With the football season starting on August 8, British Airways has enlisted the help of former England footballer and TV pundit Gary Lineker, to give his expert view on the top five Premier League grounds to catch a game this coming season.

 Lineker who played for Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Japan’s Nagoya Grampus Eight during his 16 year career, believes the Premier League is the most exciting in the world and is delighted millions of people are travelling to London every year from all over the world to watch games.

British Airways flies from Accra seven times a week to the award-winning Heathrow Terminal 5. From Heathrow football fans have easy access into central London to catch the big London teams like Chelsea and Arsenal, and smooth connections onto British Airways’ extensive flight network, so it’s easy to visit the footballing cities of Manchester and Newcastle and soak up the atmosphere of game day with the locals.

Gary said: ““It’s great to see so many fans travelling to the UK to watch a Premier League game live and believe me it’s worth the journey.

“If you can get tickets for a derby game, you’ll experience an atmosphere like never before. It’s electric. Witnessing a game where it means so much is really special; the speed, the pace, the physicality of the football, will be something that lives with you forever.”

Giving his trophy-winning predictions for the coming season to British Airways, Gary said: “For the Premier League, I’ll probably go for Chelsea again. They’ve strengthened a bit and they were so dominant last season. I’ve got a feeling for Manchester United for the FA Cup, and my old club Spurs for the League Cup – it’s about time they won something.”

And casting his expert eye over the big money summer signings coming into the league, he added: “I think Schweinsteiger will be interesting to watch at Manchester United. Sterling going to Manchester City is going to be really interesting. A lot of money – but if he realises the potential that he has, he might turn out to be a bargain!”

In the exclusive Q&A in British Airways First Class hot seat, Gary also revealed who he believes is the best player of all time, explained his golden rule when writing controversial Tweets and told why he would never be a football manager.

The video is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNLETc0W9po

Below, Gary also reveals his top five grounds to visit this coming season:
1) Manchester United, Manchester

“You’ll experience an atmosphere like you’ve never experienced before at Old Trafford. It’s electric. I scored one of my only goals from outside the box for my old club Tottenham at the ground against Manchester United. Fans visiting the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ witness the speed, the pace and the physicality of the football up close, which will be something that lives with you forever.”

2) Liverpool FC, Liverpool

“Up north you’ll find Liverpool’s Anfield, which is always worth a visit. The Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton is intense, and it’s a different kind of rivalry to some derbies. It takes place on February 27 2016, and different members of the family will often support different teams and they go along together, one with a blue scarf, one with a red scarf, so that in itself is worth experiencing if you can.”
3) Arsenal, London

“Arsenal’s stadium in the capital is a fantastic ground to see – and local rivals Tottenham and Chelsea are also building new stadiums so options in the capital are just getting better and better.”

4) Newcastle United, Newcastle

“Newcastle’s St James Park has just an incredible atmosphere. The Newcastle fans are among the most passionate in the entire Premier League. They’re known as the ‘Toon Army’.”

5) Aston Villa, Birmingham

“We have lots of modern stadiums in the league but Aston Villa’s Villa Park is one of the old-fashioned grounds you can go and visit. It used to be used for FA Cup semi-finals, including the famous Manchester United v Arsenal clash where Ryan Giggs scored the winner and ran the length of the field baring his hairy chest.”

 African Eye News.com