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Last year was all about London as the top two teams of last season were Chelsea and Tottenham. But this year could see the battle take place in Manchester. Will anyone else come close?
Arsenal
After a victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield, Arsenal will be looking to come flying out the blocks this year. With proven firepower added upfront, key players staying and more depth with the promotion of some exciting youngsters, the Gunners will fancy their chances of a title push.
However, we’ve been here before. No one will be surprised if their trophy hopes fade away at around February time as it’s happened on many occasions before. But with a new tactical approach and maybe another signing or two, Arsenal had better be able to consistently perform to the level that fans have been expecting them to.
My prediction: fourth
Chelsea
A pre-season of ups and downs has left neutral fans sceptical of Chelsea’s chances this year. Diego Costa, one of the most prolific forwards last year, has been replaced by Alvaro Morata, who clearly has talent but his season could be a case of hit or miss.
If Chelsea can be there or thereabouts by October and Hazard is recovered from his injury, Chelsea fans will have every right to feel optimistic for the rest of the season but these first eight games will be crucial. There is pressure on the likes of Willian and Pedro to step up and be the main men for a short time until they have their dynamite dribbler back in the side.
My prediction: second
Liverpool
A problem that Klopp’s men faced last year was breaking down low block teams, such as Stoke and Crystal Palace. The addition of Mo Salah does not answer this question. While they have Phil Coutinho, he could be off to Barcelona and they could do with another creative midfielder to unlock defensive shapes.
Liverpool performed well against the better teams, with Sadio Mane, Firmino and Coutinho providing a large counter-attacking threat. With Champions League fixtures, the squad players will be more important than ever.
My prediction: sixth
(Dave Howarth/PA via AP)
Manchester City
The Etihad was home to some sublime football last season, with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva constantly creating for Sergio Aguero, Jesus, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling. They finished third last season, with a suspect defence but playing exciting football.
With new additions to the backline and the arrival of one of the top playmakers in Bernado Silva, Pep Guardiola will be feeling the pressure to deliver his first trophy in English football. With Vince Kompany in full fitness and the squad now having up to seven creative players, Manchester City will surely be the side to watch this year. There is a question mark over the defensive midfield position.
If Yaya Toure is expected to play every week in the Premier League, he’s bound to put in some questionable performances. If Guardiola manages Yaya correctly, the blue half of Manchester will be unstoppable.
My prediction: first
Manchester United
Despite the poor finish in the league last time round, the Red Devils created a whole host of chances and should have turned many of those home draws into wins.
Mourinho has cleared some of the deadwood in Wayne Rooney and Adnan Januzaj and brought in Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku, both of who know the Premier League and its demands. Victor Lindelof is the only overseas acquisition and his pre-season performances have put his signing into question.
However, when you compare the attackers at Mourinho’s disposal, to that of Guardiola’s, the pressure is on Lukaku to put the ball in the net. Mourinho and his team will obviously target the top spot but given their attacking options, a top three finish and making it to the latter stages of the Champions League is a more likely expectation. The players know that a Premier League title is long overdue, but they may have to wait their turn.
My prediction: third
Tottenham Hotspur
There is a modern football saying that goes “you must buy just to stand still”. If this is accurate, Spurs fans should feel worried. Bringing in a couple of squad players in Davinson Sanchez and Paulo Gazzaniga over the summer has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages.
One glaringly obvious aspect of this is that the key players such as Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld will not feel motivated to fight for their position every week and we’ve seen what happens when no new signings are made *cough* Chelsea’s last season under Mourinho *cough*.
There is a narrative being flung around that the size of the Wembley pitch will not suit Mauricio Pochettino’s pressing game. This isn’t the case if their victory over Juventus in preseason is anything to go by, although they did suffer their first home loss to Chelsea. Their poor record at Wembley does not condemn them to a poor finish, if anything it’s the lack of depth that Spurs fans should be worried about.
My prediction: fifth
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