Premier League Prediction

Sunderland return to the Premier League for the first time since the 16/17 season. Don’t expect them to stick around for another 10 years. They lost Baby Bellingham, they’ve spent a decent chunk of that windfall bringing in Habib Diarra from Ligue 1 surprise package and Chelsea feeder club, Strasbourg. Then a bit more of it on Simon Adringa from extremely well run, Chelsea feeder club, Brighton and Hove Albion.

Simply, they don’t have enough to compete at the sharp end of the pyramid. They’re going straight back down. They won’t flirt with Derby County’s 11 point record low (like Southampton did this season past) but expect to see them trying to play spoiler by March.

Scott Parker is Championship royalty. He’s the perfect human embodiment of the need for a level between the Championship and the Premier League. I hope he’s got that CV up to date and is working LinkedIn as he’ll be looking for his next job by December.

They signed the shriveled husk of Kyle Walker, fresh off the Cobham Production Line Bashir Humphreys. They’ve been frugal with their investments. They know they will be receiving that lovely parachute payment come the end of the season.

The smart money is on Leeds in 18th, making another year where the 3 promoted clubs are immediately sent back down. Such is the financial might of the Premier League. I just don’t see where the goals are going to come from in this Wolves squad now that talismanic playmaker Cunha has gone to Manchester United. Hwang and Strand-Larssen are fan favorites but not what you could call prolific.

I think there’s every possibility Vitor has his heard turned for greener pastures midseason, sending Wolves tumbling from mid-table mediocrity to relegation fodder.

They have recruited smartly. Upgrading on the error prone Messlier, bringing in Lucas Perri from Lyon to shore up the back.

Going against them is Daniel Farke’s Premier League career, though the sample size is not what you’d call large. Much like Scott Parker, Farke is far too good for the Championship and out of his depth in the Premier League. Only the collapse of Wolves keeps Leeds up this season.

What a season they just had! Iraola is the real deal isn’t he. Which should be worrying for fans of the south coast club. With the Cherries brass seemingly intent on selling every asset they have at the club, and a European campaign to contend with this could a long hard season.

Bournemouth are far too good to go down. They will struggle to reach the lofty heights of 24/25.

Thomas Frank. Brian Mbuemo. Yoane Wissa (most likely). Out. Jordan Henderson: In. On paper that sounds like Bees fan’s sleep paralysis demon.

Brentford are a well run outfit. They will strengthen further while staying within their appropriate spend. They shouldn’t have any real worry staying up this season. They have placed a large amount of faith on their former set piece coach. Giving the reins to Keith Andrews on a 3 year contract shows they believe he’s got the sauce they need to solidify their place as a Premier League regular. They need to be right or things could get sketchy.

Ultimately, the bottom three will be far adrift as they were last season. I can only really see 4 teams with even a remote possibility of going down. Brentford is not one of them, yet.

New Year. New Season. New Airplane toilet lid Stadium. Same David Moyes. Same Everton.

Everton are safe in the league. Look for them to make a deep run in the League Cup in an attempt to bring a shiny new trophy to their new home.

Honestly, there’s nothing to pick between any of these clubs. All have some lovely upside and potential to be the league’s surprise package. Yet, I think all three will flatter to deceive ultimately. Put them in any order you see fit here. Or pick them from a hat if that floats your boat.

Of course, Crystal Palace will finish 12th won’t they. It’s Palace…

European nights are back at The City Grounds. Which is lovely to say. Though I expect they will take their toll on the Trees. In spite of signing Terracotta Army worth of players since promotion they feel incredibly thin. They’ve lost Elanga, and could still lose Gibbs-White (that new contract is just a means to get rid of the release clause, isn’t it?) before the window slams shut.

In a way they are in the same situation as Bournemouth. I put Forest higher because of their defensive resiliency, and they’ve not lost as many impactful players as Bournemouth.

If Palace wins their appeal and Forest drop back down to the Conference League, don’t be surprised to see them lifting another European trophy.

Emi Martinez is still living off THAT save, and he still wants to leave. Nobody is buying at the moment but you can’t rule out him heading out the door before the window slams shut. Morgan Rodgers may still go though that seems less likely day by day. Ollie Watkins looks to be saying now that Arsenal have landed Gyokeres and United picked up Sesko.

I like Unai Emery. He’s done a fantastic job at Villa. He will always have a competitive team, but truth is he’s more of a Cups manager. He’s built for knockout football. With very little of that on offer for the Villains, they might list from game to game.

Thomas Frank is going to get his chance with a *Big Club. Spurs are far better, on paper, than their 17th place finish last term. All due respect to Ange for ended their wait for a trophy, it was clear that is where his priority was. They downed tools in the league by early January and put all their eggs in the Europa League basket. Fair play, it worked out for them and they will play UCL next term.

Their squad is not deep enough to compete at the sharp end of the table as well as the UCL and domestic cups. With Maddison out injured long term, and Son gone to LAFC Spurs will struggle for a creative spark. The good news is Solanke should thrive in Frank’s counter attacking set up. Just as he did in his last season for Bournemouth.

Manchester United are sniffing around the latest CDM gem Brighton have unearthed. Brighton want Caicedo money for Baleba so I think he stays. Fabian Hurzeler has the team purring in pre-season. Yes, it is pre-season I know. But the Seagulls look ready to fly.

Brighton look to have recruited smartly, as they are want to do. Sold well, as they are want to do. European nights return to the Amex next season. I can see them lifting the League cup as well. They won’t want to let their bitter rivals, Palace, hold that trophy over their heads for long.

Amorim is a very good coach. United were historically (for them) poor last season. That won’t continue. An opening day victory over *Title Challengers Arsenal will kick the season off well.

Sesko is a smart signing. He doesn’t solve all United’s problems but he will finish the chances that come his way. Something you can not say about the striking options last term. What remains to be seen, can they keep enough goals out at the other end to really compete. A comfortable 6th, a return to Europa, but won’t get near a true title challenge.

Isak wants to leave. Claims he won’t play again for the club. Look from him to sign a contract extension with an acceptable release clause (to leave in the summer) and return to action after the first international break.

Eddie Howe knows how to work without signings. He will keep the magpies in the fight.

They’ve had their chances. Regression is imminent. Saka will get injured, Odegaard will continue to flatter to deceive, Gyokeres will score a few, and the Gooners will continue to complain about everything and cry conspiracy at every marginal decision.

Mostly the teams around them have gotten better quicker than Arsenal has improved. They are at the height of their powers and Gyokeres doesn’t get them over the line.

Second season for Slot won’t be as successful as the first. It’s an extremely hard act to follow, let’s be clear. Liverpool walked the title last season. A recovered Manchester City, a maturing Chelsea, and lack of historically bad Manchester United and Tottenham will change the fortunes for Liverpool.

Another year older and another year wiser. The youngest team in the division started to gel under Maresca. Only a December/January swoon kept them from being in the title race.

They’ve matured. Maresca has matured. He won’t be down playing their chances this season. The momentum from the trophy wins will carry them into this season knowing they have it within them to win the whole thing. They won’t. But they will push the entire way.

Simple as—you can’t keep Pep down. Rodri will be back. They’ve strengthened in the holes that were brutally exposed last season. It’ll be a scrape all the way to the end. City just has the nous and the ‘been there done that’ to get across the line in first.

Keep the conversation in the comments. Drop your predictions, I’d love to read them all.