As the media hype over a 39th game proposal dies down, so does the dust get stirred up again for the start of the new English Premiership season for 2009/2010, which will go live online in a couple of days.
The league is not confined to just fans in England or the rest of Britain, but it is also a favorite of many other sports fans around the world. This is due largely to the much publicized drama that often enacts itself with each passing week and as rival teams snap at each other, the tension rises and more controversy is constantly created to fuel this lure for fans.
This time for season 2009/2010, the manager from the defending champions Manchester United have already taken it upon himself to raise the stakes before the start of the first round of matches. Having endured a tough battle with Liverpool last season before winning the league by a hair's breadth, Alex Ferguson has now written off his bitter rivals before the first ball has been kicked. He noted the departure of key midfielder Xabi Alonso who was the main fulcrum of the side last season.
With that force of a player gone, Liverpool might struggle to fill his position with a player that experienced and capable. Even if Benitez refuses to acknowledge that, which to his credit he has also not risen to Ferguson's verbal bait, the evidence will be displayed for all to see on the football pitch once the teams start.
There will be many key games that will decide the destiny of the title this season. The main ones are definitely those that involve the traditional Big Four who consistently top the league standings each season and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. However, this season there might be a clutch of teams willing to give these four dominant sides a run for their money during the live Premiership football online. Whether the odd quartet of Manchester City, Spurs, Everton and Aston Villa can do more than excite early on before disappointing in the end, fans can only wait and see how the whole season will pan out.
Winning the league is not all that matters in the English Premiership. There is also the even more important question of which team manages to survive in what is often considered the world's toughest football competition. Stakes are high each time a team either manages to stay up or goes down a division with the amount of money that is invested in the 10 month long tournament. Those who manage to overcome the odds and extend their participation for another season will be guaranteed millions in funds which can do so much for the smaller clubs that cannot compare with the bigger ones like Manchester United and Chelsea. It is also the reason why clubs go out of the way to ensure they stay in the top flight for as long as possible.
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