The English Premier League is back in business this weekend, with a clean slate for England’s top 20 football clubs to achieve their dreams.
It’s a return to domestic bliss for fans across the country after a jam-packed summer across the Atlantic, with Gianni Infantino’s expanded Fifa World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
That means a bundle of top players will have to snap straight back into the league grind, when minds could understandably still be on the beach.
Many of them will be doing so under new instruction, too, with a record-busting nine new head coaches taking charge for the new season.
Arsenal finally made it over the line in May, to seal their first Premier League triumph since Arsene Wenger and his Invincibles in 2004.
They bring the curtain up on the new campaign on Friday night with a long-awaited reunion with Coventry at the Emirates Stadium.
A quarter of a century has passed since the Sky Blues dropped from the big time – with Gordon Strachan in charge and still playing at their atmospheric old Highfield Road ground.
But they’re back with a bang under the charge of EPL legend Frank Lampard, having stormed to the Championship title.
It’s an almighty change for last term’s runners-up Manchester City, who saw a decade of Pep Guardiola dominance end over the summer.
Replacing him in the Etihad Stadium hotseat is former protege Enzo Maresca, who endured a baptism of fire in last weekend’s 3-0 Community Shield drubbing at the hands of the Gunners at Wembley Stadium last weekend.
City kick off the new season proper on Sunday with a tricky home game against Bournemouth, with the Cherries also under the new management of Marco Rose.
The German replaced the hugely popular Andoni Iraola on the south coast, with the Spaniard declining to renew his contract in favour of a move to take over from Arne Slot at Liverpool.
He also leads his new club for the first time as the third of a trio of Sunday matches, heading up to the north east for one of the English game’s most evocative fixtures against Newcastle.
And guess what? The Toon Army also have a new man at the helm amid an off-season of managerial churn, thanks to Eddie Howe’s bombshell exit just days before the new campaign.
Matthias Jaissle has taken over the reigns at St James’ Park, with the youthful German arriving from the Saudi Pro League for a new challenge.
It’s a rare sight of two coaches familiar with their surroundings overseeing the other match of the day, as both Brighton and Aston Villa kick off another season looking up the table rather than down when they meet at the Amex Stadium.
But don’t become too settled, as the new faces keep coming in Monday night’s west London derby opener, with Chelsea making the short trip to Fulham.
And there’s Real Madrid pedigree in both technical areas in the form of Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso.
A weird synergy sees the Spanish duo return to the EPL – where they both played for Liverpool – having both had coaching stints with the La Liga giants before landing back in the English capital.
Five Saturday Premier League fixtures kick off at lunchtime with a managerial change that wasn’t, with Michael Carrick impressing enough during his temporary stint to be trusted with the Manchester United job on a permanent basis.
He leads the Red Devils across the Pennines to tackle promoted Hull at the MKM Stadium.
The Tigers took advantage of last season’s ‘Spygate’ turmoil that turned the Championship play-offs on their head, springing a Wembley surprise in the final to return to the top flight for the first time in almost a decade.
A second London derby of the weekend between Brentford and Tottenham, meanwhile, carries plenty of intrigue.
Roberto de Zerbi can hardly do worse with his Spurs than their relegation near-miss of a few months ago, while the Bees are dreaming of yet more moneyball progress following Keith Andrews’ hugely impressive rookie season in the dugout.
The game between Nottingham Forest and Leeds is one dripping in history.
And there’s optimism in the here and now for the provincial pair, who lock horns at the City Ground with both realistic in eyeing an improvement on last season where they solidified their top tier credentials.
There’s plenty of mystery for supporters of Everton and Crystal Palace ahead of their meeting at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The hosts had been looking at tilt for European football under veteran boss David Moyes before that fell by the wayside, while the Eagles have replaced Oliver Glasner – who quit for Forest – with Pierre Sage, following his successful stint with RC Lens.
He will attempt to follow in the footsteps of fellow Frenchman Regis le Bris, whose Sunderland start their bid to avoid second season syndrome at returning Ipswich.
The Wearsiders stunned everyone when they not only avoided relegation but qualified for the Uefa Europa League on their long-awaited EPL comeback last year.
It could serve as some inspiration for the Tractor Boys, who have had to deal with the shock exit of popular coach Kieran McKenna after securing an instant bounce back to the big time, with Gary O’Neil taking the helm at Portman Road.
EPL Predictions for this weekend
Arsenal v Coventry City
| Result prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Arsenal / Arsenal |
| Team to Score prediction | Arsenal |
Hull City v Manchester United
| Result prediction | Manchester United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester United / Manchester United |
| Team to Score prediction | Manchester United |
Everton v Crystal Palace
| Result prediction | Everton to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Everton |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Ipswich Town v Sunderland
| Result prediction | Sunderland to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Sunderland |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Nottingham Forest v Leeds United
| Result prediction | Nottingham Forest to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Nottingham Forest |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur
| Result prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Brentford |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston Villa
| Result prediction | Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth
| Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester City / Manchester City |
| Team to Score prediction | Manchester City |
Newcastle United v Liverpool
| Result prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Liverpool |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Fulham v Chelsea
| Result prediction | Chelsea to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Chelsea |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |