Playing and finishing the Premier League season is the best result – I can’t wait for seven weeks of footie every night

WHAT a great feeling it is going to be when the Premier League kicks off again today.

We can stop talking about “how” to get football back on in the right way and hopefully start talking about action, excitement and goals.

Marcus Rashford has recovered from injury to help steer Manchester United towards a top-four finishCredit: PA:Press Association

Liverpool are just weeks away from their first-ever Premier League crownCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

Thankfully — as long as the infection rate stays low — talks of null and void, points per game, all of that is no longer relevant. Playing and finishing the season is the best outcome.

Theories out the window, back to kicking a ball and we can look to enjoy football virtually every night for seven weeks — just like tournament football!

We’ve started golf and racing, now it’s football, it just goes to show how much we’ve missed live games.

And now the biggest question is, who is going to adapt and react the best? Who is going to seize the opportunity?

This is the longest break we’ve ever had from football and probably the longest the players will experience in their careers.

There are plenty of unknowns but it will be about the players’ characters as much as their ability as they get back to the business of trying to win games.

It’s behind closed doors, they’ve not had much of a “pre-season” and this is not something they are used to.

But they will be raring to go. I wasn’t nervous or anxious just ahead of games starting, but excited to get out there and get stuck in.

This way of playing is going to be different, totally different for the players. They will have watched Germany, had their practice games and tried to get it as close to reality as possible in friendlies over the last few days.
But in an ideal world, which this isn’t, they’d have had more time to prepare.

So who is going to react to it the quickest and the best?

You look at the Germany stats and home sides are not winning as many. I think we’re going to get one or two freak results — and that just adds to the excitement!

I think we’re going to get one or two freak results — and that just adds to the excitement!

Alan Shearer

When I was a young kid at Southampton and about 16 or 17, you played in empty stadiums in the reserves with one man and his dog when the first team were away but it’s not something you want to get used to.

It can work both for and against, when things are going well you feed off the crowd, listen to them, but if things aren’t going for you, you won’t miss the moans and boos!

Everyone is different in terms of fitness, some will be ahead of others, some with more natural fitness, but managers are going to have to be clever and with nine subs, and being able to use five, they do have a little more wriggle room.

I’m excited to see Sheffield United get going against Aston Villa tomorrow evening, it’s a huge game straightaway. If Sheffield United win, they’ll unbelievably go fifth and it will just underline what a great season they have had, regardless of the final outcome.

I’m also really looking forward to Tottenham v Manchester United on Friday night, what a game that could be.

Spurs have benefitted from the break with Son Heung-min and Harry Kane back from injuries, giving boss Jose Mourinho more time in training.

But that comes with more pressure and there can be no excuses now.

On the other side, Paul Pogba . . .  his name is never far from the discussion, is it? He is one with unfinished business or a point to prove.

Both Pogba and Scott McTominay have come back from injuries too so the teams are almost full strength.

With Pogba, we hear he could switch to a No 10 role — but it’s not really about his position, it’s about how much he wants it.

Does he want to stay at United and prove he’s got a future there? We’ll see that in four or five games, whether he wants to stay or not.

Like everyone, he’s got to go out, perform and adapt. I don’t think Pogba’s situation puts more pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He’s done a great job as Old Trafford boss, so far. He is proving, not proved yet, but he is proving that he won’t take any s***.

If Solskjaer needs to get them out of the door, he’s more than willing to do that and take responsibility.

If Pogba doesn’t show he can be part of the side, he’ll go before long.

United are in the Champions League mix and fifth might do it, depending on what happens to Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. There is so much to play for — despite Liverpool clearly set to be crowned champions very soon.

There is the top four or five race but down at the bottom it looks like two from five clubs for relegation, as it would be a miracle if Norwich survived.

Brighton and West Ham are in danger — and I hope this doesn’t come back to haunt me but Newcastle look like they’ll just need one more win.

Added to Villa, Bournemouth and Watford, what a few weeks they have ahead.

So sit back, stay at home, and enjoy the feast of football!

Raheem Sterling is set to be a key of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side during the final nine gamesCredit: EPA

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk