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Premier League predictions: Do any of our writers think Man City can be beaten?
The Premier League returns on Friday when newly promoted Burnley take on the daunting challenge of hosting champions Manchester City.
Our experts make their predictions for what should be another campaign full of twists and turns.
Champions and top four
Jason Burt, Chief Football Correspondent
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool
It will be hard to order the top eight, never mind the top four and it would be no surprise if Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Aston Villa or Brighton impact on the Champions League places.
James Ducker, Northern Football Correspondent
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool
City will become the first English club in history to win four successive titles. Chelsea should be greatly improved but I think they, Spurs and Newcastle will miss out on Champions League football.
Chris Bascombe
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool
Trying to maintain the facade that there is more than one team with the resources to collect 90 points or more every season feels increasingly like a gaslighting exercise. Unless a rival can smash its own club record, City will win again. Chelsea and Liverpool cannot be as dire as last season and Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle must deal with the extra demands of the Champions League – and elevated expectations. The race for positions two, three and four should be exciting.
Luke Edwards, Northern Football Writer
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United
The easy choice is Manchester City but this should be the closest title race in years and Arsenal will benefit enormously from last season’s experience.
Sam Dean
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United
The teams around Manchester City have strengthened impressively, on paper at least, but will it be enough against the might of Pep Guardiola’s brain and Erling Haaland’s goalscoring prowess? Probably not.
Mike McGrath
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool
Pep Guardiola’s side have added one of the world’s best defenders to a team with the best striker in the world. They are so good they can sell Riyad Mahrez. Manchester United should be around the top four if their starting XI stays fit, joined by Arsenal who have enough in their squad to push City all the way. Liverpool can take advantage of Newcastle being in Europe.
Matt Law
Champions: Manchester City
Top four: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool
The bad news for everybody else is that Erling Haaland should be even better than last season. If he is, City could run away with the title. Newcastle United gatecrashed last season’s top four, but with Champions League football to contend with they may struggle to do so again.
Relegation
JB: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Luton, Sheffield United
Promoted teams often provide a shock but it already looks tough for Luton and Sheffield United. Wolves appear to be a very unsettled club with an unhappy manager. It could change but they are again in peril.
JD: Luton Town, Sheffield United, Everton
I think it will be too much too soon for two of the promoted clubs and think this could finally be the season when years of mismanagement catch up with Everton, despite the Sean Dyche effect.
CB: Luton Town, Sheffield United, Bournemouth
It is notoriously tough for promoted sides to stay in the division. If Bournemouth go down it is karma after their appalling treatment of Gary O’Neil.
LE: Bournemouth, Sheffield United, Luton
SD: Luton, Sheffield United, Everton
MM: Sheffield United, Luton, Everton
Stats show a direct link between spending and staying up. Sheffield United are set for a relegation battle and staying up would be a huge achievement for Luton. Everton could be in another battle to stay up.
ML: Sheffield United, Luton, Fulham
Fulham have encountered a tough summer, while anything but relegation for Sheffield United and Luton would be a huge success.
Top goalscorer
JB: Erling Haaland
Not exactly a surprise choice – the surprise would be if anyone believes another player will score more than him. The Norwegian will build on last season. It might be harder with defenders knowing more about him but he will still score lots and lots of goals.
JD: Erling Haaland
Harry Kane may have ran him close if he had joined United but it is hard to look beyond the prolific Norwegian.
CB: Erling Haaland
He will probably have 20 by the end of September, forcing historians to frantically find another 20 Dixie Dean goals to ensure ancient goal records remain intact.
LE: Erling Haaland
The City striker has already broken the Premier League goals record. Just imagine how dangerous he could be now he is over the “settling in” period.
SD: Erling Haaland
No explanation required.
MM: Harry Kane
If he stays at Tottenham all season, Kane can do it. If not, the guy with the ponytail who plays in sky blue.
ML: Erling Haaland
The Norwegian netted 36 Premier League goals in his first season in England and will no doubt be targeting 40 this time around.
Surprise package
JB: Aston Villa
Maybe not a surprise package – Burnley could be that, also – but such is the rate of progress they have made under Unai Emery that they might be serious contenders for a Champions League place as long as they can cope with European football.
JD: Burnley
Vincent Kompany’s side may get the odd battering but I think they will stay up.
CB: Everton
A highly optimistic prediction given the club’s recent problems, but if Dominic Calvert-Lewin stays fit they will be mid-table. That would be a huge improvement on the last few years. At the very least, they should be tougher to beat.
LE: Aston Villa
Unai Emery’s side were the form team over the final few weeks of the season to qualify for Europe and could go even better this season.
SD: Bournemouth
Under new manager Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth should at least be entertaining. They might prove to be too open and chaotic at times but, on their day, they could cause problems for even the biggest sides.
MM: Aston Villa
Hardly a surprise after second half of last season but Aston Villa look to be putting a good squad together under Unai Emery and could keep pace with the heavyweights for periods.
ML: Burnley
Vincent Kompany’s men could shock a few this season and finish in mid-table to enhance his reputation as one of football’s brightest young coaches.
I am most looking forward to...
JB
Going to a Luton Town home game against one of the ‘Big Six’ (Tottenham appear to be the first to visit), especially one under the floodlights. Kenilworth Road really is a wonderfully unique stadium.
JD
Seeing how United’s new goalkeeper and striker – André Onana and Rasmus Hojlund – get on in the Premier League.
CB
Saudi Arabia offering £700k a week to Erling Haaland, only to be told he will not accept such a huge pay cut. And also seeing if Trent Alexander-Arnold can become one of the world’s most exciting central midfielders.
LE
The Big Six as we used to know it no longer exists with Aston Villa and Newcastle United’s rapid progress. The top eight places will be so competitive and have never been harder to predict.
SD
Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton played some of the best football in the division last season. Can they continue to ruffle the feathers of the big boys while also managing their commitments in Europe? If they get the balance right, do not rule out a genuine push for the top four. They will be worth watching.
MM
Champions League nights back at St James’ Park. Everyone will be glued to the draw to see who will be travelling to Newcastle in the group stages.
ML
Seeing whether or not Kai Havertz can fulfil his huge talent under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.
