Premier League Predictions 23/24
Before the start of the Premier League season this Friday, which kicks off with the champions facing off against newly promoted side Burnley, we will run through our predictions. You can find our full 1-20 at the bottom of the page.
Winning the premiership, we unsurprisingly have Manchester City. This side has just come off winning the treble and signed a prospering young centre-back in Gvardiol. Despite some outgoings, there are many players who last year were shy of minutes like Foden with Grealish favoured on the left side and Dias who only played 21 games in the league. Mahrez leaving opens up an opportunity for Cole Palmer to slot into the attack on the right side. Guardiola has showcased his tactical aptitude time and time again; it will be no surprise if he does it again.
In second we have Arsenal. They managed to put up a super fight last year against Guardiola’s Man City but ultimately lost out with a poor run of form as the league came to its end. This summer they have strengthened their team and added depth across the pitch to plan another heist for the Premier League trophy. We think that they are still going to be stronger than the rest of the competition, but Man City have shown in recent years why they are worthy champions.
Man United comes in at third in our predictions. They have spent well this summer bringing in Mount, Onana and a young, relatively untested striker in Hojlund. They have addressed areas of weakness and now with Onana as their new number 1, he gives them the license to play out from the back – something De Gea was often criticised over. Fans of the Red Devils will be hoping that this can add a new dimension to their style of play, with Ten Hag bringing in Martinez, a centre-back who is also extremely confident on the ball, it is clear he is trying to implement his own style of play and philosophy at Man United. However, without a proven goal scorer across the front line par Rashford, we don’t think that they will be able to challenge for the league.
Behind them, Liverpool completes the top 4. Towards the end of last season, they got on a roll and played some of their best football that campaign. With some exciting additions to strengthen their squad this summer in Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, they seem to have added some creative flair and attacking threat. However, the worry is their midfield depth, with many outgoings over this transfer window. At current the Romeo Lavia deal is not complete, which leaves them with no defence-minded midfielder and no backup for him if he does arrive in Merseyside. There is also no cover for Trent at right back, a position Joe Gomez has filled in the past, yet he also has an issue with staying fit. They have a brilliant starting 11, but once the season gets going injuries can quickly add up and this could come back to bite Liverpool.
After what was perhaps the most disappointing season of any club ever last year, we have Chelsea entering the Europa League next season, along with Aston Villa. Chelsea spent a staggering £600m last year, went through three different managers under their new ownership and finished in…12th. Conversely, now they have Pochettino in charge, a manager who knows the league well from his spell at Tottenham and Chelsea has no European football to play, which means they can concentrate on the domestic cups and the league. They also have a lot of young talent in their ranks and might boast an entirely new frontline from last season, where their biggest issue was scoring goals. Unfortunately, Nkunku, as well as Fofana have suffered long-term injuries which means it will be a while until we see either of them embedding themselves into that first team.
Aston Villa are in at 6th! We are really excited about this Villa project, over the course of the summer window they have added a new centre-back, midfielder and winger. They already have a strong, world cup winning keeper, as well as Ollie Watkins who showed his goalscoring threat last season in the premier league and a manager with bags of experience to his name. With some other teams around them looking like they might be weaker this season Aston Villa are taking advantage of this opportunity whilst they have it. A worry for them could be whilst they play in the conference league their team tires out by the closing stages of the campaign.
The team we think will be securing Europa conference league football next season is Spurs. Harry Kane's future still hangs in the balance with strong interest from Bayern Munich who have already missed out on some of their transfer targets this summer to English clubs. Richarlison and Bissouma had weak first campaigns at the North London club last year and really need to improve this year. They have failed to score David Raya and instead settled for Vicario from Empoli who had a couple of strong seasons there behind a shaky defence to replace a Lloris whose performances last season showed he was past his best. They have made Kulusevski a permanent transfer after a year where he spent a lot of it injured and signed central defender Van de Ven in addition to James Maddison as a new creative presence which has not existed in this side since Dele Ali. Although the signings look promising, with a lack of preseason due to cancelled games and under a new manager it could take them a while to find their feet, especially if Kane leaves this close to the start of the season.
Finally, we have the bottom three who we think might get relegated. Those teams are Luton, Sheffield United and Wolves. For Luton Town to be playing in the premiership next season is an unbelievable achievement, but it might be a little too early for them and their squad who finished in 3rd in the championship last season.
Sheffield United are no stranger to playing in the Premier League, but in 2020-21 they finished last with just 23 points and this season have spent just £21 million this summer with many members of their squad being on the last year of their contract.
Lastly is Wolves, they lost their best player and their manager this transfer window. Lopetegui, who kept them afloat last season, raised concerns over their lack of spending in the summer and was not happy with the squad that he had. With that, his contract was terminated. Like Lopetegui, we too are concerned about their current squad and their lack of goals last season doesn’t look as if it will improve this year.
1. Man City
2. Arsenal
3. Man United
4. Liverpool
5. Chelsea
6. Aston Villa
7. Spurs
8. Newcastle
9. Brighton
10. Brentford
11. Crystal Palace
12. West Ham
13. Nottingham Forest
14. Everton
15. Bournemouth
16. Fulham
17. Burnley
18. Wolves
19. Luton Town
20. Sheffield United
