Premier League Predictions: Winner, top four and relegated trio tipped
As the Premier League kick-off draws closer, we’ve asked our writers to put their necks on the line and predict the standings for the 2018/19 campaign.
Will Manchester City maintain their dominance at the top of the league, Which big hitters will miss out on the top four and can the newly promoted sides avoid dropping straight back down into the Championship? Here are the thoughts of Martin Laurence, Ben McAleer and Josh Wright…
While many are tipping Liverpool to put up a real fight for the title this season, and I do expect the Reds to improve, bridging an almighty 25-point gap from the previous campaign is a huge task. Pep Guardiola may not have spend big beyond the club record signing of Riyad Mahrez but his squad was so comfortably the strongest last season that he didn’t really need to and the familiarity of the squad should ensure they make a fast start and there is a reason why City are the odds-on favourite to win the title again.
I do think that Jurgen Klopp’s men will be City’s closest challengers last season, after a string of excellent signings as well as pre-season displays, but the Champions League runners up will fall short once again. Predicting the rest of the top four is considerably more difficult, and while Chelsea showed that they have a way to go to take Maurizio Sarri’s methods on board in the Community Shield final, they were missing a number of star men. If Eden Hazard stays the Blues should be a really exciting prospect this time around and should ensure a Champions League return.
Manchester United could be the team to miss out on the top four this time around after a difficult pre-season in which Jose Mourinho has been extremely disgruntled. Arsenal may also take time to get back up to the speed of those ahead of them but should be in for a positive season nonetheless, with a period of transition clearly needed. Tottenham haven’t strengthened but haven’t been weakened either and may just cling onto the top four as a result.
At the wrong end of the table I can see at least two of the newly promoted sides to stay up quite comfortably, though Cardiff will need to punch above their weight for a second season to stand a chance. While Neil Warnock is as experienced as they come, their squad isn’t when it comes to the top-flight, though they are sure to put up a fight, much like Huddersfield last season.
It’s The Terriers I fear the most for this time around though, signing young and largely unproven players on considerable fees, and it’s a risky strategy I struggle to see paying off. Elsewhere Watford have added quantity over quality to an already packed squad and their possible starting XI is unquestionably among the weakest in the league on paper.
After their routine dismantling of Chelsea in the Community Shield, it’s hard to look beyond Manchester City to secure the title. They have a settled squad and the addition of Riyad Mahrez further improves Pep Guardiola’s attacking options. City are perhaps a central midfielder short - the arrival of Jorginho would’ve rectified a problem position for Guardiola given Fernandinho’s advancing years and Ilkay Gundogan’s injury woes - but all in all, the champions are well primed to defend their crown.
Liverpool are likely to be their closest rivals for the title following the arrivals of Xherdan Shaqiri, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Alisson, with the latter arguably the Reds’ signing of the summer, but they’ll need the quartet to rapidly adjust to the rigours of English football if they are to keep pace with City at the top. Manchester United’s signing of Fred hands Jose Mourinho another central midfielder, which is key, while a fully fit Alexis Sanchez is a huge boost for the Portuguese boss, though much of their quest to land a top-3 finish is dependent on Mourinho.
Having pipped City to the signing of Jorginho, and with the impending arrivals of Kepa and Mateo Kovacic bolstering between the sticks and in midfield, Chelsea have the means to round off the Champions League spots under new head coach Maurizio Sarri. The distraction of Europa League football shouldn’t deter them from the task at hand and while the looming loss of Thibaut Courtois is a blow, by keeping Eden Hazard, the Blues’ talismanic forward could well fire them back to Europe’s elite club competition.
Of the three teams to come up, Cardiff look the worst and have done little in the window to suggest they can properly compete to prolong their stay in the Premier League. Neil Warnock has looked out of his depth in England’s top tier in the past and it could prove that the Bluebirds’ stay in the top-flight is over quickly. Huddersfield exceeded expectations to not only secure a Premier League spot, but stave off the drop at the first time of asking, and David Wagner deserves immense credit for that. A repeat would be welcomed, but something of a poor window could come back to haunt them. Bournemouth make up the bottom three despite the club-record capture of Jefferson Lerma. He adds much-needed bite to the midfield, yet the Cherries’ stay in the Premier League could come to a close this season.
Manchester City will be tough to beat to the Premier League crown but Liverpool’s summer dealings have been really impressive. City have also strengthened, albeit not in an area they necessarily needed to, but Liverpool seem to have the momentum heading into the new campaign. Everything has gone right for Jurgen Klopp this summer and he’s even had the luxury of having two of his new signings, Fabinho and Naby Keita, for the whole of pre-season.
It’s hard to look beyond a two horse race for the title, with a big gap between the chasing pack. Manchester United have endured a miserable summer but showed last season they can still grind out results even if they flatter to deceive. They should be fancied to finish in the top four but that could hinge on whether Jose Mourinho avoids his usual third-season meltdown. Chelsea are finishing the transfer window strongly and keeping Eden Hazard is a huge plus. They should have the edge over their London rivals to nap a top-four spot.
While there is so much quality of show between the top-six sides, the same cannot be said for those that will struggle at the other end of the table. Newcastle continue to flirt with relegation with owner Mike Ashley holding back the Magpies in the transfer window, while Watford and Cardiff simply do not have squads good enough to compete in the Premier League.
Cardiff are one of the three newly-promoted sides but simply haven’t strengthened like Fulham and Wolves. The latter two have made a series of eye-catching transfers, but the Bluebirds haven’t even been in the same ballpark in terms of the calibre of players being attracted. Huddersfield and Bournemouth could also get sucked into the relegation dog fight, but supporters of Newcastle, Watford and Cardiff should be concerned for the season ahead.
