KUALA LUMPUR: The intense battle between Liverpool and Manchester City for the English Premier League title has spread to the shores of Malaysia.
Many Malaysian fans, most of them supporting Liverpool, are feeling the tensions with just nine league matches to go.
What is it that made Malaysian fans so excited about the EPL, and not competitions like La Liga which has Lionel Messi, Serie A which has Cristiano Ronaldo or Ligue One which has Neymar?
Most Malaysian fans say they find the EPL more exciting and interesting, and that is why it is the toughest league in the world.
And Malaysians are familiar with many of the players who they grow up with or read about in newspapers like the New Straits Times.
Aiman Amar Zubir, a 22-year-old UNITEN student, said: “The very tough competition among the teams makes watching EPL so interesting and enjoyable.
“For 90 minutes at least, we can forget other worldly problems with their beautiful performances.”
The fans also find that the schedule of the televised EPL games during the weekends is suitable for them.
For many Malaysians, the EPL is like a family friendly TV programme where anyone of any age can watch while for die-hard fans here, it is more about history, tactical and technical elements of their favourite teams.
Ahmad Amin Zakaria, a 22-year-old student of Segi College, said: “I have been a big fan of Chelsea since I was a kid.
“I grow up, inspired by their players’ skills, and trying to be better in football,”
Amin Shah Kamijan, a 23-year-old UiTM student: “I like the EPL teams’ strategies and the various styles and its unpredictability.”
NST Sport did a random street pool of 10 EPL fans in Kuala Lumpur on who will win the EPL title this season.
Six out of the 10 fans predicted that Manchester City will finish ahead of Liverpool.
