ARSENAL
Last season 6th FA Cup Third round League Cup Runners-up Europa League Semi finals
Last major trophy FA Cup 2017 Premier League seasons 27
Manager Unai Emery (since May 2018)
Players in Stephan Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi
Players out Per Mertesacker, Jack Wilshere, Joao Virginia, Lucas Perez, Calum Chambers*
Finally, a new broom has swept into the Emirates in the form of Unai Emery as Arsenal - like a deer learning to walk - begin life after the 22-year reign of the legendary Arsene Wenger. No doubt then there will be a few stumbles under the Spaniard - but, at least for the first time in perhaps as much as a decade, the Gunners can attack the new season feeling as fresh as their rivals. Of course, history has suggested taking over from a long-term manager - but, whereas Sir Alex Ferguson won the title in his final season at Old Trafford, Wenger finished 36 points short of the winners and even 12 points short of fourth place. Surely, those gaps will not be as big as that next May.
Prediction 4th
AFC BOURNEMOUTH
Last season 12th FA Cup Third round League Cup Quarter finals
Last major trophy None Premier League seasons 4
Manager Eddie Howe (since October 2012)
Players in David Brooks, Diego Rico, Jefferson Lerma
Players out Benik Afobe, Max Gradel, Adam Federici, Lewis Grabban, Harry Arter*
Attack-minded Bournemouth only know one way to play, although - as this is the Cherries' fourth successive top flight season - it is difficult to be too critical of their expansive style. Ideally, though, manager Eddie Howe will be looking to improve on a record of 67, 67, and 61 goals conceded in their three previous campaigns. Unfortunately for him, there were only three new arrivals at Dean Court in the summer - a left back, a defensive midfielder, and another bright young attacker in David Brooks - but, notably, no centre-backs arrived. Indeed, much of the squad remains exactly the same as that which helped Bournemouth win the Championship back in 2014-15 and, while that continuity is often a good thing, the likes of Simon Francis and Steve Cook could have done with facing more competition for their first team places.
Prediction 16th
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Last season 15th FA Cup Quarter finals League Cup Third round
Last major trophy None Premier League seasons 2
Manager Chris Hughton (since December 2014)
Players in Leon Balogun, Joseph Tomlinson, Florin Andone, Jason Steele, Bernando Fernandes, Hugo Keto, David Button, Yves Bissouma, Percy Tau, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Anders Dryer, Billy Arce, Leo Skiri Ostigard, Peter Gwargis, Martin Montoya
Players out Uwe Huenemeier, Jamie Murphy, Bailey Vose, Connor Goldson, Henrik Bjordal, Sam Baldock, Jiri Skalak
There were few problems in Sussex-by-the-Sea for Brighton - but, when the Seagulls were required to play further afield, their form regularly deserted them. In fact, Chris Hughton's men finished the 2017-18 season with the lowest number of away points (11) and the lowest number of away goals (10). If that points towards an overly cautious approach from Hughton then he will no doubt contend that the ends justified the means, as his squad saved their efforts for the winnable games at home. Of course, more will be expected of Hughton and Brighton in this second season - after all, in a refreshing contrast to some of his previous jobs, the 59-year-old has actually been backed in the transfer market by his board this summer.
Prediction 15th
BURNLEY
Last season 7th FA Cup Third round League Cup Third round
Last major trophy First Division 1959-60 Premier League seasons 5
Manager Sean Dyche (since October 2012)
Players in Vinnie Steels, Ben Gibson, Joe Hart, Matej Vydra, George McMahon
Players out Scott Arfield, Tom Anderson
For Burnley, the season started just over two weeks ago with a Battle of Britain clash against Aberdeen (won 4-2 on aggregate after a 3-1 home win). Since then, the Clarets also played on transfer deadline itself (a 0-0 draw against Istanbul Basaksehir) - and, hopefully, their first continental foray in exactly 50 years will be long and fruitful. Nevertheless, minimal incomings have left manager Sean Dyche voicing his concerns that the squad is not strong enough to compete on four separate fronts. It is indeed unusual to hear Dyche complain about his lot - but the 47-year-old is only trying to do his best to elevate the ambition of the board even just a bit. Otherwise, he knows it could be a long and difficult campaign ahead, spinning several plates.
Prediction 14th
CARDIFF CITY
Last season 2nd in Championship FA Cup Fourth round League Cup Second round
Last major trophy FA Cup 1927 Premier League seasons 2
Manager Neil Warnock (since October 2016)
Players in Josh Murphy, Greg Cunningham, Alex Smithies, Bobby Reid, Victor Camarasa*, Harry Arter*
Players out Lee Camp
Cardiff City perhaps surprised even themselves when they held their nerve to secure the Championship runners-up spot with a 0-0 draw on the final day against Reading to complete a phenomenal season in south Wales. Equally, perhaps the Bluebirds' return to the top flight should not have been too much of a shock, considering the prior promotion pedigree of manager Neil Warnock. This was, in fact, the eighth promotion which Warnock has achieved - but the Yorkshireman's direct tactics have been found wanting at the top level in the past, and a lack of all-round quality in the squad means he is already up against it here. There have plenty of against-the-odds stories in the Premier League in recent years - from Bournemouth to Burnley to Huddersfield - but, even at best, the Welsh club will do well to emulate Blackpool by taking their battle against the drop to the final day.
Prediction 19th
CHELSEA
Last season 5th FA Cup Winners League Cup Semi finals Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy FA Cup 2018 Premier League seasons 27
Manager Maurizio Sarri (since July 2018)
Players in Jorginho, Robert Green, Mateo Kovacic, Kepa Arrizabalaga
Players out Kenedy*, Thibaut Courtois, Kurt Zouma*
While some successful English clubs change their manager once in a generation, Chelsea have switched coaches habitually during the trophy-laden Roman Abramovich era. It was therefore no surprise when 2016-17 title winner Antonio Conte eventually became the latest in a long line to be relieved of his duties at Stamford Bridge after a campaign in which the Blues fell out of the Champions League places into fifth. Usually, in west London, the change at the top seems to have a motivational effect on the squad - but, while the likes of Eden Hazard and Willian are frightfully talented players, they are also - as a team - some way short of matching the almost unbreachable Petr Cech-John Terry-Frank Lampard-Didier Drogba spine of a few years ago.
Prediction 3rd
CRYSTAL PALACE
Last season 11th FA Cup Third round League Cup Fourth round
Last major trophy None Premier League seasons 10
Manager Roy Hodgson (since September 2017)
Players in Vicente Guaita, Cheikhou Kouyate, Max Meyer, Jordan Ayew*
Players out Yohan Cabaye
Somehow, Crystal Palace lived to see another season in the Premier League despite a record-breaking start in which they lost each of their opening seven matches without scoring a single goal. Much credit for the resurgence must go to former England boss Roy Hodgson who also somewhat restored his own reputation following his travails with the national team. Then again, the Eagles - with the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend on the flanks - should never have been in so much trouble in the first place. Now, though, Croydon-born Hodgson has had a full pre-season to ensure his team does not give any of its rivals such a big headstart again - and so a far more solid campaign surely awaits the Selhurst Park faithful this time around.
Prediction 9th
EVERTON
Last season 8th FA Cup Third round League Cup Fourth round Europa League Group stage
Last major trophy FA Cup 1995 Premier League seasons 27
Manager Marco Silva (since May 2018)
Players in Richarlison, Lucas Digne, Joao Virginia, Bernard, Yerry Mina, Andre Gomes*, Kurt Zouma*
Players out Joel Robles, Ramiro Funes Mori, Wayne Rooney, Davy Klaasen
Everton seem to be a club still looking to regain their identity following a tumultuous 12 months of mismanagement - and, in particular, mismanagement of the management. Ronald Koeman bequeathed a horribly unbalanced squad to his successor - one with a Romelu Lukaku-shaped hole in it - and, having failed to prise Marco Silva from Watford, the Toffees ended up being stuck with the unpopular Sam Allardyce. As usual, Allardyce achieved the bare minimum and was also dumped at the end of the season as the Merseysiders finally landed their man in Silva. But, despite the audacious Richarlison signing, it feels like it is going to take far more than one transfer window for Silva to build his own team at Goodison - and so, for now, Everton will likely continue to bimble on in the upper reaches of mid table.
Prediction 8th
FULHAM
Last season 3rd in Championship FA Cup Third round League Cup Second round
Last major trophy None Premier League seasons 14
Manager Slaviša Jokanović (since December 2015)
Players in Jean Michael Seri, Maxime Le Marchand, Fabricio Agosto Ramirez, Andre Schurrle*, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Alfie Mawson, Calum Chambers*, Sergio Rico*, Joe Bryan, Luciano Vietto*, Timothy Fosu-Mensah*, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Players out Ryan Fredericks, David Button, Tayo Edun
Fulham have effectively put together a whole new first-XI during the summer as they fight to secure their survival in the top flight following a four-year absence. Indeed, the Cottagers have invested heavily in their squad following their promotion via the playoffs which, itself, followed a superb 23-match unbeaten run in the league. Of course, the presence of the new arrivals might be a bit harsh on the likes of Tom Cairney and silky teenager Ryan Sessegnon. But both of them nonetheless can still expect to be involved alongside £20m man Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian World Cup striker has frustrated in the top flight in the past and consequently lost his discipline but his goal glut was invaluable to Slavisa Jokanovic's men during his loan spell from Newcastle United, and it is a move which he has unsurprisingly now made permanent.
Prediction 11th
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Last season 16th FA Cup Fifth round League Cup Third round
Last major trophy First Division 1925-26 Premier League seasons 2
Manager David Wagner (since November 2015)
Players in Ben Hamer, Terence Kongolo, Ramadan Sobhi, Juninho Bacuna, Jonas Lossl, Erik Durm, Adama Diakhaby, Isaac Mbenza*
Players out Dean Whitehead, Robert Green, Sean Scannell, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, Tom Ince, Jordy Hiwula, Jordan Williams, Scott Malone, Michael Hefele
Huddersfield Town enjoyed the element of surprise last season and it helped them effectively secure their top flight status with a game to spare - even though scored just 28 goals and failed to find the net in 21 of their 38 league matches. It was fairly obvious then where the Terriers' flaws lay - but head coach David Warner does not really seem to have much rectified the situation in the summer transfer window. Only young French striker Adama Diakhaby has added competition to places in attack - and, while last season's top scorer Steve Mounie is certainly a bright spark on his day, he might struggle with the continued weight of the goalscoring burden which he will be expected to carry.
Prediction 20th
LEICESTER CITY
Last season 9th FA Cup Quarter finals League Cup Quarter finals
Last major trophy Premier League 2015-16 Premier League seasons 13
Manager Claude Puel (since October 2017)
Players in Ricardo Pereira, Jonny Evans, James Maddison, Danny Ward, Rachid Ghezzal, Filip Benkovic, Caglar Soyuncu
Players out Ben Hamer, Connor Wood, Riyad Mahrez, Ahmed Musa, Josh Gordon, Islam Slimani, Leonardo Ulloa
Twenty-eight months have now passed since Leicester City won a still frankly unbelievable Premier League title in May 2016. In the grand scheme of things, it really is not that long - but plenty of water has flowed under the bridge in this part of the east Midlands since then with Craig Shakespeare swiftly following title-winning Claudio Ranieri out of the exit door despite him having taken charge of a Champions League quarter final in the previous March. New man Claude Puel also started well but some fans have already turned against the Frenchman - and, despite a huge amount of largely misdirected investment since their title win, the Foxes appear to have accepted the return to mid-table with the sale of their most creative spark Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City.
Prediction 12th
LIVERPOOL
Last season 4th FA Cup Fourth round League Cup Third round Champions League Runners-up
Last major trophy League Cup 2012 Premier League seasons 27
Manager Jürgen Klopp (since October 2015)
Players in Fabinho, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri, Alisson Becker
Players out Yan Dhanda, Emre Can, Paulo Alves, Danny Ward, Andy Firth, Danny Ings*
Liverpool may have finished last season in fourth place - but, having beaten champions Manchester City on three separate occasions during 2017-18, the Reds could easily argue they were actually the best of the rest. Meanwhile, the Anfield club also look best-placed to challenge Man City in the new campaign following the signings of Fabinho, and Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri who provides another option up front if Mo Salah happens to be unable quite to match his extraordinary feats from last term. Perhaps the most important arrival, though, is that of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, signed for £56m from Roma in the wake of Loris Karius's personal nightmare in the Champions League final. Of course, winning a first English league title since 1990 would turn Jurgen Klopp into an Anfield legend - but, with the German having gone without any silverware in his first two full seasons, any of the trophies on offer would be a start.
Prediction 2nd
MANCHESTER CITY
Last season Champions FA Cup Fifth round League Cup Winners Champions League Quarter finals
Last major trophy Premier League 2017-18 Premier League seasons 22
Manager Pep Guardiola (since July 2016)
Players in Riyad Mahrez, Claudio Gomes, Philippe Sandler, Daniel Arzani
Players out Pablo Maffeo, Angelino, Ashley Smith-Brown, Angus Gunn, Bersant Celina, Joe Hart
No team has retained the Premier League title since 2009 - remarkably, the longest run in the whole of Europe - but Manchester City look well-placed to end that sequence. Nevertheless, with an almost parsimonious net outlay standing at under £30m, this has been the quietest summer for quite some time at Eastlands. For sure then, that is the sign of a manager who is happy with his squad - but, certainly, Pep Guardiola will be satisfied by a domestic campaign which does not break as many records as last season if his team still takes title and also goes further in the Champions League. After all, the Spaniard may not want to admit it but that 3-0 first leg defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in the quarter finals in April will have been the one which really hurt.
Prediction Champions
MANCHESTER UNITED
Last season Runners-up FA Cup Runners-up League Cup Quarter finals Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy Europa League 2017 Premier League seasons 27
Manager José Mourinho (since May 2016)
Players in Diogo Dalot, Fred, Lee Grant
Players out Michael Carrick, Joe Riley, Sam Johnstone, Daley Blind, Timothy Fosu-Mensah*
Dreary manager Jose Mourinho moaned his way through most of last season and, irritatingly, the summer break has not exactly quelled his discontent. In fairness to the 55-year-old Portuguese, he is correct in his appeal for another top quality centre-back, if only to knock the unreliable Phil Jones and Chris Smalling down the pecking order. But it is also an unavoidable fact that Mourinho has spent hundreds of millions increasing the potency of his team and yet his attack is still far less impressive than the cross-city rivals. Maybe it is time for Mourinho to look himself in the mirror and stop criticising his players so publicly while also employing more positive tactics. More likely, Mourinho will fail to make it beyond three years at the club, in keeping with the rest of his managerial career.
Prediction 6th
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Last season 10th FA Cup Fourth round League Cup Second round
Last major trophy UEFA (Fairs) Cup 1969 Premier League seasons 24
Manager Rafael Benítez (since March 2016)
Players in Martin Dubravka, Ki Sung-yueng, Kenedy*, Fabian Schar, Yoshinori Muto, Salomon Rondon*, Federico Fernandez
Players out Massadio Haidara, Stuart Findlay, Mikel Merino, Chancel Mbemba, Matz Sels, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Adam Armstrong, Ivan Toney
Another rather unsavoury summer at St James Park has exacerbated the huge gulf between the competing visions of owner Mike Ashley and manager Rafa Benitez. For Ashley, Newcastle United appear to be little more than an advertising front for his tatty sports emporium. By contrast, Benitez believes his adoring supporters deserve more from the club than idly hoping to stay on the Premier League gravy train. There has been some business - Chelsea's pacey Brazilian winger Kenedy is back on a season-long loan while, up front, Venezuelan Salomon Rondon effectively replaces Dwight Gayle following a prolonged pursuit. Still, though, a squad which serially over-performed to finish 10th last season will have to do much the same this time around.
Prediction 13th
SOUTHAMPTON
Last season 17th FA Cup Semi finals League Cup Second round
Last major trophy FA Cup 1976 Premier League seasons 20
Manager Mark Hughes (since March 2018)
Players in Stuart Armstrong, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Angus Gunn, Jannik Verstergaard, Danny Ings*
Players out Olufela Olomola, Dusan Tadic
In hindsight, it is not as if the Southampton struggle of 2017-18 came from absolutely nowhere. True, the sharp fall to 17th did not exactly fit in with a sequence of four successive top-eight finishes in the seasons immediately prior to it - but it could easily be argued that the danger signs were already there in 2016-17 when the Saints scored a meagre 17 goals in their 19 home league games. Claude Puel paid the price for his conservative approach but his replacement Mauricio Pellegrino likewise never convinced. Eventually, Mark Hughes came in to oversee a modest improvement in form and safety - but the fundamental problems up front remain, and so it is difficult to envisage anything other than another struggle in the coming campaign as well.
Prediction 18th
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Last season 3rd FA Cup Semi finals League Cup Fourth round Champions League Last 16
Last major trophy League Cup 2008 Premier League seasons 27
Manager Mauricio Pochettino (since May 2014)
Players in None
Players out Keanan Bennetts, Anton Walkes
Other than the new stadium of course, a second child for World Cup Golden Boot winner Harry Kane has been literally the only new arrival in this part of north London this summer. And so, Kane - who, like his team, notoriously starts the season slowly - may be even slower out of the blocks if a few sleepless night at home are added to historical exertions in Russia. Spurs, indeed, had no fewer than nine players in the four national squads each of whom played at least some part of a World Cup semi final just four weeks ago. Argentine head coach Mauricio Pochettino is adamant that he is happy with his squad - but, having seen all of his rivals strengthen, one suspects he was putting on something of a brave face, especially considering he is already under pressure having failed to deliver any silverware so far in his four-year tenure.
Prediction 5th
WATFORD
Last season 14th FA Cup Fourth round League Cup Second round
Last major trophy None Premier League seasons 6
Manager Javi Gracia (since January 2018)
Players in Ben Wilmot, Gerard Deulofeu, Marc Navarro, Adam Masina, Ken Sema, Ben Foster, Domingos Quina
Players out Costel Pantilimon, Mauro Zarate, Richarlison, Nordin Amrabat, Harvey Bradbury
Just how long can Watford keep getting away with it? In Javi Gracia, the Hornets begin their fourth consecutive top flight season with a fourth different head coach at the helm. In fairness, Italian owner Gino Pozzo had little option to take action in January when Marco Silva had his head turned by Everton and form suffered - but Gracia himself took just five points out of the last 24. A similarly slow start to the new season will surely see the Spaniard become the latest victim of the Vicarage Road axe - and the muddled thinking from the top might eventually prove costly.
Prediction 17th
WEST HAM UNITED
Last season 13th FA Cup Fourth round League Cup Quarter finals
Last major trophy FA Cup 1980 Premier League seasons 23
Manager Manuel Pellegrini (since May 2018)
Players in Ryan Fredericks, Issa Diop, Lukasz Fabianski, Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko, Fabian Balbuena, Felipe Anderson, Xande Silva, Lucas Perez, Carlos Sanchez
Players out Ben Wells, Reece Burke, Cheikhou Kouyate, Domingos Quina
Owners David Gold and David Sullivan have spent good money after bad - though, let's face it, mainly bad - in a bid to elevate West Ham United above the mid-table tussle and towards the European places. But, despite pretty significant investment from the porn barons, the Hammers have had to settle for mediocre finishes of 11th and 13th in their two seasons since their controversial taxpayer-funded move to the London Olympic Stadium. Surprisingly, Gold and Sullivan have not been discouraged from digging their hands into their pockets once again this summer, and they have indeed shelled out another £100m on 10 new players. However, their best bit of business, though, appears to be the recruitment of Manuel Pellegrini as manager - the Chilean is a safer pair of hands than any of Sam Allardyce, Slaven Bilic, or David Moyes, and he fully knows the demands of the league having memorably won it with Manchester City in 2014.
Prediction 10th
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Last season 1st in Championship FA Cup Third round League Cup Fourth round
Last major trophy League Cup 1980 Premier League seasons 5
Manager Nuno Espírito Sancho (since May 2017)
Players in Benik Afobe, Willy Boly, Raul Jiminez*, Rui Patricio, Leo Bonatini, Ruben Vinagre, Paulo Alves, Joao Moutinho, Jonny Castro Otto*, Adama Traore, John Kitolano, Leander Dendoncker*, Max Kilman, Alexander Molberg*, James Pardington*
Players out Duckens Nazon, Ben Marshall, Prince Oniangue, Carl Ikeme, Barry Douglas
Wolverhampton Wanderers were convincing Championship winners last time and show no signs of just settling for consolidation in their first season back in the top flight. Big money has been spent bringing in a raft of top Portuguese players - including Joao Moutinho and Ruben Vinagre from Monaco, and Diogo Jota from Atletico Madrid. With the impressive Ruben Neves already at Molineux, the Nuno Espirito Santos revolution appears to have found another gear this summer. As such, it would be no great surprise to see the Old Gold bloody the noses of a few of the more established Premier League outfits.
Prediction 7th
Transfer notes
*refers to loan deal
Note released players and loan players not included on Players out list (unless player loaned to another Premier League team)
