ARSENAL The Gunners - Emirates Stadium - @Arsenal
Last season 4th + FA Cup Winners + League Cup 4th round + Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy FA Cup 2014
Manager: Arsene Wenger (since October 1996)
Players In: Alexis Sanchez, Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina
Players Out: Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Lukasz Fabianski, Nicklas Bendtner, Park Chu-young, Thomas Eisfeld, Chuks Aneke, Daniel Boateng, Wellington Silva*, Carl Jenkinson*, Benik Afobe*
Pre-season results:
W2-0 v Boreham Wood (A)
L0-1 v New York Red Bulls (A)
W5-1 v Benfica (H)
L0-1 v Monaco (H)
W3-0 v Manchester City (N) [FA Community Shield]
Prediction: 2nd
At the Emirates, all the talk is about Alexis Sanchez - and that really is no wonder, given the Chilean possesses the quality to take Arsene Wenger's men to the next level. Sanchez, a £30m signing from Barcelona, has moved to north London at an exciting time - as, having shrugged off their nine-year trophy drought with a fine comeback win in the FA Cup Final against Hull City in May, the Gunners have now firmly reset their sights on success back in the Premier League.
Of course, Sanchez will be a huge part of that, easing some of the weight off the shoulders of Olivier Giroud who, nevertheless, is still a genuine match-winner on his day. On top of that, there should also be plenty of goals from midfield from the likes of Aaron Ramsey, who picked up where he left off last season in the Community Shield, as well as Santi Cazorla and World Cup winner Mesut Ozil. The key for this trio - and also England pair Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott - is staying fit, the sheer number of injuries having undermined Arsenal's challenge in previous years.
In fact, last season, Wenger's men - in leading the Premier League for 128 days - were at the top for longer than any other team. The problem was the Gunners' spell at the top began in September and ended in February (before the customary dash for fourth place). Progress in this campaign would be represented by a sustained title challenge and, having also spent wisely beyond Sanchez this summer, it looks very much on.
ASTON VILLA The Villains - Villa Park - @AVFCOfficial
Last season 15th + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup 3rd round + Last major trophy League Cup 1996
Manager: Paul Lambert (since June 2012)
Players In: Phillippe Senderos, Joe Cole, Kieran Richardson, Aly Cissokho, Tom Leggett, Isaac Nehemie
Players Out: Marc Albrighton, Nathan Delfouneso, Jordan Bowery, Samir Carruthers, Nicklas Helenius*, Yacouba Sylla*, Jed Steer*, Antonio Luna*, Aleksandar Tonev*
Pre-season results:
W3-1 v Mansfield Town (A)
W2-0 v FC Dallas (A)
W1-0 v Houston Dynamo (A)
L1-3 v Chesterfield (A)
L1-4 v Groningen (A)
W1-0 v Walsall (A)
D0-0 v Parma (H)
Prediction: 16th
Aston Villa is a club which has badly lost its way over the past few years. Replacing spend-thrift Martin O'Neill with dour former Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish was always going to finish in failure - but Paul Lambert has done no better in either of his two seasons at Villa Park. Now, American owner Randy Lerner has had enough and put the club up for sale - but, with no buyers in sight, the Midlanders have been left treading water and the fans to fear the worst.
Normally a time for all football fans to find something to optimistic about their club, even the four incoming signings - Phillippe Senderos, Joe Cole, Kieran Richardson and Aly Cissokho - have generated little excitement in the second city and a fourth successive bottom-half finish looks like it is on the cards. Surely, though, Villa will be better at home than in those three previous seasons which, combined, have produced an eye-watering 27 defeats in front of the Holte End. If somehow it does get worse, it would be difficult to see Villa staying up.
BURNLEY The Clarets - Turf Moor - @BurnleyOfficial
Last season 2nd (promoted) + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup 4th round + Last major trophy First Division 1959-60
Manager: Sean Dyche (since October 2012)
Players In: Lukas Jutkiewicz, Michael Kightly, Marvin Sordell, Matt Gilks, Matt Taylor, Steven Reid
Players Out: Chris Baird, Junior Stanislas, David Edgar, Keith Treacy, Brian Stock, Nick Liversedge
Pre-season results:
W8-0 v Grossklein (A)
W1-0 v Accrington Stanley (A)
L1-2 v Preston North End (A)
W1-0 v Blackpool (A)
D2-2 v Celta Vigo (H)
Prediction: 17th
Burnley achieved a second promotion to the Premier League in five years in April - and it would be fair to say the Clarets' difficult season in the top flight last time has rather tempered optimism in this part of east Lancashire. Nevertheless, the Turf Moor faithful should expect a decent run for their season ticket money this time around with Burnley possessing all the attributes to punch above their historical weight.
In Danny Ings, they have a striker who scored 21 league goals last season. His injured strike-partner Sam Vokes got 20 - and, once the latter recovers, it seems simply infeasible that neither of them will make the step up. Finally, in gravel-voiced manager Sean Dyche, Burnley appear to have a talented coach more than capable of holding his own tactically. The smallest budget in the division will mean Burnley face an inevitable battle against the drop - but Dyche and his charges have enough talent to suggest they will be able to make it a close-run thing.
CHELSEA The Blues - Stamford Bridge - @chelseafc
Last season 3th + FA Cup 5th round + League Cup Quarter finals + Champions League Semi finals
Last major trophy Europa League 2013
Manager: Jose Mourinho (since June 2013)
Players In: Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Filipe Luis, Mario Pasalic, Didier Drogba
Players Out: David Luiz, Romelu Lukaku, Samuel Eto'o, Demba Ba, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Patrick Van Aanholt, Sam Hutchinson, Mark Schwarzer, Henrique Hilario, Mario Pasalic*, Ryan Bertrand*, Bertrand Traore*, Wallace*, Thorgan Hazard*, Gael Kakuta*, John Swift*, Oriol Romeu*, Christian Atsu*
Pre-season results:
W5-0 v Wycombe Wanderers (A)
W3-2 v AFC Wimbledon (A)
D1-1 v Wolfsberger AC (A)
W2-1 v Olimpija (A)
W3-1 v Vitesse Arnhem (A)
L0-3 v Werder Bremen (A)
W2-0 v Fenerbahce (A)
L0-1 v Besiktas (A)
W2-1 v Ferencvaros (A)
W2-0 v Real Sociedad (H)
Prediction: 3rd
Pre-season favourites Chelsea had a solid if unspectacular first season back under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho as a strong defensive record sustained a title challenge until the closing weeks of the campaign. The reason for the ultimate failure of the Blues to add to their three Premier League titles was as obvious as the day is long, though. They simply did not score enough goals, their final total of 71 comparing badly with the tons hit by the two teams to finish above them, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Consequently, it has come as no surprise to see strikers Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o ditched in favour of Diego Costa, signed from Atletico Madrid for £32m. Costa did not have a great World Cup - not many Spain players did - but he is closer to the mould of Didier Drogba than Ba or Eto'o will ever be - and that is something which Mourinho loves, principally for the way it complements his strategy of leaving one battler up front and packing the midfield. Of course, Costa's back-up this season is Drogba himself, the 36-year-old Ivorian making an emotional return to Stamford Bridge on a one-year contract. Drogba's last kick in a blue shirt was the winning penalty in the 2012 Champions League final and he will no doubt find a way to make the headlines again.
But it is actually head coach Mourinho who must do much more if Chelsea are to live up to their status as favourites. Four draws and five defeats on the road last season suggested the Blues struggle when asked to break their opponents down. And that means a more attacking approach will be needed from the self-proclaimed Special One if he is not to go personally trophyless for a third year in a row - at which point he could even start to be considered "a specialist in failure".
CRYSTAL PALACE The Eagles - Selhurst Park - @CPFC
Last season 11th + FA Cup 4th round + League Cup 2nd round + Last major trophy None
Caretaker Manager: Keith Millen (since August 2014)
Players In: Fraizer Campbell, Brede Hangeland, Martin Kelly, Chris Kettings
Players Out: Jonathan Parr, Dean Moxey, Aaron Wilbraham, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Danny Gabbidon, Neil Alexander, Ibra Sekajja, Jose Campana, Alex Wynter*, Kwesi Appiah*, Jack Hunt*, Stephen Dobbie*
Pre-season results:
W13-1 v Grazer (N)
D2-2 v Columbus Crew (A)
W1-0 v Philadelphia Union (A)
W3-0 v Richmond Kickers (A)
L2-3 v Brentford (A)
D0-0 v Augsburg (A)
Prediction: 19th
Just what is Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish playing at? The Eagles are only featuring in back-to-back Premier League campaigns for the first time ever because of a remarkable resurgence under Tony Pulis in the second half of last season. Indeed, so good was the Eagles' form following the arrival of the Welshman in November that, extrapolated over a whole season, it would have put the south Londoners in eighth.
Now, on the eve of the new season, Pulis has departed Selhurst Park with the tensions over transfer policy between him and his chairman Parish considered to be irreconcilable. It perhaps explains why incomings at Selhurst Park have so far been restricted to Fraizer Campbell and Brede Hangeland from relegated Cardiff City and Fulham, Martin Kelly from Liverpool and reserve goalkeeper Chris Kettings. Nevertheless, on the strength of last season, you would have backed just about any squad under Pulis to be kept in the top flight. Now that Palace are without him, the picture rather changes and it is not looking so good at all.
EVERTON The Toffees - Goodison Park - @Everton
Last season 5th + FA Cup Quarter finals + League Cup 3rd round + Last major trophy FA Cup 1995
Manager: Roberto Martinez (since July 2013)
Players In: Romelu Lukaku, Gareth Barry, Muhamed Besic, Brendan Galloway, Christian Atsu*
Players Out: Apostolos Vellios, Magaye Gueye, Mason Springthorpe
Pre-season results:
D2-2 v Tranmere Rovers (A)
L0-1 v Leicester City (N)
D1-1 v Porto (H)
L1-3 v Celta Vigo (H)
L1-3 v SC Paderborn (A)
Prediction: 6th
Everton were dangerously close to a top-four finish last season, even moving into the final Champions League spot after beating principal rivals Arsenal 3-0 at Goodison in early April. A much tougher run-in ultimately left them seven points adrift of the Gunners - but the Toffees' tally of 72 was still their highest since the likes of Kevin Ratcliffe and Kevin Sheedy spearheaded the 1986-87 title-winning side.
Roberto Martinez thus heads into his second season on Merseyside having won over the few doubters after building on the solid defensive foundations left by David Moyes and adding a bit of panache. His decision over the summer to sign a five-year deal shows admirable commitment to a long-term plan - while Romelu Lukaku and Gareth Barry have also both demonstrated a bit of loyalty by signing on permanently. Finally, young playmaker Ross Barkley has already shown more than enough to suggest he will be a mainstay in the Premier League for years to come - though, in terms of tangible success, the feeling remains that Everton's best chance is in the cups.
HULL CITY The Tigers - KC Stadium - @hullcityteam
Last season 16th + FA Cup Runners-up + League Cup 4th round + Last major trophy None
Manager: Steve Bruce (since June 2012)
Players In: Robert Snodgrass, Jake Livermore, Tom Ince, Harry Maguire, Andrew Robertson
Players Out: Shane Long, Matty Fryatt, Cameron Stewart, Nick Proschwitz, Conor Henderson, Robert Koren, Dougie Wilson, Abdoulaye Faye, Conor Townsend*, Joe Dudgeon*
Pre-season results:
W5-0 v Harrogate Town (A)
D1-1 v North Ferriby United (A)
W2-0 v York City (A)
D1-1 v Barnsley (A)
D0-0 v FK Trencin (A) [Europa League qualifier]
W2-1 v FK Trencin (H) [Europa League qualifier], won 2-1 on agg
W2-1 v VfB Stuttgart (A)
Prediction: 15th
Promotion one year, a Wembley Cup final the next - what comes next on Humberside? Well, provided the Tigers can get the better of Belgian side Lokeren, an exciting, extended adventure in the Europa League will follow. Of course, perhaps the biggest issue with the Europa League is the amount of games and travelling, and manager Steve Bruce will no doubt be wary over how these additional exertions affect Premier League form.
After all, there is already evidence to suggest it might with Hull tailing off badly following their Cup semi final win. The situation there was slightly different as, by then, top flight survival had all but been confirmed - but, ultimately, Hull still failed to reach 40 points and dropped to 16th in the final reckoning. At least the area requiring improvement is obvious: Bruce will demand far more goals from Nikica Jelavic and others with City having averaged just one per game last season.
LEICESTER CITY The Foxes - King Power Stadium - @OfficialFOXES
Last season 1st (promoted) + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup Quarter finals + Last major trophy League Cup 2000
Manager: Nigel Pearson (since November 2011)
Players In: Matthew Upson, Marc Albrighton, Leonardo Ulloa, Ben Hamer, Jack Barmby, Louis Rowley
Players Out: Lloyd Dyer, Neil Danns, Sean St Ledger, Zak Whitbread, Marko Futacs, George Taft, Paul Gallagher*
Pre-season results:
W6-1 v Ilkeston (A)
W1-0 v Everton (N)
W3-2 v Walsall (A)
D1-1 v Preston North End (A)
W2-0 v Milton Keynes Dons (A)
W3-1 v Rotherham United (A)
W1-0 v Werder Bremen (H)
Prediction: 20th
Leicester City charged to the Championship title last season, racking up 31 wins and 102 points on their way to ending a 10-year top-flight absence. The Foxes will do well to be aware, though, that even title-winning sides have no guarantee of survival with the two most recent winners - Reading and Cardiff City - lasting just one season at the higher level.
Moreover, Nigel Pearson's youthful squad, while hungry for more success, is badly lacking in Premier League experience - and that could prove to be a vital weakness in the closer matches which will ultimately decide their fate. As well as this, it is worth pointing out that Leicester's opening five fixtures are against Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal, Stoke City away and Manchester United - and this really tough start is one which could easily leave them playing a frustrating game of catch up straight away.
LIVERPOOL The Reds - Anfield - @LFC
Last season Runners-up + FA Cup 5th round + League Cup 3rd round + Last major trophy League Cup 2012
Manager: Brendan Rodgers (since June 2012)
Players In: Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren, Emre Can, Divock Origi, Javier Manquillo, Lazar Markovic
Players Out: Luis Suarez, Pepe Reina, Martin Kelly, Conor Coady, Luis Alberto*, Iago Aspas*, Andre Wisdom*, Divock Origi*, Brad Smith*
Pre-season results:
L1-2 v Brondby (A)
W2-1 v Preston North End (A)
L0-1 v Roma (N)
W1-0 v Olympiakos (N)
D2-2 v Manchester City (N), won 3-1 on pens
W2-0 v Milan (N)
L1-3 v Manchester United (N)
W4-0 v Borussia Dortmund (H)
Prediction: 5th
Life at Anfield after Luis Suarez begins with a freshened-up squad, the £75m received from Barcelona for the controversial Uruguayan having been used to sign a trio of players from Southampton - Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren - as well as German youngster Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen, Serbian winger Lazar Markovic from Benfica and Belgium's Divock Origi from Lille.
Out of that sextet, though, only Lovren provides the much-needed defensive cover, Liverpool having effectively lost the title by conceding a round 50 goals last season. That compared poorly with eventual winners Manchester City (37) and title rivals Chelsea (27) with even Crystal Palace (48) tighter at the back. But, even with the other signings, it will not be easy for Brendan Rodgers to replace Suarez's 31 league goals and it will be interesting to see how Daniel Sturridge will fair without his lethal strike partner.
Raheem Sterling will still surely be a livewire regardless - but, despite finishing runners-up last season, it should be recalled Liverpool have had false dawns before. In 2009, the Reds also finished second but, by 2010, they had fallen to seventh. And, while it is difficult to envisage anything quite as drastic as that, just staying in the Champions League places this season would be a half-decent achievement.
MANCHESTER CITY The Citizens - Etihad Stadium - @MCFC
Last season Champions + FA Cup Quarter finals + League Cup Winners + Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy Premier League 2013-14
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini (since June 2013)
Players In: Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando, Willy Caballero, Bruno Zuculini, Bacary Sagna, Frank Lampard*
Players Out: Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Costel Pantilimon, Joleon Lescott, Gareth Barry, Alex Nimely, Reece Wabara, Rony Lopes*, Emyr Huws*, Jason Denayer*
Pre-season results:
L0-2 v Dundee (A)
W2-1 v Hearts (A)
W4-1 v Sporting Kansas City (A)
W5-1 v Milan (N)
D2-2 v Liverpool (N), lost 1-3 on pens
D2-2 v Olympiakos (N), lost 4-5 on pens
L0-3 v Arsenal (N) [FA Community Shield]
Prediction: Champions
Manchester City have made the case for the defence this summer in the hope that this will enable them to achieve something previously only done by Manchester United and Chelsea - that is, retaining the Premier League title. Club captain Vincent Kompany has signed a new five-year deal, joining the likes of Sergio Aguero, Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva and Samir Nasri in committing his future to the Etihad.
And Kompany did this having gained a new centre-back partner in Eliaquim Mangala, signed for £32m from Porto in City's biggest bit of business in the off-season. Right-back Bacary Sagna and goalkeeper Willy Caballero have also arrived to provide competition to Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart respectively - but, so far, Manuel Pellegrini has declined to make changes up front following a bounteous campaign last time which brought 156 goals in all competitions, a record for the Premier League era.
That does not mean there are not concerns in this area, though - main striker Aguero suffered three separate muscular injuries last season and also missed part of the World Cup. Nevertheless, Alvaro Negredo has already shown himself to be an able deputy while this could be the season Stevan Jovetic really bursts onto the season.
With Edin Dzeko also contributing, City will often have simply too much for many of their opponents as they seek a third title in four years - and perhaps the beginning of the sort of domestic dominance their city rivals have enjoyed for most of the previous 20 years.
MANCHESTER UNITED The Red Devils - Old Trafford - @ManUtd
Last season 7th + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup Semi finals + Champions League Quarter finals
Last major trophy Premier League 2012-13
Manager: Louis Van Gaal (since July 2014)
Players In: Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Vanja Milinkovic
Players Out: Alexander Buttner, Patrice Evra, Bebe, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Federico Macheda, Jack Barmby, Louis Rowley, Ryan Giggs, Angelo Henriquez*
Pre-season results:
W7-0 v Los Angeles Galaxy (A)
W3-2 v Roma (N)
D0-0 v Internazionale (N), won 5-3 on pens
W3-1 v Real Madrid (N)
W3-1 v Liverpool (N)
W2-1 v Valencia (H)
Prediction: 4th
Ultimately, last season, the results told their own story. There were home and away defeats to Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton, regular reverses to several other teams at Old Trafford, and failures at home in the domestic cups to Swansea City and Sunderland. Many long-standing records over opponents fell and it all pointed to David Moyes simply not being up to the job. Enter Louis Van Gaal - a coach who has won just about everything - and someone who, on the face of it, looks a much better fit, having most recently impressed in leading the Dutch to third at the World Cup over the summer.
In its current state, though, the Manchester United job is not easy - the ageing Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have now all left or retired - and, in the centre of defence and central midfield, there remain questions over whether the current players can ever step up to their level. This may prove even more vital if Van Gaal opts to use his favoured 3-5-2 formation, although at least he should be able to rely on the two up front getting enough goals to make the Red Devils far more competitive this year.
Yes, Robin Van Persie's injury troubles came back to haunt him again as he made just 21 league appearances in 2013-14 - yet he still scored 12 goals and provided three assists. Meanwhile, new club captain Wayne Rooney - despite being frustrated on the wing in the World Cup - will not be short of motivation, standing just 34 goals short of beating Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time United record.
Regardless of the personnel, though, the most important job for Van Gaal is to restore a winning mentality at Old Trafford, something which was sorely lacking from Moyes when things began to go wrong. Indeed, such was the mess that was left, it would be unrealistic to expect United to challenge for the title again straight away. Nevertheless, this squad under Van Gaal - aided by the lack of a European distraction - should have enough to return the Red Devils to a top-four placing.
NEWCASTLE UNITED The Magpies - St James Park - @NUFC
Last season 10th + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup 4th round + Last major trophy UEFA (Fairs) Cup 1969
Manager: Alan Pardew (since December 2010)
Players In: Remy Cabella, Emmanuel Riviere, Siem De Jong, Daryl Janmaat, Ayoze Perez, Jack Colback, Jamaal Lascelles, Karl Darlow, Facundo Ferreyra*
Players Out: Mathieu Debuchy, James Tavernier, Dan Gosling, Shola Ameobi, Conor Newton, Michael Richardson, Sylvain Marveaux*, Jamaal Lascelles*, Karl Darlow*, Adam Campbell*
Pre-season results:
L1-2 v Oldham Athletic (A)
W4-0 v Sydney (N)
W1-0 v Wellington Phoenix (A)
W1-0 v Sheffield Wednesday (A)
L1-3 v Malaga (N)
W3-1 v Schalke 04 (A)
D2-2 v Huddersfield Town (A)
W1-0 v Real Sociedad (H)
Prediction: 9th
Likely to lurch from the sublime to the ridiculous on a week-to-week basis, Newcastle United should nevertheless be able to hold a position in the middle of the table for most of the season. Widespread discontent with owner Mike Ashley spread to manager Alan Pardew towards the end of the last campaign to the extent that he had to cower away in the dugout from the ear-splitting boos in the 3-0 home win over Cardiff City. Despite being assured of a top-half finish, the reception was not a surprise with the Magpies' form having completely deserted them following the sale of Yohan Cabaye in January. Even then, it was the nature of some of the defeats which was most damning, four of them at home coming by three goals or more - including, for the second year running, a 3-0 derby reverse to Sunderland.
Fortunately for Pardew, Ashley has seen fit to spend the Cabaye money, bringing in Remy Cabella, Emmanuel Riviere, Siem de Jong and Ayoze Perez - and, following Manchester City's visit to St James Park on the opening day, the early fixture list is actually rather kindly. But, without last year's loanee Loic Remy, the squad still looks short on goals and this, combined with a leaky defence, means there will be yet more difficult days ahead for the Toon Army over the course of the next 10 months.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS The Rs - Loftus Road - @QPRFC
Last season 4th (promoted via playoffs) + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup 2nd round
Last major trophy League Cup 1967
Manager: Harry Redknapp (since November 2012)
Players In: Rio Ferdinand, Steven Caulker, Jordon Mutch, Mauricio Isla*
Players Out: Yossi Benayoun, Esteban Granero, Tom Hitchcock, Aaron Hughes, Stephane Mbia, Andrew Johnson, Gary O'Neil, Luke Young, Hogan Ephraim, Angelo Balanta
Pre-season results:
W1-0 v Rot-Weiss Erfurt (A)
L0-2 v RB Leipzig (A)
D2-2 v Leyton Orient (A)
D0-0 v Southend United (A)
W4-0 v Shamrock Rovers (A)
W2-0 Athlone Town (A)
L0-1 PAOK (H)
Prediction: 12th
Despite boasting the strongest squad in the Championship last season, Queens Park Rangers dropped disappointingly away from automatic promotion contention and then got lucky with a last-gasp goal in a playoff final which had been dominated by Derby County. Manager Harry Redknapp has admitted he would have left Loftus Road in the summer if he had lost at Wembley - but, yet, here he is back in the top flight once again.
Of course, Rangers' most recent Premier League experience was effectively a two-year struggle, in which a bloated squad - beset by disciplinary problems - finished bottom in 2013. This time, Redknapp - determined not to make the same mistakes - has drafted in the coaching nous of Glenn Hoddle and the signings of Rio Ferdinand and Steven Caulker will add depth to the defence. A lack of goals outside of the efforts of Charlie Austin and the prodigal Loic Remy means it will not be pretty at times - but, having done the hard part in getting back up, the west Londoners should easily have enough about them to stay there.
SOUTHAMPTON The Saints - St Mary's Stadium - @SouthamptonFC
Last season 8th + FA Cup 5th round + League Cup 4th round + Last major trophy FA Cup 1976
Manager: Ronald Koeman (since June 2014)
Players In: Dusan Tadic, Fraser Forster, Graziano Pelle, Shane Long, Florin Gardos, Ryan Bertrand*, Saphir Taider*
Players Out: Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Calum Chambers, Rickie Lambert, Billy Sharp, Tom Leggett, Isaac Nehemie, Guly do Prado, Lee Barnard, Jonathan Forte, Danny Fox, Andy Robinson, Dani Osvaldo*
Pre-season results:
W4-0 v EHC Hoensbroek (A)
W6-0 v Hasselt (A)
W1-0 v Swindon Town (A)
W1-0 v Bournemouth (A)
W3-1 v Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
L0-1 v Bayer Leverkusen (H)
Prediction: 14th
It has been a chastening summer on the south coast where no less than £96m of talent has departed, mainly bound for the north west. Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren joined Rickie Lambert at Liverpool - while Manchester United made Luke Shaw the most expensive teenager in history. Another starlet, Calum Chambers, has gone to Arsenal, and the man who oversaw last season's impressive eighth-placed finish - Mauricio Pochettino - is now at Tottenham Hotspur.
It all leaves new boss Ronald Koeman with a significant rebuilding job to undertake under an owner, Katharina Liebherr, who rather reluctantly fell into role on the death of her father. Koeman at least brings with him plenty of experience, having previously taken charge of each of the traditional Dutch big three, as well as Benfica and Valencia. But, conversely, their two main bits of business - strikers Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle - have only really done well in the Dutch Eredivisie, a league whose previous talents have enjoyed mixed success in England.
STOKE CITY The Potters - Britannia Stadium - @stokecity
Last season 9th + FA Cup 4th round + League Cup Quarter finals + Last major trophy League Cup 1972
Manager: Mark Hughes (since May 2013)
Players In: Mame Biram Diouf, Dionatan Teixeira, Phil Bardsley, Steve Sidwell, Bojan Krkic
Players Out: Michael Kightly, Matthew Etherington, Juan Aguledo, Jamie Ness*
D1-1 v Borussia Moenchengladbach (A)
L0-2 v TSV 1860 Munich (A)
L1-2 v Schalke 04 (A)
D0-0 v Burton Albion (A)
D1-1 v Blackburn Rovers (A)
W2-0 v Real Betis (H)
D1-1 v SC Freiburg (A)
Prediction: 8th
Last season, Stoke City earned a first top-10 finish in the top flight since 1975 as manager Mark Hughes achieved something in his first attempt that predecessor Tony Pulis had failed to do in five. Initially given a chilly reception on his appointment in May 2013, Potters fans have now warmed to the former Manchester United striker after he turned around a worrying run of one point out of 18 at the close of the year with a convincing run of form in the springtime.
The Welshman must now cope with some relatively increased expectations at the Britannia - but, with the highly-rated Bojan Krkic arriving from Barcelona, Stoke have the look of a team heading in the right direction. An improved showing on the road, where only relegated Norwich City and Cardiff City lost more often, and a few more goals from the strikers would not go amiss, though.
SUNDERLAND The Black Cats - Stadium of Light - @SAFCofficial
Last season 14th + FA Cup Quarter finals + League Cup Runners-up + Last major trophy FA Cup 1973
Manager: Gus Poyet (since October 2013)
Players In: Jack Rodwell, Will Buckley, Patrick Van Aanholt, Billy Jones, Jordi Gomez, Costel Pantilimon, Santiago Vergini*
Players Out: Ignacio Scocco, Jack Colback, Craig Gardner, Phil Bardsley, Billy Knott, Keiren Westwood, Carlos Cuellar, Andrea Dossena, Louis Laing, Oscar Ustari, David Vaughan, John Egan, El Hadji Ba*
Pre-season results:
W5-1 v Darlington 1883 (A)
W1-0 v Carlisle United (A)
W3-0 v Hartlepool United (A)
W1-0 v Recreativo Huelva (N)
L0-1 v Nacional (A)
D0-0 v Vitoria Setabul (A)
W2-0 v Real Betis (H)
W2-0 v Udinese (H)
Prediction: 13th
Sunderland begin their eighth successive season in the top flight this year, historically their best sequence since the 1950s - however, the previous seven years have brought only one top-half finish, under Steve Bruce in 2011. Last season was an even scarier ride than usual as a dreadful start spelt the end for Paulo di Canio before a resurgence under Gus Poyet - including a first Wembley Cup final in 22 years - fell flat in the spring. Bottom with six games to go, the Black Cats looked to have too much to do, especially with Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United away on the fixture list. But, thanks to a hitherto unseen run of form from Connor Wickham, the Mackems drew 2-2 at the Etihad and then won at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge to end up staying up with a game to spare.
It must now be Poyet's priority to put his own stamp on this team - but, beyond Steven Fletcher, the Uruguayan's options up front look limited and that will be something exacerbated even further if the unsettled Wickham has departed by the end of August.
SWANSEA CITY The Swans - Liberty Stadium - @SwansOfficial
Last season 12th + FA Cup 5th round + League Cup 3rd round + Europa League Last 32
Last major trophy League Cup 2013
Manager: Garry Monk (since February 2014)
Players In: Marvin Emnes, Bafetimbi Gomis, Lukasz Fabianski, Jefferson Montero, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Stephen Kingsley
Players Out: Ben Davies, Michel Vorm, Leroy Lita, David Ngog, Jernade Meade, Darnel Situ, Alejandro Pozuelo, Chico Flores, Daniel Alfei*, Michu*
Pre-season results:
D1-1 v Guadalajara (N)
L0-2 v Minnesota United (A)
W4-0 v Plymouth Argyle (A)
W2-0 v Exeter City (A)
L1-3 v Bournemouth (A)
W3-1 v Reading (A)
L0-3 v Villareal (H)
Prediction: 10th
By replacing League Cup-winning Michael Laudrup with club cult hero Garry Monk in February, Swansea showed sometimes change really is for the best. Even coming on the back of a wretched run of one win in 10, the move by chairman Huw Jenkins was nevertheless considered to be a risk and, following a thrilling 3-0 success over South Wales rivals Cardiff City in his first game, Monk also found victory difficult to come by at the beginning of his tenure.
But three wins in the last four games lifted the Swans up to 12th and their tally of 54 league goals, the eighth best in the division, was always going to keep them out of trouble. Still purveyors of attractive, possession football, Monk's men should also have plenty up front to prevent a repeat of last year's struggles with Wilfried Bony enjoying a decent World Cup for Ivory Coast and Bafetimbi Gomis joining from Lyon. A return to a solid mid-table placing beckons at the Liberty.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Spurs - White Hart Lane - @SpursOfficial
Last season 6th + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup Quarter finals + Europa League Last 16
Last major trophy League Cup 2008
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino (since May 2014)
Players In: Ben Davies, Michel Vorm, Eric Dier, DeAndre Yedlin
Players Out: Jake Livermore, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Iago Falque, Heurelho Gomes, Cameron Lancaster, Alex Pritchard*, Shaquile Coulthirst*
Pre-season results:
D3-3 v Seattle Sounders (A)
W3-2 v Toronto FC (A)
W2-0 v Chicago Fire (A)
W6-1 v Celtic (N)
W2-1 v Schalke 04 (H)
Prediction: 7th
Fourth in 2012, fifth in 2013 and sixth in 2014. Tottenham Hotspur fans can hardly say they did not see it coming if indeed they do finish seventh this season. A slow decline can trace its roots as far back as the spring of 2012 when Harry Redknapp was distracted by the possibility of becoming England manager and hit a bad run of form, ending up being dismissed at the end of the season. In Mauricio Pochettino, who has impressed at Southampton over the last year, Spurs are now on their third boss since Redknapp - and their slide away from the top four positions was accelerated last season by the sale of Gareth Bale and the failure of a boatload of signings to adapt, Roberto Soldado in particular.
This was amply demonstrated in the results against the top four itself, Spurs scoring just once and conceding 24 goals in five games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea across various times of the season. They also lost three times to Arsenal, and even three times to West Ham. Despite this, the North London club's record against the rest of the division is generally decent enough - again, though, this simply reflects their standing stuck between the top sides and the mid-table buffer zone.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION The Baggies - The Hawthorns - @WBAFCofficial
Last season 17th + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup 3rd round + Last major trophy FA Cup 1968
Manager: Alan Irvine (since June 2014)
Players In: Brown Ideye, Jason Davidson, Cristian Gamboa, Craig Gardner, Joleon Lescott, Chris Baird, Sebastien Pocognoli, Andre Wisdom*
Players Out: Liam Ridgewell, Billy Jones, Steven Reid, Cameron Gayle, Diego Lugano, Zoltan Gera, Scott Allan, Nicolas Anelka, George Thorne
Pre-season results:
W2-0 v Bury (H)
W2-1 v Shrewsbury Town (A)
W1-0 v Sacramento Republic (A)
W3-1 v Sacramento Republic (A)
L0-1 v Nottingham Forest (A)
L2-3 v Port Vale (A)
L1-3 v Porto (H)
Prediction: 18th
After a spell as a yo-yo club throughout the whole of the last decade, West Brom appear to have stabilised in this one - and this is, in fact, a fifth successive season of top flight football for the Hawthorns club. Last season though was, by some distance, the Baggies' toughest since their latest promotion featuring two managers - Steve Clarke and Pepe Mel - and just seven wins. Indeed, in the end, it could be said West Brom only actually stayed up by finding three teams worse than themselves and chairman Jeremy Peace was swift to dispense of the services of the unconvincing Spaniard Mel.
No one, least of all the Baggies' fans, expected his replacement would be the unheralded Alan Irvine, however - and the Scot, last seen being sacked by Sheffield Wednesday, already has much to prove. With a frightening run-in which includes Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the last five games, West Brom will need a bright start if they are to avoiding boing-ing back down to the Championship again.
WEST HAM UNITED The Hammers - Boleyn Ground - @whufc_official
Last season 13th + FA Cup 3rd round + League Cup Semi finals + Last major trophy League Cup 1981
Manager: Sam Allardyce (since June 2011)
Players In: Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate, Aaron Cresswell, Diego Poyet, Diafra Sakho, Carl Jenkinson*
Players Out: Joe Cole, Matt Taylor, Stephen Henderson, Jack Collison, George McCartney, Callum Driver, Jordan Spence, George Moncur
Pre-season results:
D2-2 v Stevenage (A)
D0-0 v Ipswich Town (A)
D0-0 v Shakhtar Donetsk (N)
W4-2 v Espanyol (N)
L1-2 v Wellington Phoenix (N)
L1-3 v Sydney (N)
D0-0 v Schalke 04 (A), won 7-6 on pens
L0-2 v Malaga (N)
W3-2 v Sampdoria (H)
Prediction: 11th
All is not well at the Boleyn Ground again - with manager Sam Allardyce having to deal with the familiar refrain of shaping up or shipping out. Allardyce, who is always his own best publicist, defended his record last season by pointing to the 15 clean sheets which the Hammers kept - and, in fairness, this was ultimately what kept them up. However, six of those 15 games finished 0-0 - and it is exactly this dull, one-dimensional approach which is the source of the discontent in east London. Indeed, following the end of the season, the West Ham board even held showdown talks with Allardyce who subsequently promised a more attacking style of play.
This was in little evidence in pre-season despite the signing of two small, pacy strikers in Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate - and the jury remains out on whether Allardyce can adapt his tactics sufficiently to play to his new squad's strengths. Easily possessing enough quality to trundle to a mid-table finish, it may well be that West Ham reach the line next May without Allardyce in tow.
*Loan signing
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