The Gunners - Emirates Stadium, Ashburton Road, Islington, London, N5 1BU. Capacity 60,338
Last season: 4th, FA Cup 5th round, League Cup Quarter finals, Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy: FA Cup 2005
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996)
Players In: Yaya Sanogo
Players Out: Gervinho, Andrey Arshavin, Denilson, Sebastian Squillaci, Martin Angha, Craig Eastmond, Conor Henderson, Jernade Meade, Sanchez Watt, Vito Mannone, Andre Santos, Marouane Chamakh Pre-season form:
14.07 v Indonesia (A) W7-0
17.07 v Vietnam (A) W7-1
22.07 v Nagoya Grampus (A) W3-1
26.07 v Urawa Red Diamonds (A) W2-1
03.08 v Napoli (H) D2-2
04.08 v Galatasaray (H) L1-2
10.08 v Manchester City (N) W3-1
Prediction: 4th
Frustrated Gunners fans remain without a marquee signing to welcome after a fruitless summer-long pursuit of Luis Suarez. Nevertheless, Arsene Wenger's men have proven time and time again that they will not give up their top four placing easily. Indeed, with Santi Cazorla and - fitness permitting - Jack Wilshere assisting settled striker Olivier Giroud, Arsenal will be as glorious to watch as usual when they are on their day.
ASTON VILLA
The Villains - Villa Park, Trinity Road, Birmingham, B6 6HE. Capacity 42,682
Last season: 15th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup Semi finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 1996
Manager: Paul Lambert (since June 2012)
Players In: Aleksandar Tonev, Jores Okore, Leandro Bacuna, Nicklas Helenius, Antonio Luna, Jed Steer
Players Out: Richard Dunne, Eric Lichaj, Jean Makoun, Derrick Williams, Andy Marshall, Stiliyan Petrov~, Brett Holman
Pre-season form:
10.07 v SV Roedinghausen (A) D1-1
12.07 v SC Paderborn (A) D1-1
14.07 v VfL Bochum (A) D1-1
20.07 v Wycombe Wanderers (A) D2-2
23.07 v Luton Town (A) L0-2
26.07 v Crewe Alexandra (A) W5-1
31.07 v Walsall (A) W5-0
04.08 v Shamrock Rovers (A) W2-0
10.08 v Malaga (H) W3-2
Prediction: 8th
Keeping hot-shot Christian Benteke was the key to Aston Villa's summer after the Belgian international stunned manager Paul Lambert by handing in a transfer request. But Benteke eventually relented and Lambert can now concentrate on overseeing his young side's impressive development which saw them hit top half form in the second half of last season's struggle.
CARDIFF CITY
The Bluebirds - Cardiff City Stadium, Leckwith Road, Cardiff, CF11 8AZ. Capacity 26,896
Last season: Champions (promoted from Championship), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 1st round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1927
Manager: Malky Mackay (since June 2011)
Players In: Gary Medel, Steven Caulker, Andreas Cornelius, John Brayford, Simon Moore
Players Out: Stephen McPhail, Heidar Helguson, Nat Jarvis, Robert Earnshaw
Pre-season form:
24.07 v Forest Green Rovers (H) W4-3
27.07 v Cheltenham Town (A) D1-1
30.07 v Brentford (A) L2-3
03.08 v Chievo (H) W1-0
10.08 v Athletic Bilbao (H) W2-1
Prediction: 15th
Cardiff City may have sold their blue shirts down the river in place of their Malaysian owner's lucky red colour but most fans seem willing to forgive Vincent Tan, given he has funded a first appearance back in the top flight since 1962. A further splurge this summer has seen the club's transfer record broken on no fewer than three separate occasions leaving the Welshmen easily the most equipped of the three promoted teams to survive the rigours of the Premier League.
CHELSEA
The Blues - Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS. Capacity 41,798
Last season: 3rd, FA Cup Semi finals, League Cup Semi finals, Champions League Group stage Europa League Winners
Last major trophies: Europa League 2013
Manager: Jose Mourinho (since June 2013)
Players In: Andre Schurrle, Marco van Ginkel, Cristian Cuevas, Mark Schwarzer
Players Out: Jeffrey Bruma, Florent Malouda, Yossi Benayoun, Ross Turnbull, Paulo Ferreira~
Pre-season form:
17.07 v Singha All-Stars (A) W1-0
21.07 v Malaysia All-Stars (A) W4-1
25.07 v Indonesia All-Stars (A) W8-1
01.08 v Inter Milan (N) W2-0
04.08 v AC Milan (N) W2-0
07.08 v Real Madrid (N) L1-3
11.08 v AS Roma (N) W2-1
Prediction: Champions
Jose Mourinho is back and, as ever, has timed his arrival well considering it coincides with the two Manchester clubs are also having a change at the top. By contrast, for Chelsea, a change in manager is an almost annual tradition, although Mourinho was somewhat of an exception in his first spell, having stayed at Stamford Bridge for over three years and delivered successive Premier League titles. Of course, the Portuguese's uneasy working relationship with Russian owner Roman Abramovich brought an end to all of that early in the 2007-08 season and it will be worth keeping an eye out for any tension in this campaign. Otherwise, with arguably the best midfield in the league, everything seems to be set up for Mourinho to bring another bout of instant success to the Bridge.
CRYSTAL PALACE
The Eagles - Selhurst Park, Whitehorse Lane, London, SE25 6PU. Capacity 26,255
Last season: 5th (promoted from Championship via playoffs), FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Ian Holloway (since November 2012)
Players In: Dwight Gayle, Stephen Dobbie, Jerome Thomas, Jose Campana, Kevin Phillips, Elliot Grandin, Marouane Chamakh
Players Out: Jermaine Easter, Alex Marrow, Andre Moritz
Pre-season form:
20.07 v Dagenham and Redbridge (A) W2-1
23.07 v Gillingham (A) W3-0
27.07 v Crawley Town (A) L0-3
03.08 v Waterford United (A) W4-0
06.08 v Dulwich Hamlet (A) W4-1
10.08 v Lazio (H) L0-1
Prediction: 20th
The journalists' dreams came true with not only the return of Jose Mourinho to the Premier League but also rent-a-gob Ian Holloway, now at Crystal Palace, following an extraordinary promotion via the playoffs. Just three years ago, the Eagles were in administration and staring the third tier in the face, and yet here they are, back in the Premier League for a fifth spell. They will, of course, be aiming not to break their own record by being relegated for a fifth time - but, deprived now of Wilfried Zaha, some of their summer business looks sadly insufficient.
EVERTON
The Toffees - Goodison Park, Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL. Capacity 39,571
Last season: 6th, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1995
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since July 2013)
Players In: Arouna Kone, Antolin Alcaraz, Joel Robles, Gerard Deulofeu
Players Out: Thomas Hitzlsperger, Jan Mucha, Jake Bidwell, Phil Neville~
Pre-season form:
14.07 v Austria Vienna (A) L1-2
17.07 v Accrington Stanley (A) W4-1
27.07 v Blackburn Rovers (A) W3-1
31.07 v Juventus (N) D1-1 (won 6-5 on pens)
03.08 v Real Madrid (N) L1-2
06.08 v Valencia (N) L0-1
11.08 v Real Betis (H) W2-1
Prediction: 10th
It is a big season at Goodison Park for Everton and their new manager Roberto Martinez. Oddly, May's Wembley triumph means that the cup-winning Spaniard has already won more trophies in his managerial career than predecessor David Moyes - but, while he was very much the underdog at Wigan Athletic, Everton are a rather bigger proposition. Lauded for developing an easy-on-the-eye playing style with the Latics, Martinez could be held equally responsible for his team's joke of a defence. And, Toffees fans - so accustomed to seeing tight displays even against the top sides - will not stand for a drop in standards at the back.
FULHAM
The Cottagers - Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road, London, SW6 6HH. Capacity 25,700
Last season: 12th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Martin Jol (since June 2011)
Players In: Sascha Riether, Derek Boateng, Fernando Amorebieta, Maarten Stekelenburg, Ange-Freddy Plumain, Adel Taarabt, Darren Bent
Players Out: Mark Schwarzer, Chris Baird, Simon Davies, Mahamadou Diarra, Csaba Somogyi, Mladen Petric, Tom Donegan, Alex Smith
Pre-season form:
14.07 v Cartagines (A) W3-0
17.07 v Alajuelense (A) W3-1
20.07 v Deportivo Saprissa (A) D2-2 (won 5-3 on pens)
28.07 v Werder Bremen (A) L0-1
05.08 v Real Betis (H) D1-1
10.08 v Parma (H) L1-2
Prediction: 16th
The biggest news at Craven Cottage this summer came off the pitch as Mohamed Al Fayed sold up to Shahid Khan, owner of the NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars. It is unclear so far exactly where Fulham lies in terms of priority for billionaire Khan but investment is badly needed to freshen up an squad past it best and far too reliant on Dimitar Berbatov. Fulham also seemed to let their heads go down easily last year, gaining just five points from losing positions all season, and shipping six result-changing goals in the last 10 minutes. An ageing squad with old habits which will no doubt die hard.
HULL CITY
The Tigers - KC Stadium, The Circle, Walton Street, Anlaby Road, Hull, HU3 6HU. Capacity 25,400
Last season: Runners-up (promoted from Championship), FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy: None
Manager: Steve Bruce (since June 2012)
Players In: Yannick Sagbo, Ahmed Elmohamady, Allan McGregor, Curtis Davies, Maynor Figueroa, George Boyd, Steve Harper, Danny Graham
Players Out: Corry Evans, Sonny Bradley, Danny East, Mark Cullen, Andy Dawson, Jamie Devitt, Paul McKenna, Seyi Olofinjana, Jay Simpson
Pre-season form:
15.07 v North Ferriby United (A) W3-1
15.07 v Winterton Rangers (A) W6-0
20.07 v Sheffield Wednesday (N) D0-0
23.07 v SC Braga (A) D0-0
27.07 v Birmingham City (A) L1-2
29.07 v Peterborough United (A) W1-0
03.08 v Dynamo Dresden (A) W1-0
06.08 v Eintracht Braunschweig (A) L0-2
10.08 v Real Betis (H) W3-0
Prediction: 19th
Hull City are proof that there is hope after relegation from the Premier League, though their promotion last season was almost as surprising as their first. Following two seasons of struggle in the top flight, it felt as if it would be quite a while until the Tigers bounced back but, after former manager Nigel Pearson cleared out most of the dead wood, promotion specialist Steve Bruce took over and did what he does best. Bruce, like Hull, has always found it tougher in the top flight and unless they make another blinding start like last time, another season of struggle awaits.
LIVERPOOL
The Reds - Anfield, Anfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0TH. Capacity 45,276
Last season: 7th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round, Europa League Last 32
Last major trophy: League Cup 2012
Manager: Brendan Rodgers (since June 2012)
Players In: Simon Mignolet, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Kolo Toure
Players Out: Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Jonjo Shelvey, Danny Wilson, Jamie Carragher~
Pre-season form:
13.07 v Preston North End (A) W4-0
20.07 v Indonesia XI (A) W2-0
24.07 v Melbourne Victory (A) W2-0
28.07 v Thailand (A) W3-0
03.08 v Olympiakos (H) W2-0
07.08 v Valerenga (A) W4-1
10.08 v Celtic (N) L0-1
Prediction: 5th
There was progress of sorts last season for Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool as, although his side finished down in seventh - and behind Everton for a second successive year, that was mainly down to another horrendously slow start. The second half of the season went much better and, in fact, the Anfield side hit more goals than any other Premier League team after 1 January. The Luis Suarez saga has, of course, threatened to derail Rodgers's rebuilding plan but Phillippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge looked excellent towards the end of last term, while Simon Mignolet is an astute signing between the sticks.
MANCHESTER CITY
The Blues - Etihad Stadium, SportCity, Manchester, M11 3FF. Capacity 47,405
Last season: Runners-up, FA Cup Runners-up, League Cup 3rd round, Champions League Group stage Last major trophy: Premier League 2011-12
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini (since June 2013)
Players In: Fernandinho, Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas, Stevan Jovetic
Players Out: Carlos Tevez, Kolo Toure, Wayne Bridge, Ryan McGivern, Roque Santa Cruz, Jeremy Helan, Maicon
Pre-season form:
14.07 v SuperSport United (A) L0-2
18.07 v AmaZulu (A) L1-2
24.07 v South China (A) W1-0
27.07 v Sunderland (N) W1-0
31.07 v AC Milan (N) W5-3
01.08 v Bayern Munich (A) L1-2
10.08 v Arsenal (N) L1-3
Prediction: Runners-up
Manuel Pellegrini is the new man at the Etihad Stadium after Roberto Mancini paid the price for rumours of squad unrest and Man City's shock defeat at Wembley which left the club without a trophy last season. Unsurprisingly, considering the lack of silverware, Pellegrini has been given something of a war chest to wrestle the title back from the other side of Manchester and make progress for the first time in the Champions League. Most importantly, perhaps, the Blues have signed midfielder Fernandinho to play alongside Yaya Toure, meaning the days of the pedestrian Gareth Barry in the middle are surely over. Meanwhile, a trio of new strikers - Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas and Montenegrin Stevan Jovetic - will provide a further boost to a well-stocked forward line.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The Red Devils - Old Trafford, Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester, M16 0RA. Capacity 75,731
Last season: Champions, FA Cup Quarter finals, League Cup 4th round, Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy: Premier League 2012-13
Manager: David Moyes (since July 2013)
Players In: Guillermo Varela
Players Out: Frederic Veseli, Reece Brown, Sean McGinty, Paul Scholes~
Pre-season form:
13.07 v Thai All-Star XI (A) L0-1
20.07 v A-League All Stars (A) W5-1
23.07 v Yokohama F Marinos (A) L2-3
26.07 v Cerezo Osaka (A) D2-2
29.07 v Kitchee (A) W5-2
06.08 v AIK Stockholm (A) D1-1
09.08 v Sevilla (H) L1-3
Prediction: 3rd
Stepping into Sir Alex Ferguson's shoes was never likely to be an easy task but compatriot David Moyes has perhaps found it even more difficult due to Cesc Fabregas's rejection and, of course, the troublesome Wayne Rooney. Unhappy that he has been usurped as the club's main striker by Robin van Persie, it seems unlikely that Rooney will be at Old Trafford for much longer, despite Moyes's declaration to the contrary. And so, while Man United may have rode away with the title by a considerable margin last season, it is strange just how much can change in a single summer. A tough start awaits Moyes with trips to Liverpool and Manchester City in the first five games, as well as a home clash with Chelsea. But, surely, the Scotsman will be afforded a bit of time to get it right.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
The Magpies - St James Park, Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4ST. Capacity 52,405
Last season: 16th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round, Europa League Quarter finals
Last major trophy: UEFA (Fairs) Cup 1969
Manager: Alan Pardew (since December 2010)
Players In: Loic Remy, Olivier Kemen
Players Out: James Perch, Danny Simpson, Steve Harper
Pre-season form:
16.07 v Motherwell (A) W4-2
20.07 v Rio Ave (A) L1-3
23.07 v Pacos de Ferreira (A) D1-1
28.07 v Blackpool (A) W1-0
30.07 v St Mirren (A) W1-0
06.08 v Rangers (A) D1-1
10.08 v SC Braga (H) D1-1
Prediction: 12th
A typically tumultuous off-season at St James Park has resulted so far in just one major incoming signing, Loic Remy on loan, but plenty of boardroom politics. Loathed club managing director Derek Llambias has left but back again from the wilderness is the equally distrusted Joe Kinnear, now working as director of football alongside chief scout Graham Carr. All of this leaves manager Alan Pardew's position at the club rather uncertain, particularly after his difficulties last season. For, just a year on from finishing fifth, the Magpies fell to 16th and, towards the close of the campaign, suffered embarrassing home defeats to Liverpool and Sunderland. Of course, the squad was stretched beyond its limits by a freaky injury list and an enjoyable extended run in the Europa League. These will not be issues this time so surely things will get better - but they may do so without Pardew who is in the unenviable position of being favourite for the chop.
NORWICH CITY
The Canaries - Carrow Road Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE. Capacity 27,224
Last season: 11th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup Quarter finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 1985
Manager: Chris Hughton (since June 2012)
Players In: Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Gary Hooper, Javier Garrido, Nathan Redmond, Martin Olsson, Carlo Nash, Leroy Fer
Players Out: Grant Holt, James Vaughan, Leon Barnett, Jed Steer, Chris Martin, Marc Tierney, Simeon Jackson, Korey Smith, Elliott Ward, Tom Adeyemi, George Francomb, Lee Camp
Pre-season form:
18.07 v Dorados de Sinaloa (N) W3-0
20.07 v San Jose Earthquakes (A) L0-1
24.07 v Portland Timbers (A) L0-1
30.07 v Brighton & Hove Albion (A) D1-1
02.08 v SC Braga (A) D2-2
06.08 v Real Sociedad (H) D1-1
10.08 v Panathinaikos (H) W2-0
Prediction: 9th
Spot the problem and fix it seems to have been Norwich's modus operandi this summer with investment up front in the wonderfully-named Ricky van Wolfswinkel from Sporting Lisbon and Gary Hooper who arrives from Celtic. Underrated manager Chris Hughton no doubt will hope that the pairing can strike up a connection quickly to spare the Canaries another difficult season in front of goal - Norwich failed to score in 13 of their league games last season. But, despite those issues and a worrying mid-term dip, the 11th-placed finish was a fourth successive season of improvement at Carrow Road. A top 10 finish is the obvious next step.
SOUTHAMPTON
The Saints - St Mary's Stadium, Britannia Road, Southampton, SO14 5FP. Capacity 32,589
Last season: 14th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1976
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino (since January 2013)
Players In: Victor Wanyama, Dejan Lovren
Players Out: Vegard Forren, Frazer Richardson, Danny Butterfield, Danny Seaborne, Ryan Dickson, Ben Reeves, Sam Hoskins, Richard Chaplow, Steve de Ridder
Pre-season form:
17.07 v Llagostera (A) W2-1
20.07 v Palamos (A) W8-0
24.07 v Schalke (N) L0-2
27.07 v Besiktas (N) W3-1
03.08 v Celta Vigo (A) D0-0 (lost 1-4 on pens)
10.08 v Real Sociedad (H) W4-3
Prediction: 13th
What exactly was owner Nicola Cortese thinking of, replacing the highly-rated Nigel Adkins on the back of a fine run which had pulled Southampton away from the bottom? Well, as harsh as the sacking undoubtedly was on Adkins, sometimes risks in football are worth taking and, to be fair, the Saints looked even better under their new man, Mauricio Pochettino. Moreover, the owner has backed his Argentine coach with £12.5m spent on midfield powerhouse Victor Wanyama from Celtic. That is the kind of money which Saints fans could only dream of their club spending just a few short years ago. And, with Rickie Lambert on a high after capping his own meteoric rise by scoring for England at Wembley this week, Saints should have more than enough about them for another solid season on the south coast.
STOKE CITY
The Potters - Britannia Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4EG. Capacity 27,740
Last season: 13th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1972
Manager: Mark Hughes (since May 2013)
Players In: Erik Pieters, Marc Muniesa
Players Out: Dean Whitehead, Carlo Nash, Matthew Upson, Rory Delap, Matthew Lund, Mamady Sidibe, Michael Owen~
Pre-season form:
24.07 v Houston Dynamo (A) L0-2
27.07 v FC Dallas (A) W1-0
30.07 v Philadelphia Union (A) W2-0
04.08 v Wrexham (A) W1-0
10.08 v Genoa (H) D0-0
Prediction: 18th
Stoke City begin their sixth successive season in the top flight with a new man at the helm after parting company at the back of the last campaign with Tony Pulis. It seems odd then that the Potters opted for Mark Hughes as his replacement given that he is a man cut from same cloth with his previous teams often copying his aggressive playing style. Queens Park Rangers infamously took it too far and ended up with a horrendous disciplinary record - and, if Stoke fall into the same trap, they too will struggle. A tough start sees Hughes' side visit Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United in three of their first five away games. Results in their easier home matches are vital or it could be a long way back.
SUNDERLAND
The Black Cats - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, SR5 1SU. Capacity 48,707
Last season: 17th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 4th round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1973
Manager: Paulo di Canio (since March 2013)
Players In: Emanuele Giaccherini, Jozy Altidore, Vito Mannone, Modibo Diakite, Valentin Roberge, Duncan Watmore, Cabral, David Moberg Karlsson, El Hadji Ba, Ondrej Celustka
Players Out: Simon Mignolet, Ahmed Elmohamady, Titus Bramble, Matthew Kilgallon, Ryan Noble
Pre-season form:
17.07 v Chiasso (N) W1-0
24.07 v Tottenham Hotspur (N) W3-1
27.07 v Manchester City (N) L0-1
07.08 v Midtjylland (A) W1-0
Prediction: 14th
Never one to do things by halves, Paulo di Canio - dissatisfied with his team's failure to make 40 points last season - has made wholesale changes at the Stadium of Light over the summer. It is a big risk by the fiery Italian fascist with many of his signings unfamiliar with English football. On top of that, the Black Cats have lost perhaps their best player from last season, Simon Mignolet, and replaced him with Arsenal's third keeper, though - on a positive note - they will surely score more goals than their paltry 41 last season. If, or perhaps even when, things do go wrong, Di Canio is hardly the coolest cucumber in the salad box. Expect fireworks, whatever happens.
SWANSEA CITY
The Swans - Liberty Stadium, Morfa, Swansea, SA1 2FA. Capacity 20,750
Last season: 9th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup Winners
Last major trophy: League Cup 2013
Manager: Michael Laudrup (since June 2012)
Players In: Wilfried Bony, Jonjo Shelvey, Jordi Amat, Jonathan de Guzman, Alejandro Pozuelo, Gregor Zabret, Jose Canas, Alex Gogic, Jernade Meade
Players Out: Kemy Agustien, Mark Gower, Dwight Tiendalli
Pre-season form:
06.07 v FC 's-Gravenzande (A) W2-0
07.07 v Excelsior Maassluis (A) W5-1
10.07 v Haaglandia (A) W10-0
13.07 v ADO Den Haag (A) W1-0
19.07 v Yeovil Town (A) W5-0
21.07 v Exeter City (A) W2-0
27.07 v Reading (A) W3-0
Prediction: 7th
A first trophy in the club's 100-year history and a top half finish in the top flight - just how will Michael Laudrup improve on that? It will be difficult for sure but the Swans can head into the new season confident that their superior passing game will exhaust enough of their opponents to ensure they pick up plenty of Premier League points. Swansea's main trouble may come from the additional demands of the Europa League, a fact which Laudrup was keen to stress in pre-season. But, after early reports of managerial unrest, the Dane has been backed with club-record £12.5m signing Wilfried Bony all set to line up alongside the wonderful Michu.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Spurs - White Hart Lane, Bill Nicholson Way, High Road, Tottenham, London, N17 0AP. Capacity 36,284
Last season: 5th, FA Cup 4th round, League Cup 4th round, Europa League Quarter finals
Last major trophy: League Cup 2008
Manager: Andre Villas-Boas (since July 2012)
Players In: Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Nacer Chadli
Players Out: Steven Caulker, Clint Dempsey, William Gallas, John Bostock, David Bentley, Jake Nicholson
Pre-season form:
16.07 v Swindon Town (A) D1-1
19.07 v Colchester United (A) D0-0
24.07 v Sunderland (N) L1-3
27.07 v South China (A) W6-0
31.07 v Milton Keynes Dons (A) L0-1
03.08 v Monaco (A) L2-5
08.08 v Enfield Town (H) W11-0
10.08 v Espanyol (H) D1-1
Prediction: 6th
Tottenham's campaign is so difficult to predict because, whether the Spurs fans like it or not, so much depends on the club's retention of Gareth Bale. Yes, Andre Villas-Boas seems to have bought well again for Spurs' latest assault on the top four with Roberto Soldado a proven goal-getter in Spain and Paulinho eager to secure a place into Brazil's World Cup midfield. However, when the going got tough last season, it was so often Bale who was the spark, with nine of his goals proving to be match-winners. Unfortunately for the Welshman, though, his efforts were ultimately in vain, Spurs missed out on the Champions League again and, when push comes to shove, Real Madrid hardly ever miss out on their man.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
The Baggies - The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, B71 4LF. Capacity 26,445
Last season: 8th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: FA Cup 1968
Manager: Steve Clarke (since June 2012)
Players In: Diego Lugano, Nicolas Anelka, Goran Popov, Matej Vydra
Players Out: Jerome Thomas, Gonzalo Jara, Marc-Antoine Fortune, James Hurst
Pre-season form:
18.07 v Hannover 96 (A) L1-2
22.07 v Puskas FC Academy (A) W3-0
27.07 v Derby County (A) W2-0
29.07 v Atromitos (N) W3-1
06.08 v Cork City (A) W6-0
10.08 v Bologna (H) W2-0
Prediction: 17th
Steve Clarke surprised just about everyone last season by taking West Brom to eighth in his first permanent managerial assignment. However, the Baggies' loftiest position in 31 years was achieved mainly through their form before Christmas and they failed in their bid to make it to 50 points after winning just four times in the New Year. Most significantly of all, top scorer Romelu Lukaku has now returned to parent club Chelsea, leaving Shane Long and new man Nicolas Anelka responsible for scoring the goals to keep Albion out of danger. This will undoubtedly be a tougher second season for Clarke.
WEST HAM UNITED
The Hammers - Boleyn Ground, Green Street, Upton Park, London, E13 9AZ. Capacity 35,016
Last season: 10th, FA Cup 3rd round, League Cup 3rd round
Last major trophy: League Cup 1981
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since June 2011)
Players In: Andy Carroll, Razvan Rat, Adrian, Danny Whitehead, Stewart Downing
Players Out: Rob Hall, Carlton Cole, Gary O'Neil
Pre-season form:
07.07 v Cork City (A) W6-2
10.07 v Boreham Wood (A) W3-0
13.07 v Bournemouth (A) W2-0
16.07 v Colchester United (A) W2-1
20.07 v FSV Mainz (A) L1-4
23.07 v SV Hamburg (A) W3-1
27.07 v Eintracht Braunschweig (A) W3-0
10.08 v Pacos de Ferreira (H) W2-1
Prediction: 11th
West Ham enjoyed a fine return to the top flight last season, even scraping a top-half finish, thanks almost exclusively to their home form. The Hammers won 34 of their 42 points at the Boleyn Ground and failed to win consecutive league matches as Sam Allardyce's safety-first pragmatism resulted in a divisional low of only 11 away goals. Nevertheless, Allardyce's side can be reasonably expected to trouble the top 10 again this season with Andy Carroll now signed permanently and looking unexpectedly comfortable at a London club alongside his old mucker Kevin Nolan.
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