Written by Matt Brown
📸 @premierleague
Friday night marks the start of a new Premier League season, and it’s set to be yet another fascinating campaign.
Arsenal won last season's title and will be aiming to keep hold of their crown. Meanwhile, there have been plenty of changes around the league in terms of new signings and managerial arrivals.
There’s also the return to the top flight for three newly promoted sides: Ipswich, Hull, and Coventry—the latter returning for the first time in a quarter of a century.
The Contenders for the Crown
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s side won the league last year and only just lost out in the Champions League final on penalties. In the transfer window, they’ve kept hold of the core of their squad while strengthening with the signings of Christos Tzolis from Belgian side Club Brugge and spending big money on Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle. They’re the clear favourites with the bookmakers, and based on last season, it’s easy to see why. The Gunners' chances could be boosted further if they finalise a deal for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa.
Manchester City: Pep Guardiola has gone, and so has Rodri, but City will surely be the biggest challenge Arsenal face this year. Guardiola’s former assistant Enzo Maresca has taken charge after his brief spell with Chelsea, and he’ll be keen to emulate his former boss by leading the Citizens to trophies. The club spent big bringing in Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, but otherwise, they haven’t dipped into the market heavily. Rodri’s departure is a massive blow, but Maresca will hope the remainder of his squad can fill the void. City can still rely on talisman Erling Haaland, who is bound to contend for the Golden Boot yet again, boosted by the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Phil Foden chipping in with goals and assists. The real questions for City surround the 115 financial charges they face and whether Maresca is the right successor to Pep.
Chelsea: Xabi Alonso has returned to the Premier League. The former Liverpool midfielder is now the head coach at Chelsea, and he’ll be keen to get his side off to a good start. The Blues have spent big money this summer to strengthen their title chances: Maxence Lacroix has moved across London from Crystal Palace, England international Morgan Rogers signed from Aston Villa in a high-profile move, and Alonso has added experience with Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. Questions remain around ownership, but there’s no doubt about their willingness to back Alonso. This is a managerial appointment they had to get right after past missteps—including now-Man City manager Maresca, which led to a compensation settlement.
Liverpool: The Reds have lost Mo Salah and opted to move on from Arne Slot, appointing former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola. The club hasn’t spent heavily in the transfer window so far, but they have retained the majority of their squad. Iraola succeeded at Bournemouth, but it remains to be seen how he fares with the step up to a side expected to compete for the title. With Salah moving to Turkey, Liverpool need someone to match his output. Alexander Isak hasn’t quite set the world alight since joining from Newcastle last season, but this year offers a fresh start. A major strength will be midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who scored 6 goals and provided 7 assists in the Premier League last season.
Manchester United: United are an outside bet, but you can’t rule them out completely. Michael Carrick knows what it takes to win at the club from his playing days, and he has steadied the ship since taking over as manager. They’ve strengthened well with the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa, respectively. They also welcome back Marcus Rashford following his loan spell at Barcelona, alongside the crucial key duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes.
Relegation Candidates
Hull City: Hull won the play-offs thanks to a late goal at Wembley from Scotsman Oli McBurnie. Manager Sergej Jakirović has overseen several new additions, but they remain clear favourites for the drop due to a lack of overall quality. Home form will be vital if The Tigers are to survive.
Ipswich Town: Gary O’Neil is back in the top flight with The Tractor Boys and has spent big this summer. The Suffolk side signed several players, including Julio Enciso following his previous loan spell. While they possess a blend of experience and youth, they may struggle to avoid relegation.
Coventry City: The Sky Blues are back for the first time in 25 years! Frank Lampard did an exceptional job leading the club to promotion and will be eager to prove critics wrong following tough spells at Chelsea and Everton. Coventry spent wisely this window, securing goalkeeper Carl Rushworth permanently after a stellar loan spell, adding striker Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest, and bringing back midfielder Gustavo Hamer. Having eased to the Championship title, they have the grit to beat the drop. Strong home support at the CBS Arena and an ability to win dirty away from home could make the difference.
Fulham: An outside candidate for trouble, but there is often a surprising struggler. Fulham lost Marco Silva and appointed Álvaro Arbeloa, who knows the league from his playing days at Liverpool. The Cottagers signed Gonzalo García and César Palacios from Real Madrid, alongside young midfielder Shea Charles from Southampton for around £30m. Arbeloa’s relative lack of top-level managerial experience could be a stumbling block.
Sunderland: After an impressive first year back in the top flight, "second-season syndrome" could pose a threat. Régis Le Bris’s side haven't made major moves in the transfer market, maintaining squad consistency. They will rely on key players like Brian Brobbey and Granit Xhaka, but standing still while rivals strengthen could prove risky.
Opening Weekend Matches & Predictions
The season kicks off on Friday night when Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry at the Emirates, live on Sky Sports. On Saturday, Hull welcome Manchester United in the early kickoff, before Ipswich host Sunderland at Portman Road. On Sunday, Man City host Bournemouth at the Etihad, while Liverpool travel to Newcastle.
Champions: Arsenal
Runners-up: Man City
Top 4: Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, Man United
Golden Boot: Erling Haaland
Relegated: Fulham, Ipswich, Hull
First manager to leave: Oliver Glasner
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