Daily Star Premier League predictions — including a Liverpool bottom-half finish

  • Bookmark

    • For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter

    Thank you for subscribing!

    For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter

    We have more newsletters

    The new Premier League season is upon us, and that can only mean it's time for the Daily Star writers to guide you in completely the wrong direction for the 10 months ahead.

    Our collections of savvy scribes have put their thinking caps on to answer the most important questions ahead of the new campaign, including the title winner, relegation favourites and top scorer. Spoiler: At least one person has already had to change their first boss sacked prediction (thanks Wolves).

    Harry Pratt and Nick Murphy came out on top last year, each guessing five correct answers. How will the motley crew get on this time around? Read on to find out (and don't quote us on these next May).

    ALEX WOOD

    Premier League winner: Arsenal

    Champions League spots: Manchester City, Newcastle, Liverpool

    Surprise package: Burnley

    Relegated: Everton, Luton, Wolves

    Player of the season: Declan Rice

    Young breakthrough talent: Cole Palmer

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Real Madrid

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Man City

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Sheffield United to survive the drop. The odds are stacked against them, but there are plenty of teams in trouble this season

    Mikel Arteta will be hurting from last season. However, the Arsenal chief has already proved he's not messing around with a host of big-money buys. Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber add fresh quality to a squad that lacked depth in the previous campaign's final run in. City possess a generational talent in Erling Haaland – although an injury to the big Norwegian could massively upset the apple cart. At the bottom end of the table, Luton will struggle to cope with the rigours of top-flight football. But expect the odd upset at Kenilworth Road – the Hatters' wonderfully ramshackle home since 1905. Both Everton and Wolves have major financial constraints. The Toffees stayed up by the skin of their teeth a few months ago and ‘DycheBall' is a dying style of play. Wolves, meanwhile, have turned to Gary O’Neil, who wasn’t deemed good enough by Bournemouth bigwigs.

    Chris McKenna

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool

    Surprise package: Nottingham Forest

    Relegated: Bournemouth, Luton, Sheffield United

    Player of the season: Rodri

    Young breakthrough talent: Kobbie Mainoo

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Real Madrid

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Chelsea

    First manager sacked: Andoni Iraola

    Bold/outrageous claim: Everton to somehow survive the drop again.

    Manchester City look set to get four in a row in the Premier League but their neighbours will be their closest rivals this season which may anger some Arsenal fans who are getting giddy after a Community Shield win over the defending champions. Still think the Gunners will be good but with the Champions League to contend with they may get distracted while Liverpool will definitely improve on last season – it would be difficult to be worse. Real Madrid can conquer Europe again now they’ve brought in Jude Bellingham while the domestic cups will be staying in London. Sheffield United are set to be the whipping boys, Luton will go down once they lose their new season bounce and Bournemouth may follow with Everton staying up again. Just.

    Josh Peck

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United

    Surprise package: Fulham

    Relegated: Luton, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United

    Player of the season: Kevin De Bruyne

    Young breakthrough talent: Rasmus Hojlund (he is only 20…)

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Manchester City

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Manchester City

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Phil Jones to sign somewhere and have a redemption season.

    Even if Manchester City aren't at their sparkling best, they're still too much for the Premier League. And it's hard to see anyone beating them in Europe either. Arsenal will back up last season by edging Liverpool to second, while Manchester United will just pip Newcastle to the top four. Chelsea to finish in the top seven. Luton will take a big scalp at home, but ultimately struggle in their first season in the Prem. Vincent Kompany to have the nous to keep Burnley up. And it's Viva Phil Jones, should he eventually find a new club…

    Fasika Zelealam

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United

    Surprise package: Brentford

    Relegated: Sheffield United, Luton Town, Nottingham Forest

    Player of the season: Bukayo Saka

    Young breakthrough talent: Julio Enciso

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Liverpool

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Newcastle United

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Pep leaves City at the end of the season should they win the league

    The exits of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez won’t stop Manchester City from claiming a third Premier League title in a row with Arsenal once again pushing them close this season. Despite a promising start to the transfer window for Liverpool, a return to title contention will have to wait due to a lack of defensive reinforcements (at this time of writing) with the gap between them and the likes of City and Arsenal continuing to grow. The ‘Top 6’ will once again have major competition with Aston Villa, Brighton and Newcastle looking to break up the pack as Luton Town and Sheffield United will suffer a swift return to the Championship.

    Will Schofield

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle

    Surprise package: Brentford

    Relegated: Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Luton Town

    Player of the season: Erling Haaland

    Young breakthrough talent: Evan Ferguson

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Manchester City

    FA Cup winner: Manchester United

    Carabao Cup winner: Newcastle

    First manager sacked: Paul Heckingbottom

    Bold/outrageous claim: Liverpool to finish in the bottom half of the table

    ‌Manchester City haven't been as active as some might have expected this summer – but they've strengthened where it matters. Ilkay Gundogan will be a big miss, but it won't be enough to open the doors for other teams to compete in the Premier League or in Europe. At the other end of the table, Liverpool's rebuild has completely fallen flat on its face. Jurgen Klopp's side looked thin on the ground last season, and despite a promising start to the window, at the time of writing, Liverpool have signed just two players. On top of that, Klopp has just one defensive midfielder in his ranks: 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic. Sheffield United and Luton Town will both struggle in the big time – but fear not, Derby County's record will stay intact.

    Tom Sunderland

    Premier League winner: Arsenal

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, City, Liverpool, United

    Surprise package: Villa (win Conference League)

    Relegated: Sheff Utd, Wolves, Luton

    Player of the season: Declan Rice

    Young breakthrough talent: James Milner or Julio Enciso

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Real Madrid

    FA Cup winner: Man City

    Carabao Cup winner: Liverpool

    First manager sacked: David Moyes

    Bold/outrageous claim: Sheffield United will be the first team mathematically relegated with Allardyce at the helm. Real Madrid treble (not that outrageous)

    Despite the blinkered vision of some [cough], City are on the other side of a crest and will struggle to maintain the same usual consistency throughout this term. Exits of Mahrez and Gundogan will hurt, while some of those linked with departures but not left yet won’t offer the same standards if they remain. Arsenal’s gamble to invest heavily will pay off, and the holes they’ve filled will see them go one better. Pochettino will improve matters at Stamford Bridge (how could he not?), but Boehly has treated this summer too much like free agency in U.S. sport, and too much change will cost them. That being said, Nkunku will shine like a pre-Covid Raheem Sterling when fit Aston Villa will make it back-to-back Claret and Blue winners in the Conference League, with Unai Emery adding yet another ‘Europa’ credit to his list. Youri Tielemans will be given the key to Birmingham and go down as best-value signing of the season. As for Europe, Jude Bellingham will win it all in his Real debut, with Carlo Ancelotti officially adopting him at the end of the season.

    Harry Brent

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea

    Surprise package: Tottenham

    Relegated: Nottingham Forest, Luton, Sheffield United

    Player of the season: Erling Haaland

    Young breakthrough talent: Andrey Santos/Evan Ferguson

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Man City

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Liverpool

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Todd Boehly's critics will eat their words by Christmas

    Manchester City are too strong not to claim a fourth-successive title, particularly with so many question marks hanging over the rest of the big boys. I can't see anyone outscoring Erling Haaland, especially if Harry Kane joins Bayern Munich, though I suspect his goal tally won't be as high as it was last season. Teams are working out how to nullify him – but he’s far too good a goalscorer (and in far too strong a team) to be stopped completely.

    Picking the rest of the top four is almost guesswork. There are six or seven teams below City good enough to play Champions League football and I think it'll come down to which teams avoid injuries and build the longest pockets of momentum. I wouldn't be too surprised if the gap between third and sixth is in single figures come May.

    Ange Postecoglou will be a breath of fresh air for Tottenham after four years of dismally negative football, and while they haven't had the strongest transfer window (at the time of writing) I think he could surprise a few people this season, as, I suspect, will Todd Boehly following a promising summer for Chelsea who have bought shrewdly (check out Andrey Santos when you can), sold intelligently, and now have the right man at the helm to steer the battered ship away from the rocks.

    Neil Docking

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United

    Surprise package: Bournemouth

    Relegated: Wolves, Sheffield United, Luton

    Player of the season: Trent Alexander-Arnold

    Young breakthrough talent: Carney Chukwuemeka

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Manchester City

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Manchester City

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Alexander-Arnold to equal the record of 20 assists in a Premier League season

    Manchester City have the best team, the best manager and colossal financial resources, so should win the league every year and invariably do. The only side capable of pushing them all the way in the Pep Guardiola era has been Liverpool – collapsing in the final furlong like Arsenal did last year doesn’t count. Having finally begun to address the midfield issues behind their defensive and attacking problems last year, Jurgen Klopp’s side should again put up a proper challenge, but ultimately fall short. At the other end of the table, I fear Wolves may struggle. They have lost both quality and big characters in Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez, and look short of goals.

    Mark Whiley

    Premier League winner: Man City

    Champions League spots: Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle

    Surprise package: Aston Villa

    Relegated: Wolves, Luton, Sheffield United

    Player of the season: Bukayo Saka

    Young breakthrough talent: Jacob Ramsey

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Man City

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Liverpool

    First manager sacked: Julen Lopetegui (winner!)

    Bold/outrageous claim: Pep to walk away at the end of the season

    Man City will boringly waltz to another title so let’s move on. Liverpool will be their nearest challengers after a decent end to last season and some astute looking signings this summer, but I doubt it will be close. Manchester United’s ‘progress’ under Erik ten Hag has been completely overhyped. They’re little better than under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and I can see them missing out on the top four unless they get a top quality striker in. Cue more protests against the Glazers, who look like they’re going to cling onto power. Basically another Groundhog Day season at Old Trafford. Newcastle and Arsenal will be strong again. Chelsea remain a basket-case club but can’t be any worse than last season and will probably nick a Europa League spot. Villa could mount a challenge for the top four.

    Rhys Daly

    Premier League winner: Arsenal

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea

    Surprise package: Burnley

    Relegated: Everton, Luton, Sheffield United

    Player of the season: Bukayo Saka

    Young breakthrough talent: Luke Harris

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Real Madrid

    FA Cup winner: Chelsea

    Carabao Cup winner: Man City

    First manager sacked: Sean Dyche

    Bold/outrageous claim: Arsenal to win the title, Newcastle reach CL semi-final

    It's Arsenal's time to stop Manchester City after running them close until the latter stages of last season, City to hit a wall after doing the Treble. Man Utd will have enough to finish third again with Chelsea sneaking in thanks to the improvement of their young stars under Mauricio Pochettino. Everton to slip down to the Championship in another rotten campaign, Luton to climb above Sheffield United towards the end of the season as both drop. Newcastle will also do well in Europe if they get a reasonable draw, but slip down the Premier League table in the process.

    Jack Staplehurst

    Premier League winner: Man City

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool

    Surprise package: Aston Villa

    Relegated: Wolves, Luton, Sheffield United

    Player of the season: Erling Haaland

    Young breakthrough talent: Divin Mubama

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Man City

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Man City

    First manager sacked: David Moyes

    Bold/outrageous claim: Premier League teams will win all three European trophies. The most likely being Man City for UCL, Liverpool for EL, and Aston Villa for CL.

    Erling Haaland has bulked up over the summer and is even more of a monster than before. He’ll have Premier League experience in his locker now, a year of working under Pep Guardiola. Get ready for more broken records from him and City. Aston Villa have spent very wisely and could be the most likely to break into the top six fold under Emery (with Newcastle having replaced Spurs already). Plenty of teams could struggle, notably West Ham, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Everton, Wolves… another big name could drop alongside the two underdogs from the Championship.

    Premier League winner: Man City

    Champions League spots: Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal

    Surprise package: Burnley

    Relegated: Sheffield United, Luton Town, Bournemouth

    Player of the season: Jack Grealish

    Young breakthrough talent: Cole Palmer

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Man City

    Carabao Cup winner: Man City

    First manager sacked: Paul Heckingbottom

    Bold/outrageous claim: Man City to win the quadruple. Sheffield United to narrowly avoid taking Derby County's lowest points total.

    You thought Man City were good last season? Just you wait to see what is coming next. Domestically, there is nobody who will be able to compete with them, even after the losses of Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan. City were average for the first half of last season and are still on an upwards trajectory. Liverpool will the best of the rest – even with their midfield issues to sort out – after a deeply disappointing year last season. On the other end of the spectrum, it could be one of the worst seasons in history for Sheffield United. They have refused to invest the finances that is required and have lost some of their best players. They will be the whipping boys.

    Kasra Moradi

    Premier League winner: Man City

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea

    Surprise package: Aston Villa

    Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest

    Player of the season: Erling Haaland

    Young breakthrough talent: Rico Lewis

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Man City

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Aston Villa

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Tottenham will finish in the bottom half of the table

    Arsenal’s extra depth this season will prove crucial in the FA Cup, where they will extend their record to 15 wins. But Man City’s star power in Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland will give them the edge in head-to-head clashes against the Gunners to win the league by the narrowest of margins. Liverpool’s lack of depth means they fail to land top four while an inexperienced Chelsea side could take the league by surprise. Tottenham will be the let downs, with a new manager, a disgruntled talisman and only one impressive transfer in James Maddison being a recipe for disaster. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa could surprise every one in cup competitions.

    Patrick Austen-Hardy

    Premier League winner: Chelsea

    Champions League spots: Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, Man Utd

    Surprise package: Luton Town

    Relegated: Everton, Sheffield United, Burnley

    Player of the season: Christopher Nkunku

    Young breakthrough talent: Andrey Santos

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Manchester City

    FA Cup winner: Tottenham Hotspur

    Carabao Cup winner: Manchester City

    First manager sacked: David Moyes

    Bold/outrageous claim: Chelsea winning the Premier League

    Yes, it’s a bold prediction but Chelsea have looked impressive in pre-season, and I am backing Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson to hit the ground running in devastating fashion. Everyone is writing Luton Town off, but I believe they could surprise everybody in the way Brentford did in their first season, while Burnley and Sheffield United bobble back down, Everton’s luck will run out ,City will dominate Europe and claim their almost customary League Cup title, while Ange Postecoglou will finally break Tottenham’s trophyless run. With no Declan Rice and a Europa League campaign, I think West Ham may struggle, while Newcastle United and Eddie Howe may also have teething problems balancing domestic and Champions League football.

    Dan Burnham

    Premier League winner: Manchester City

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea

    Surprise package: Crystal Palace

    Relegated: Sheffield United, Luton, Nottingham Forest

    Player of the season: Erling Haaland

    Young breakthrough talent: Cole Palmer

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Real Madrid

    FA Cup winner: Arsenal

    Carabao Cup winner: Manchester City

    First manager sacked: Steve Cooper

    Bold/outrageous claim: Jurgen Klopp to leave Liverpool and take charge of Germany at Euro 2024

    No one will be able to stop Manchester City cruising to a record-breaking fourth title in a row – unless Erling Haaland is sidelined for a significant spell. Nottingham Forest will suffer with second season syndrome while Crystal Palace will motor along nicely under Roy Hodgson, despite Wilfried Zaha’s exit. Arsenal are due their FA Cup triumph which seems to happen every four years. And Liverpool’s defensive woes, which they’ve failed to address in the transfer market, will cost them a top four spot with Mauricio Pochettino getting a tune out of his refined Chelsea side.

    Nick Murphy

    Premier League winner: Man City

    Champions League spots: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea

    Surprise package: Aston Villa

    Relegated: Wolves, Sheffield United, Luton

    Player of the season: Jack Grealish

    Young breakthrough talent: Simon Adingra

    Top goalscorer: Erling Haaland

    Champions League winner: Real Madrid

    FA Cup winner: Aston Villa

    Carabao Cup winner: Man City

    First manager sacked: Gary O’Neil

    Bold/outrageous claim: Newcastle will reach at least the quarter-finals of the Champions League

    It's Manchester City's world and we're all just living in it, or at least until Pep Guardiola decides to up sticks, that is. Unfortunately, it looks like another season of Sky Blue domination in the Premier League, even if one or two of the challengers will run them closer than previous years. They could meet their match in a rejuvenated Real Madrid in Europe, though, while Aston Villa should continue their impressive progress under Unai Emery. Luton won't be as bad as some people seem to think, although it could be a long, hard season for Wolves, who could end up going through three managers.

    • Premier League
    • Manchester United FC
    • Manchester City FC
    • Chelsea FC
    • Liverpool FC
    • Tottenham Hotspur FC
    • Arsenal FC
    • West Ham FC
    • Newcastle United FC
    • Wolves FC
    • Luton Town FC
    • Sheffield United FC
    • Aston Villa FC
    • Everton FC
    • Crystal Palace FC
    • Bournemouth FC
    • Brentford FC
    • Brighton Hove Albion FC
    • Burnley FC
    • Fulham FC
    • Nottingham Forest FC

    Source: Read Full Article