The Premier League is back.
Arsenal kick off the season against newly-promoted Brentford while Manchester City take on Harry’s Kane Tottenham in the first marquee matchup of the season. The rich have gotten richer so far in the off-season, with last season’s Top 4 adding the likes of Jack Grealish, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Romelu Lukaku to their squads.
While Manchester City are still the team to beat, we could see a nail-biting title and Top 4 race in the 2021/22 campaign, and here are our Man’s Life Predictions for the new Premier League season.
CHAMPIONS – MANCHESTER CITY
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Every metric and logical conclusion points towards Manchester City retaining their Premier League crown and Pep Guardiola lifting his 4th title in five seasons. While City did have their weaknesses last season – particularly in attack – they have continued to strengthen their squad with the addition of Jack Grealish to go along with the impending arrival of Harry Kane.
TOP FOUR – CHELSEA, LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER UNITED
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For the first time in a few years, we could see a proper Premier League title race that goes down to the wire. Following their Champions League victory, Chelsea have resolved their one Achilles heel from last season with the addition of Romelu Lukaku from Inter for a club-record fee. The Blues will give City a good fight this season along with Liverpool who will benefit from the return of Van Dijk, Gomez and Jota.
While Manchester United are much improved with the inclusion of Sancho and Varane, they are the only team in the Top Four with a discernible weakness in their squad – defensive midfield.
RELEGATED – NORWICH CITY, WATFORD, BURNLEY
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The biggest problem for promoted clubs coming in from the Championship is a lack of goals, and Norwich City and Watford have done little to address that in the transfer market.
Burnley on the other hand, have been on a downward trend in recent years under Sean Dyche and finished only one place above the relegation zone last season. The Clarets have only added Nathan Collins and Wayne Hennessey to a side that finished 17th and scored only 33 goals last season, and you get the feeling that Burnley’s stay in the Premier League might get cut short at the 6-year mark.
TOP SCORER – ROMELU LUKAKU
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Romelu Lukaku returns to Stamford Bridge to complete his unfulfilled legacy at Chelsea for a club-record price tag of €115 million. Lukaku arrives in London as a reinvigorated player after scoring 34 and 30 goals in all competitions in his two seasons with Inter. The Belgian is the closest thing to the complete centre-forward in world football, and with the likes of Mount, Havertz, Werner and Ziyech supplying the Belgian, you wouldn’t put it past Lukaku to end the season as the Premier League top scorer.
Honourable Mention: Mohammed Salah (Liverpool)
SIGNING OF THE SEASON – DANNY INGS (ASTON VILLA)
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Considering the fee, value and impact the potential signing can have, Aston Villa’s signing of Danny Ings from Southampton could be one of the best deals of summer. Although Villa did spend nearly £30 million on a 29-year-old with only one year left on his contract, Ings immediately improves the first team drastically and sets them up nicely for life after Jack Grealish.
While the obvious caveat is the Englishman’s chequered injury history, Ings has scored 34 goals in the last two league seasons and is one of the most clinical finishers in the league that can help Villa challenge for Europe next season.
Honourable Mentions: Enock Mwepu (Brighton), Tino Livramento (Southampton)
BREAKOUT STAR – FERRAN TORRES (MANCHESTER CITY)
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One player who could emerge from the limelight and make a name for himself this season is Manchester City midfielder, Ferran Torres. The Spaniard took some time to adapt to the robust nature of the Premier League calendar and only started 15 league games for the Cityzens in his first year with the club.
However, Torres will have a much greater impact for City this season, and if Harry Kane doesn’t get his dream move, the 21-year-old could end up as Manchester City’s starting centre forward this season. With his unique profile, Torres is one of the few City players who can stretch defences with his pace and physicality, and it would be of no surprise to see the Spaniard score more than 15 league goals this season for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Honourable Mentions: Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), Callum Hudson Odoi (Chelsea)
[Image Credit: Manchester City]
Shivaan Shah