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Opinion

Five reasons the 2020-21 Premier League season will be one of the best ever

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Roar Rookie
18th July, 2020
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I’ll forgive you for rolling your eyes at even a hint of optimism regarding worldwide sports during a pandemic that reduces us to mostly chamber-dwelling armchair experts watching our millionaire heroes strut their stuff, but hear me out.

Aside from the harrowing sight of a barren 50,000-seat stadium and booming echo of a shot arrowed into row Z – literally row Z, as there’s no one in the crowd to even parry the shot – I’m absolutely buzzing for the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Sure, Liverpool ending their 30-year league title drought might make football difficult to digest for some, but I’ve every reason to believe Jurgen Klopp’s men won’t be waltzing towards back-to-back triumphs in 2021.

1. The former champions will be back
Manchester City have been well off the pace this season, showing vulnerability as early as September when they were beaten by now-relegated Norwich City. Manchester City have thus far lost nine times in the Premier League – more than Manchester United and Wolves, and as many as Arsenal.

With club legend David Silva nearing an end to his decade-long spell at the club and Leroy Sane signing for Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola will be keen to call on the spending power of his Saudi owners. Not too much though, considering the club just escaped a two-year ban from UEFA competitions over suspicion of breaching financial fair play.

Nonetheless, Manchester City are primed to go all out in the transfer window, with Guardiola quoted in the Express to be after as many as three new players. On top of all the inevitable hyperbolic transfer headlines, City fans can be grounded in one absolute certainty – Phil Foden is a star in the making.

The 20-year-old dazzled in Manchester City’s 4-0 rout of champions Liverpool in early July, chipping Alisson to notch his fourth goal of the campaign from only seven starts. Even as a Liverpool supporter myself, I’d love to see Foden given a chance to start regularly in the City midfield, though the magnitude of their transfer business has the final say.

They have a quality squad top-to-bottom with the potential to swiftly return to the heights of 2018-19 depending on transfers and squad fitness. They will come back with a vengeance next season.

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2. Is Ole really at the wheel this time?
Next up are neighbours Manchester United. Who would’ve thought I’d be listing them as a reason to be excited for next season back in January?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

(Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

They are now 19 games unbeaten, with 50 goals scored, eight conceded and a Champions League berth looking likely. Suddenly, Manchester United fans are propping their heads up in merited excitement at what they hope to see continue into the 2020-21 season.

Undoubtedly, the acquisition of attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes has elevated them to a level not seen in some time. The Portuguese international adds the touch of class you’d expect from a Manchester United player, managing seven goals and seven assists in only 12 league outings.

While the brilliance of Bruno Fernandes has rejuvenated some United hearts, it’s the performances from the likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and a young Mason Greenwood that would make Red Devils dare to dream heading into next season.

Not yet at the level of the aforementioned Liverpool and Manchester City, but perhaps recent form is a sign of things to come. A sustained Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes partnership in midfield will be crucial to their success next season.

3. Roman Abramovich partying like it’s 2003
Chelsea have wasted no time flexing their spending power after enduring a FIFA-imposed transfer embargo, adding international star power well ahead of the new campaign.

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First, the Blues added Ajax ace Hakim Ziyech, a player full of flicks, tricks and Champions League experience. Likewise for their second addition, RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, fresh off the heels of his most prolific season to date – scoring 34 goals from 45 appearances in all competitions.

Frank Lampard would also be pleased by the progress of younger players such as Mason Mount and Reece James, while American international Christian Pulisic has teased Blues fans with glimpses of the form that made defenders fear him while playing for Borussia Dortmund.

Perhaps defence is the area that needs urgent attention in the transfer market, and a determining factor to just how far the Blues can go next time around. Regardless, Chelsea will be a force to be reckoned with and possibly the entertainers of 2020-21.

4. Now the monkey’s off their back
Not since 1990 has there been a feeling of league supremacy on Merseyside, with the red half of town firmly mounted on their infamous perch.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

(Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images)

There’s no signs of Liverpool’s title-winning formula being tampered with ahead of next season’s September kick-off, although faint rumours suggest Bayern Munich’s midfield maestro Thiago could be joining Jurgen Klopp’s men.

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This is simply the strongest Liverpool team we’ve seen in the Premier League era, possessing a defence to rival Rafa Benitez’s most pragmatic outfit, an attack as dangerous as Brendan Rodgers’ nearly-champions and a midfield embodying the endeavour of a man who defined Liverpool for the better part of the 21st century, Steven Gerrard.

Strength in depth is the only potential roadblock for Liverpool next season. While I fully expect them to be at the pointy end of the league come May 2021, I get the feeling repeating league exploits of 2018-19 and 2019-20 might be too much of a burden to bear for basically the same squad.

5. Sixteen years in the making
Continuing a theme of long awaited triumphs, Leeds United are finally back in the Premier League.

The Yorkshire club has suffered for the vast majority of the last 16 years – most recently missing out on promotion in a 4-3 aggregate loss to Derby County in May 2019.

But all signs have pointed towards Premier League football since Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa took over in 2018. Labelled by many as the best in the world, Bielsa meticulously analyses football, adopting unconventional methods both on and off the pitch to get the most out of his players.

That’s exactly what he’s done, and Premier League fans can look forward to seeing his genius on the grand stage next season, on top of welcoming back arguably the most raucous supporter base in England.

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