.
Madhavan, 60, said he was confident that Liverpool would be crowned the champions to end a 30-year drought as the team just needed two more wins in nine matches.
“Seeing Liverpool being crowned as English Premier League champions will be the greatest moment in my life as an avid fan,” he said.
Manchester United fan Annaz Md Nor, 35, said playing behind closed doors without any fans would not be the same even though the supporters could watch the Red Devils on television.
“The matches will be played in neutral venues and with no fans at the stadium, it would lose its charm,” he said.
“Even though Manchester United is not fighting for the league title this season, the Red Devils will still be fighting for a top four finish, which means they stand a chance to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
“The team can still win major trophies such as the Europa League and the FA Cup,”
he added.
Annaz also said having the league resume would pave the way for Liverpool to lift their first Premier League trophy in three decades.
Arsenal supporter Mohd Akmal Shafiq Tino Mohd Idham Daniel, 26, said it would be painful for him to see Liverpool being crowned league champions.
“It will be almost impossible for Manchester City, which is currently in second place, to overturn a 25-point difference with nine games remaining.
“Liverpool just need to win two more matches to become champions, but they still could not beat Arsenal’s feat with an unbeaten run some 17 years ago,” he said.
Akmal opined that the Premier League was currently the best football competition in Europe and the world due to its competitiveness.
He added that in many football leagues, there would be one or two dominant teams but in England, there were at least six teams competing tooth and nail to become champions.
“Hopefully, Arsenal will buy good players and become stronger to vie for the league title again,” he said.
International media reported that the Premier League plans to resume on June 17 after a 100-day shutdown, pending final approval from British government, which is trying to prevent a second spike in Covid-19 cases.