With the start of the new Premier League season just a matter of days away, we are back with our comprehensive, albeit slightly unreliable, predictions for 2023/24!
The campaign kicks off on Friday night as Vincent Kompany’s newly-promoted Burnley host his former team Man City at Turf Moor.
We will be made to wait until Sunday to see the Reds back in action as they travel to Stamford Bridge for a tricky opener against Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea.
As always, there is plenty up for grabs in all parts of the table as clubs look to avoid the drop, challenge for Europe and make an assault on the title.
Here, the This Is Anfield writers attempt to not make fools of themselves with their Premier League predictions for the new season!
Matt Ladson
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Arsenal
3. Liverpool
4. Man United
Relegated: Crystal Palace, Sheff United, Luton
First manager to be sacked: Whoever Sheffield United‘s is!
Surprise team: Villa. If them doing well is surprising? Emery is a good manager.
Best new signing: Can I say Mac Allister for us? Rice will do well at Arsenal.
Worst new signing: Tonali at Newcastle, or Havertz at Arsenal.
Henry Jackson
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Man United
Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Bournemouth
First manager to be sacked: Julen Lopetegui
Surprise team: Newcastle will do worse than many think because of more pressure to do well, and Champions League minutes in the legs.
Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister
Worst new signing: Andre Onana, I hope!
Chris McLoughlin
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Manchester United
Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Wolves
First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper
Surprise team: Aston Villa. The momentum they built under Unai Emery last season reminded me of Leicseter in the half-season before they won the league. Pau Torres is a great signing and they’ve not lost any key players – I’m predicting a surprise top-four challenge that falls just short.
Best new signing: Difficult to say with the transfer window still being open but at the moment I’d say Alexis Mac Allister is a hugely significant signing for the Reds and Romeo Beckham will put Brentford in contention…for the front page of OK, Hello, Tatler…
Worst new signing: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle). Eddie Howe has already had to deny reports that the most expensive Italian of all didn’t want to join Newcastle. That’s a red flag and how many Italian central midfielders have been a success in the Premier League since Roberto di Matteo and that fella at Derby County anyway?
David Lynch
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea
Relegated: Sheffield United, Luton, Nottingham Forest
First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper
Surprise team: Burnley – they’re not like they used to be!
Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister. That fee is going to look utterly ludicrous by the end of his debut season at Anfield.
Worst new signing: Kai Havertz. I just really don’t see it and never have. If he shines at Arsenal, I’ll have to hold my hands up and say I’ve been proven completely wrong.
Joanna Durkan
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Man United
Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Forest
First manager to be sacked: Not short on options here but I’m going to say Andoni Iraola.
Surprise team: I think both Newcastle and Fulham will drop off considerably from their respective successes last season.
Best new signing: That honour I feel will go to Alexis Mac Allister
Worst new signing: I’m torn between Sandro Tonali and Andre Onana
Harry McMullen
Top four:
1. Arsenal
2. Manchester City
3. Liverpool
4. Manchester United
Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Wolves
First manager to be sacked: David Moyes. Should have left on a high note after the Europa Conference League.
Surprise team: Fulham. I was really impressed with how they overachieved last season, but they were due a dip unless they evolved. They look like they’ve actually regressed with the window they’ve had so far, and they’re more likely to stave off relegation than challenge for Europe again.
Best new signing: It really could be Mac Allister or Dominik Szoboszlai, but I’ll vary it up and say Declan Rice. It’s scary how much more he can improve given how good he already is, and he’s in the perfect place to develop his game. It takes a lot to beat this City team as we know, but with Rice on board Arsenal could do it.
Worst new signing: Sandro Tonali. I rate him and he’ll probably perform well himself, but I’m not convinced he makes Newcastle better. He’s an upgrade on what they have, but he doesn’t evolve their playstyle at all. In fact, signing him means Bruno Guimaraes will have to stay in his holding role for another season, so in a way it actually holds Newcastle back. 70m for such a player – who doesn’t look happy to be there at all – is an uncharacteristically short-sighted move for them.
Steven Scragg
Top four:
1. Liverpool
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
Relegated: Luton, Nottingham Forest, and Fulham
First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper
Surprise team: Burnley to be this season’s Fulham
Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister
Worst new signing: Andre Onana
Aaron Cutler
Top four:
1. Manchester City
2. Chelsea
3. Arsenal
4. Man United
Relegated: Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Luton
First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper
Surprise team: I think a lot of people are underestimating Chelsea, or more to the point Pochettino. Without the distraction of European football I think they’ll have a solid season and be the closet challengers to City, albeit second by a distance.
Best new signing: Christopher Nkunku
Worst new signing: Sandro Tonali
Adam Beattie
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Man United
4. Chelsea
Relegated: Crystal Palace, Everton (I’m manifesting it), Sheffield United
First manager to be sacked: David Moyes
Surprise team: Brentford
Best new signing: I think it could end up being Josko Gvardiol, annoyingly.
Worst new signing: Rasmus Hojlund
Sam Millne
Top four:
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Man United
Relegated: Nottinghamm Forest, Fulham, Bournemouth
First manager to be sacked: Paul Heckingbottom
Surprise team: Luton
Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister
Worst new signing: Mason Mount
