After weeks of build-up, which has been overshadowed to some degree by the London 2012 Olympics, the Premier League gets underway this weekend and it should be another enthralling season of top flight English football.

Taking a lot of the headlines will of course be the race for the title, with Manchester City looking to secure first position once again and their local rivals Manchester United eyeing up revenge over the next few months.

Roberto Mancini’s men are current favorites to lift the Premier League title but with only Jack Rodwell arriving from Everton this summer, together with a potential Mario Balotelli/Carlos Tevez explosion on the horizon, they may not be everyone’s favorites this season.

Manchester United have strengthened, with Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa arriving from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, while a deal has also been agreed for Dutchman Robin Van Persie. As strong as these two teams are, though, it isn’t just about them in the quest to become English Champions. They are the favorites and rightly so, but in the early stages at least, both Arsenal and Chelsea will aim to be in the mix.

The latter, in particular, will be up for the challenge after their Champions League win last season.

There are some fascinating teams to watch just below this elite group too. Can Newcastle repeat their fantastic antics of last season? Will Liverpool push on under Brendan Rodgers? How about Andre Villas-Boas? Can he succeed with Tottenham where he failed with Chelsea last season?

All of these teams have incredibly talented players and are capable of beating everyone else on their day. Furthermore, to say that there are many fixtures to look forward to would be an understatement.