Tip for the top: All our sports correspondents think Pep Guardiola will lead Manchester City to the title once more   Picture: Shutterstock

 

With the 2018/19 Premier League season about to kick-off, we asked Falmouth sports reporters Joe, Morgan and Will to give us their predictions for the year ahead.

Will Luckett 

Champions: Manchester City

Title defences are always a mean feat. Pep Guardiola’s side were incredible last year, and were one of the most impressive sides I’ve seen in the Premier League. They’ve reinforced too, spending a club record £60million on Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez. It’s no secret that Pep wants a Champions League title with City, and this can stretch a side domestically. But given how dominant they were last year, I don’t see any side that can offer a truly credible threat to their title-winning credentials.

Champions League Places: Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal

Liverpool had a great season last time out, and whilst they made an impressive run to the Champions League final, they fell short at the final hurdle. But with some fantastic signings in all the right places, some key players returning from injury, and a squad bolstered by some great World Cup performances, they’re City’s biggest worry when it comes to the title.

Tottenham haven’t made a single signing in the transfer window: the first team not to do so since the advent of deadline day in 2003. However, with Pochettino at the helm, Spurs still have one of the best managers in Europe to lead them into the 18/19 season. And by retaining all of their top-level players, they could still compete with the best and are a good bet for third in what appears to be a two-team title chase at best.

Unai Emery will bring some tactical and stylistic changes to the once invincible Arsenal. And with one of the world’s deadliest strikers in Aubameyang, a new manager could be enough to push the Gunners back into the Champions League places.

Relegated Teams: Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Cardiff

Newly-promoted teams had a good time of it, but Cardiff are understandably the bookies’ favourite for relegation. People weren’t sure how they managed to remain in the automatic promotion positions last year. I just don’t see how they stay up.

Huddersfield have got a manager I love in David Wagner, and whilst they’ve spent a fair amount, I’m struggling to see how their squad competes with those teams around them.

Bournemouth: the little team that could, or in this case couldn’t. I’ve loved Eddie Howe’s efforts since bringing the Cherries into the big time, but last season showed some major flaws in their side. With a less than secure back line, a midfield that lacks any real star quality, and a frontline made up of three mostly sporadic strikers. Jefferson Lerma and David Brooks might offer some solace for the south coast unit in midfield, but I think this year might spell the end of Bournemouth’s Premier League dream.

Surprise Performers: Wolves and Fulham

Both clubs have not-so-distant memories of Premier League weekends, but the landscape of the division has changed since they left, and they have worked to recognise this. Both clubs spent well this summer, Wolves managing to bolster their squad with a cache of Portuguese players under the stewardship of Mino Raiola, whereas Fulham spent in all areas, reinforcing their entire squad. I’d be surprised to see these sides in a relegation battle.

Top Scorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)

The Gabonese striker joined the North London unit for the final six months of Arsene Wenger’s reign. He had time to settle in and get a flavour for the English game. He’ll be raring to get started after missing out on World Cup football, and is likely to be a focal point of Unai Emery’s new Arsenal set-up. He could be the player to drag Arsenal back into Champions League football.

Full Table:

  1. Manchester City
  2. Liverpool
  3. Tottenham
  4. Arsenal
  5. Manchester United
  6. Chelsea
  7. Everton
  8. West Ham
  9. Wolves
  10. Leicester
  11. Fulham
  12. Burnley
  13. Watford
  14. Crystal Palace
  15. Southampton
  16. Newcastle
  17. Brighton
  18. Bournemouth
  19. Huddersfield
  20. Cardiff

 

Morgan Sheppard

Champions: Manchester City

It has not been easy to dominate the Premier League in recent years, perhaps one of the reasons why many consider it ‘the best league in the world’. However, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side could change that trend. The 100-point outfit have only strengthened further this summer with the addition of Riyad Mahrez, whilst the competition within the squad is thriving and the mood in thecamp seems to reflect a real sign of togetherness. Will be hard to knock them off top spot.

Champions League Places: Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester United

Jurgen Klopp has arguably had the best transfer window out of any manager in the Premier League this summer. Important positions have been filled that could see his Liverpool side compete for the illustrious trophy, but I think their title challenge will fall just short to a very good Manchester City side.

Spurs recently became the first team not to sign a single player since the introduction of the transfer window in 2003. ‘Poch’ knows what he’s up to though and with some top players at his disposal, there should be no reason why they shouldn’t cement a top four position once again.

Mourinho enters his third season as the Manchester United boss and if history is anything to go by, the third-year curse looms over the red side of Manchester. The Portuguese coach has already played down his side’s chances this campaign and I would not be surprised if the position is vacant before the season comes to a close. The squad is still too strong to fall outside the top four in my opinion and are better placed than Arsenal and Chelsea – both have new managers and will take time to transfer their tactics into English football.

Relegated Teams: Brighton, Huddersfield and Cardiff

Cardiff have been written off by everyone heading into this year’s Premier League. Could the Welsh outfit prove everyone wrong? Potentially, but not with Neil Warnock at the helm.

Both Huddersfield and Brighton did well to avoid relegation last time round. Can they do it a second year running? Besides Cardiff, the teams that come up have invested well and will compete in the top tier. I struggle to see where the goals will come from for both The Seagulls and The Terriers, which could see them fall to the Championship come May.

Surprise Performers: Wolves and West Ham

Wolves have bought just about every available Portuguese player this summer (apart from Ronaldo, of course) and look very strong coming into the campaign. Add the buzz of promotion as champions and you have a side that with the current shape of the Prem, could easily secure a top-half finish.

West Ham enter a new era under former Premier League winner Manuel Pellegrini and have made some impressive signings that have bolstered their squad massively. The Hammers also have in-form Austrian forward Marko Arnautovic leading the line and he has been on fire in pre-season.

Top Scorer: Harry Kane

I just can’t see anyone else. Even if the World Cup golden boot winner doesn’t return for the start of this campaign or doesn’t score in August again, there is plenty of time to still bag a hatful. I expect Salah and Aubameyang to run him close, but can’t help but think the Egyptian will find it hard to replicate his form of last season.

Full Table:

  1. Manchester City
  2. Liverpool
  3. Tottenham
  4. Manchester United
  5. Arsenal
  6. Chelsea
  7. Everton
  8. West Ham
  9. Wolves
  10. Leicester
  11. Burnley
  12. Crystal Palace
  13. Southampton
  14. Bournemouth
  15. Newcastle
  16. Fulham
  17. Watford
  18. Brighton
  19. Huddersfield
  20. Cardiff

Joseph Macey

Champions: Manchester City

Manchester City have had a fairly quiet transfer window and there wasn’t much that needed to be added to their record-breaking side of 17/18. The club record transfer of Riyad Mahrez for £60 million was inevitable and gives them another option going forward as Mahrez can slot in anywhere across the front line. I believe that this is a period of domination by City and although it will be a closer title race than last year I still think they will come out on top.

Champions League: Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal

Liverpool had a superb season last year and it will be hard to replicate that form but they have strengthened even further with the signings of Naby Keita and Fabinho whilst also solving their goalkeeper worries with the transfer of Alisson Becker. If their key players are kept fit and Mohamed Salah can carry on his fantastic form from last season then they will push City all the way.

Tottenham are the first team since the summer transfer window was introduced in 2003 not to sign any players – building a new stadium does cost a lot of money. However, that same group from last year has been kept together and with a number of Spurs players putting in good World Cup performances expect them to be up there. Mauricio Pochettino is still without a trophy at Tottenham and the Premier League will be out of their reach this year so they will have to look at other means of winning a trophy, with the FA Cup or Carabao Cup looking more likely than the league title.

For the first time in 22 years Arsenal fans have something to be optimistic about as Arsene Wenger left his post at the end of the season and was replaced by Unai Emery. Emery brings a new energy to training sessions and matches, he has brought an overhaul in backroom staff and new transfers have come through the door, strengthening the spine of the team. There have been promising signs during pre-season and the squad looks rejuvenated. A new manager with a fresh approach will see Arsenal push their way back into the Champions League places.

Relegated: Crystal Palace, Watford and Cardiff

Crystal Palace struggled last year and did get over the line with some impressive performances to drag themselves up the table. Roy Hodgson has said himself this season is going to be difficult and with a lack of funds for transfers, whilst everyone around them is spending money and improving their squads, they could find themselves facing relegation.

You question how Watford have survived in the Premier League for so long.  The constant overhaul of managers can’t be healthy for the club and they now have a fairly unknown figure in Javi Garcia at the helm. The Hornets lost Richarlison to Everton but haven’t got the chance to reinvest the £50 million fee. They have not made any marquee signings and I think this will be the year they get found out.

Cardiff are the bookies’ favourites to go down and a lot of people have questioned how they even got promoted. I think the quality of players in the Premier League will be too much for them and they could be one of the first teams to go.

Surprise performer: Brighton

Brighton did okay in their first season in the Premier League and your second season is always your defining one. The Seagulls have spent close to £60 million in the summer transfer window with some impressive players coming through the door. Alireza Jahanbaksh was top scorer in the Eredivisie last year with 21 goals; adding him to the decent squad they already have. I think they will surprise a few people.

Top scorer: Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang

A deadline day signing last year as Arsenal forked out £54 million for the Gabon striker and he immediately repaid some of that fee with ten goals in 13 games. Gabon didn’t make it to the World Cup so Aubameyang has a full pre season behind him, he scored a hat trick in his first pre season game and finished off with a goal in the final pre season game against Lazio. If he is kept at full fitness throughout the season he could run away with the top scorer award.

Full Table:

  1. Manchester City
  2. Liverpool
  3. Tottenham Hotspur
  4. Arsenal
  5. Manchester United
  6. Chelsea
  7. West Ham
  8. Leicester
  9. Brighton
  10. Bournemouth
  11. Everton
  12. Southampton
  13. Wolves
  14. Fulham
  15. Burnley
  16. Newcastle
  17. Huddersfield
  18. Crystal Palace
  19. Watford
  20. Cardiff