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With the 2023-24 season of the Premier League just over a month away, the competition's big names have already begun their preparations. The likes of Arsenal and Manchester United have work to do ahead of the new season and have already made progress on their pre-season tours.
Manchester City were a dominant force both in the Premier League and in Europe last season and cemented their place in football history with a brilliant treble. Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish thrived under Pep Guardiola last season and will look to replicate their feats next season.
Aston Villa and Newcastle pulled off massive surprises last season and are well-placed to punch above their weight in the coming months. Chelsea and West Ham, on the other hand, weren't able to meet expectations and have their work cut out for them this year.
Burnley, Luton Town, and Sheffield United have secured promotions to the English top flight, and survival will be the first thing on their minds. Here are my predictions for the 2023-24 Premier League season.
#5 Manchester City to win the Premier League title
I can't look past Manchester City for the Premier League title. With Gundogan gone and Kyle Walker on his way out, it might be difficult for them this season. Arsenal could give them a run for their money, but City's bench is very strong.
Declan Rice will need to get used to the way Arsenal. They move the ball around a lot faster than he's used to at West Ham and England. Arsenal could get close, but I don't see Liverpool mounting a challenge at the moment.
A lot depends on whether Manchester United can get Harry Kane. If they do, they're massive challengers for the Premier League title. If they don't, they'll still be fighting for a place in the top four.
I don't think Chelsea will get into the top four - there's too much work to be done at the moment. They've got a big squad without a midfield, and they've got rid of Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount. Their squad is very unbalanced.
At the moment, the only thing that could deny Manchester City the Premier League title is their own complacency. They've got the best squad and should be able to defend their crown.
#4 Aston Villa and Luton Town to be surprise packages of the season
Aston Villa could push for a European place yet again this season. They've got Conference League fixtures this season, and we'll have to see how they deal with that. They've got a great manager and an excellent squad, and they could finish in the top six.
I think Luton Town will also surprise us. They won't play great football, but they'll be difficult to beat at home. They definitely do not have a Premier League ground, and that could be an eye-opener for some teams.
The clubs that usually come up to the Premier League - the Watfords and West Broms - have beautiful and comfortable stadiums. Luton Town will give the Premier League a proper wake-up call. If you look at how far they've come over the past 20 years, it's an unbelievable story. I think they could cause problems this season.
If Luton stick to their principles and play the way they're used to without getting disheartened by their away form, they could win 10 home games this season. I'm backing them to stay up this season, and that could be one of the biggest miracles we've seen in the Premier League.
#3 Nicolas Jackson to be one of the surprise stars of the season
Nicolas Jackson looks like a great player. He's very lively and direct, and he doesn't mess about. He can score a goal and make a goal as well. He's linked up very well with Mudryk so far, and both of them have been very impressive in pre-season.
I've watched Havertz for Arsenal in midfield, and it's going to take him some time. I don't think that's his natural position. I'm not sure about Alexis Mac Allister at Liverpool - he's going to be one to watch. With Henderson and Firmino gone, their new midfield will take some time to settle and click.
I've been very surprised with Nicolas Jackson so far. I know it's only pre-season, but what I've seen has been ample. He's a handful, and I'd definitely say that he's going to surprise people this season.
#2 Harry Kane to win the Premier League Golden Boot
I'm going to go with Harry Kane for the Premier League Golden Boot next season. Erling Haaland stopped scoring goals towards the end of last season, didn't he? I'm not sure if teams have snuffed him out.
Harry Kane's record has been incredible. He got to 30 goals last season without scoring four goals a game. What he's done is phenomenal in my opinion and if he does go to Manchester United, I don't see how he doesn't win the Golden Boot.
It's going to be difficult for Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku to win the Golden Boot, because we're not sure who's going to play at Chelsea. The big advantage that the likes of Haaland, Kane, and Mohamed Salah have is that they know they're going to be playing every game.
The likes of Darwin Nunez and Alexander Isak won't be playing every game either. Julian Alvarez is also a great player, but he'd have to get a hat-trick in every game he plays to get close. He's a starter in almost every other team in Europe.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli couldn't have played any better than they did last season, and they didn't get close to Kane and Haaland. You've got a lot of forwards getting to 15 goals in the Premier League, but that's not going to win you the Golden Boot.
You've got to play almost every game in the Premier League to win the Golden Boot, and Harry Kane will probably have that opportunity. I'm backing him to outscore his rivals in the Premier League next season.
#1 Jack Grealish to win the Player of the Season award
You've got to go with someone who's going to win the Premier League title to win the Player of the Season award, and I'm going to back Jack Grealish to clinch it. With his performances last season, I believe he's paid back his transfer fee already.
Grealish does a lot of running for Man City, and he works his socks off for the team. He closes down and tracks back, and he does his fair share. I don't believe in the stats and I find it strange when people read into his numbers.
It takes everyone at least a year to get used to the way they play at Manchester City. Grealish plays every week not just because of what he does going forward - he tracks back as well. As soon as Joao Cancelo left, he became a completely different player. Jack Grealish has taken his time, and he's now playing at his best for Pep Guardiola.
