Prepare to forget England's World Cup flops and welcome back club heroes
By Alan McKinlay
Time to forget what flops the England team were in South Africa as they will doubtless be resuming their real identities from August 14.
What’s the betting that when the Premier League season kicks off in five weeks’ time, John Terry (v West Brom, Sat Aug 14, ESPN), Steven Gerrard (v Arsenal Sun Aug 15, Sky) and Wayne Rooney (v Newcastle, Mon Aug 16, Sky) will suddenly transform back into the players we thought they were and all be the men of their respective matches?
The live TV coverage kicks off with Spurs, revelling in their Champions League qualification, against Manchester City, the team they dumped into the Europa League last season thanks to Peter Crouch’s goal at Eastlands (below).
Then it’s off to Stamford Bridge as champions Chelsea start the defence of their title against old boy Roberto Di Matteo’s newly-promoted West Brom.
The first live Sunday game checks in at Anfield to see if Liverpool have managed to hang on to Gerrard and Fernando Torres as Roy Hodgson gets a tough baptism as Reds boss with a clash against Arsenal.
The Monday night game features Manchester United at home to Newcastle.
West Ham hope to have signed Kevin-Prince Boateng – the man who helped Ghana to the brink of the World Cup semi-finals – by the time they travel to Manchester United on August 28.
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