He said: "Some of my friends have said that maybe Leicester would get relegated this season. It's not a new scenario.
"It has happened many times before. We have played in the Championship, League One, we have been relegated before and come back up. So it's nothing new to us."
Like Palani, Ariff Ahmad is among a minority of Singaporeans who support less popular EPL clubs. He has been a die-hard Middlesbrough fan since 1994.
But it was not always this way. The 41-year-old was initially a Manchester United fan but swopped the Red Devils for the red of Boro over 20 years ago.
He explained: "Growing up, I was a United fan because I loved the captain, Bryan Robson. When he made the switch to Boro in 1994 to become our player-manager, I still supported him.
"I also became passionate about Middlesbrough. I realised then what it meant to be behind a football club.
"It's easy for anyone to support the top teams who will always win trophies but it takes a whole other level of passion to back a smaller club - it's much more meaningful."
The Malaysia-born senior IT officer, who moved to Singapore in 2000, set up the official Middlesbrough Singapore Supporters Club 12 years ago. The 50-strong fan club - a mix of locals and Teessiders - gathered at the Boomarang Bistro & Bar earlier this month to watch the newly promoted side play - something that was always difficult for them to do in the past.
"The team were in the (Football League) Championship for the last few years and those matches weren't always on TV. This year, we're all very happy that we can get together and enjoy seeing Boro play live as a proper fan club," said Ariff.
At nearby Hannibal, 33-year-old Crystal Palace fan Andrew Fong will watch the club he has supported for 24 years.
Fong moved to the town of Dartford in England in 1992 and that was when he developed a fondness for the London club. Even when he came back to Singapore in 2001, his passion for the club remained strong.
The financial adviser, who travelled to Wembley Stadium to watch the Eagles in May's FA Cup final, said: "Hopefully, this season will be a good one for us. I'm expecting a top-10 finish and I'm quite happy with the squad we have, but hopefully the recent signing of (Christian) Benteke will bolster us."
Though they are aware that their favourite teams might not eventually be genuine title contenders, they are still thrilled whenever they manage to upset a top side.
Ahmad Farris, 34, a West Ham supporter since 1996, said: "We might not win many trophies or have a good position in the league. But when we trip up clubs like Manchester City and Arsenal, we get a kick from that too."