The Premier League is back, and after Liverpool unexpectedly won it last season, we are anticipating a much closer, more exciting, and typically action-filled, chaotic, and thrilling season.
Although the transfer window is still a few weeks from closing and we are expecting more drama, teams have not been shy about showing their intentions, with what looks like it could be a record-breaking summer window.
With that said, after three consecutive second-place finishes and the fans telling anyone who would listen, “if we get that striker”, I am predicting Arsenal to win the Premier League, as it won’t bear thinking about if they fail to win it this season.
In his nine seasons in the Premier League, Pep’s City have come first six times and have only been outside the top two twice. For that reason, I am tipping Man City to finish second.
I am going with Champions Liverpool to finish third this season, dealing with everything from Jota’s passing, to embedding several new starters into the team and the pressure of defending an unexpected title in Slot’s first season.
However, I feel Chelsea came of age at the back end of the season after winning the Conference League and then the World Club Cup. They will be pushing Liverpool hard for third place, but finishing fourth.
The places just outside the top four will be the most interesting. I am going with Man Utd, with a shiny new frontline, to make a massive ten-place jump and finish fifth.
It will be a real fight for the remaining European places, and playing in Europe will have a big say. I predict Aston Villa to finish sixth, but will have a battle with Newcastle, who will finish seventh.
With their new manager, I expect Tottenham to be much improved this season and finish eighth, despite playing in the Champions League.
The other teams who will have to deal with the rigours of playing in Europe for the first time in some years, are Notts Forest, who I predict to finish ninth, just ahead of Crystal Palace in tenth, who may still lose a player or two before the window closes, to finish tenth.
The next few places will be very tricky to predict. These teams are capable of playing very well or very badly. I am going with Brighton to finish eleventh, just ahead of Bournemouth in twelfth, with Fulham finishing unlucky thirteenth.
Just below those places will be two teams who are hoping to improve, but will have once again relatively disappointing seasons. I think Everton will finish fourteenth, with West Ham in fifteenth.
I feel Wolves will once again stay afloat and avoid a major relegation battle to finish in sixteenth. Surprisingly, I am going with Leeds to buck the recent trend and stay up as a newly promoted team to finish in seventeenth.
Unfortunately, I feel Brentford will lose their Premier League status. I believe they have just lost too many influential individuals, and it will take its toll to finish in eighteenth.
Sadly, joining them will be the two newly promoted teams, as I am predicting Sunderland to finish nineteenth and Burnley to finish rock bottom.
ARSENAL
MAN CITY
LIVERPOOL
CHELSEA
MAN UTD
ASTON VILLA
NEWCASTLE
TOTTENHAM
NOTTS FOREST
CRYSTAL PALACE
BRIGHTON
BOURNEMOUTH
FULHAM
EVERTON
WEST HAM
WOLVES
LEEDS UTD
BRENTFORD
SUNDERLAND
BURNLEY
