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After an absorbing month of Premier League football, the international break has accorded the fans a chance to catch their breath and return afresh on the 15th of September. Just like every other season, the Premier League has thrown up its fair share of surprises this season also.
Liverpool currently leads the table on goal difference ahead of Chelsea and Watford while West Ham languishes at the bottom after going winless over their first four games.
Big clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United haven’t yet hit their straps but the Premier League’s big-spending new-boys, Fulham and Wolves have given a good account of themselves. Another big-spending club, Everton have painted a solid picture and remain unbeaten.
Defending champions, Manchester City have picked up from where they left off last season with their draw against Wolves being their only bump this season.
Though this edition of the Premier League is only a month old, yet a lot of teams have displayed what they are capable of. It is not the wisest idea to predict the standings come the end of the season. However, I have stuck my neck out and tried to predict how the Top 10 would look while also predicting the three teams to take the plunge into the Championship.
Without further ado, here are my predictions for how the Premier League table could look come May 2019.
Up for relegation: Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Newcastle United
Cardiff City returned to the Premier League after 4 years in England’s second-tier. They performed admirably in the 2017-18 season and earned their big-ticket courtesy a second place finish. However, they have enjoyed a far from spectacular start to their campaign and find themselves with two points after four games.
Lack of goals could prove to be Cardiff’s Achilles heel. Before scoring against Arsenal, they were the only club to have not scored this season in England’s top flight. Though Neil Warnock drills his sides to be defensively solid, a lack of goals in crucial games towards the end could hamper their chances. Thus, they are one of my picks to go down.
Similarly, Huddersfield faces their problems in the attacking third. In the last season, they earned the unwanted tag of being the lowest scorers in the league. Even in the current season, they have managed to make the net bulge on only two occasions.
The Terriers didn’t fare too well in the defensive third as well. They shipped 58 goals last term and though they seem to have worked on the defensive side of their game, their attack still leaves a lot to be desired.
Huddersfield currently finds themselves in 17th place, having accumulated two points from their four fixtures. Last time around, Huddersfield escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth. However, one gets the feeling that their luck has run out and they could find themselves in the Championship by the time the next season rolls in.
The biggest of the three clubs, Newcastle United, had a wretched transfer window and have endured a torrid start to their campaign. After a winless start, they find themselves at the wrong end of the table, and in one of the relegation spots.
Similar to the above-mentioned clubs, Newcastle United have been patchy in front of goal. A tally of a solitary goal from four games doesn’t fill one up with confidence. Though they boast of an astute manager in Benitez, the manager can’t pull them out of trouble every time. The players haven’t turned up yet and if their performances are to serve as an indicator, they look set to go down again.
10th Place: Wolverhampton Wanderers
At the bottom of the Top 10, I have gone for the impressive Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Wolves had a splendid off-season as they brought in the likes of Rui Patricio and Moutinho to the club. The pair has hit the ground running and look set to catapult the Wolves into the Top 10 on their first season back.
They possess good variety in attack while their defence is solid. Additionally, their midfield pairing of Neves and Moutinho will give other teams headaches. They have enjoyed a decent start to the season with 5 points in four games, two of which included games against Everton and Manchester City. If they continue to come up with performances similar to the City game, the Top 10 would not be too far off for the Wolves.
9th Place: Leicester City
In 9th place, I have gone for the 2015-16 champions, Leicester City. The Foxes started the season with an unfortunate loss at Old Trafford before scripting victories against Wolves and Southampton. Leicester seems to be playing with more confidence this season and the likes of Adrien Silva and James Maddison have adapted quickly. In addition to this, young guns such as Gray and Chilwell look set to enjoy a breakthrough season.
Even in their losses to Liverpool and Manchester United, they never looked out of the game and were a threat going forward. In Claude Puel, they have a shrewd manager who knows how to get results. Hence, I expect Leicester to enjoy a better season in 2018 and finish in the Top 10.
8th Place: Watford
The biggest surprise package of the season has been Watford. After being appointed in January, Javi Gracia has finally gotten his troops dancing to his tunes and they have worked a charm in the league.
Along with Chelsea and Liverpool, they are the only side to maintain a 100% start. Through the course of their games, Cathcart has been a rock, defensively while Doucure has been phenomenal in midfield. They haven’t had problems in the offensive third either with Pereyra popping up with the goals.
However, the biggest positive has to be the return to form of their talisman, Deeney. Deeney is back in his best and looks primed to cause problems to every defence in the land. Watford have enjoyed a stellar start and don’t show signs of slowing down. Thus, I have gone for Watford to finish 8th.
7th Place: Everton
With a new manager in Marco Silva, Everton looks to be on course to bury the ghosts of last season. The Toffees had a tumultuous season last time round which saw them sack Koeman mid-way.
Everton made some intelligent acquisitions in the transfer window and got hold of the likes of Mina, Digne, Richarlison and Andre Gomes. The influx of new faces has added to the positivity of the club and they look destined to launch an attack for the Top 6 spots.
In addition to the new signings, Sigurdsson, Coleman and Gueye also have a major role to play. They have been on song in the opening few games and the Toffees would hope they can continue their form going ahead.
Though they have the personnel to make the Top 6, I expect them to narrowly miss out courtesy of the other teams’ abilities. However, one can expect the Evertonians to ruffle a few feathers throughout the course of the season.
6th Place: Manchester United
The Old Trafford outfit has endured a horrible start to the season, with losses to Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur. While the loss to Brighton brought to light a lack of character, the defeat to Spurs showcased an apparent gulf in class.
Their manager, Jose Mourinho hasn’t helped matters by lamenting about the inactivity of the club in the transfer window. The irate press conferences have added to the negativity surrounding the club. However, Jose is not the only person to blame as the players have failed to come to the party.
Sanchez, Lukaku and Pogba have blown hot and cold while their defensive pairing of Bailly and Lindelof has looked shaky. The only bright spot in their season has been the resurgence of Luke Shaw.
With United not producing the flowing football of yesteryear, one can expect them to miss out on the top four this term. To compound their problems, their defence looks like a catastrophe waiting to happen. For a lack of cutting edge in the attacking third and for their inability to keep things quiet at the back, they are my pick to finish 6th in the table.
5th Place: Arsenal
After the culmination of the 2017-18 season, Arsene Wenger finally left his post as Arsenal manager. His successor, Unai Emery, hasn’t enjoyed the best of starts but in fairness to him, he was handed a tough round of fixtures at the start.
Since then, he has gotten his team on the winning track with victories against West Ham and Cardiff. Though the Gunners have been breath-taking going forward, their defensive deficiencies have resurfaced. The central defensive pairing of Sokratis and Mustafi has looked tentative while Bellerin has been woeful in defence.
However, the biggest cause of concern would be Cech’s lack of ball-playing ability. Cech is still an adept shot-stopper but his skills with the ball at his feet need improvement. If Emery wants to play out from the back, he needs Cech to improve or else he might lose his place to Leno.
The Gunners would be gutted to miss out on the Top 4 again but Emery should be given the time to implant his philosophy at the Emirates. A season is enough for Emery to find out the best way to utilise his resources at Arsenal and it will be a season before Emery can truly leave his mark on the Premier League.
4th Place: Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham laid down a marker with their superlative 3-0 win at Old Trafford. Though the United side looked bereft of ideas, Spurs’ achievement shouldn’t be undermined.
Spurs had a strange transfer window as they failed to sign a single player. However, they also managed to keep hold of their prized assets. With the core of the team remaining the same, Pochettino would want to have another crack at the title.
The White Hart Lane outfit possess a good blend of attacking and defensive talent. Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Vertonghen are among the best in their positions while Alli, Eriksen and Lucas offer creativity going forward. Their lynchpin, however, would be the ever-reliable Harry Kane. He has gotten off the mark already and would hope to catapult Spurs to a first Premier League title.
Despite them looking a worthy contender for the title, I expect them to fall short. Spurs have shown a tendency to buckle under pressure and this was on display against Watford at Vicarage Road, where they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat.
Though Spurs have a title-winning team on paper, their knack of going missing when it matters most makes them miss out on the title. However, with Arsenal and United not looking likely to make the Top 4, Spurs can be guaranteed another year of Champions League football.
3rd Place: Chelsea
Chelsea are undergoing a period of transition yet they haven’t let it affect their performance on the pitch. After parting ways with Conte, they appointed another Italian, Maurizio Sarri, to reclaim Premier League glory.
Sarri is the polar opposite of Conte and relies on an attack-first approach. The approach has already gotten the Chelsea fans excited. They have been sensational since the start of their campaign, playing attractive football.
Arizzabalaga has been solid between the sticks while Jorginho has been the orchestrator of their smooth football. Their talisman, Hazard has set the world alight with his performances and looks an early contender for Player of the Year.
However, Chelsea have looked a little vulnerable defensively. The pairing of Rudiger and David Luiz has looked shaky at times. Their encounter with Arsenal exposed their frailties. Though it ended in their favour, Sarri would want his team to cut out those defensive shortcomings.
Chelsea would play a major part in the title race but I expect them to fall short at the final hurdle due to their defence not being sound enough.
2nd Place: Liverpool
The biggest spenders of the Premier League, Liverpool have enjoyed a cracking start to their season. They currently sit at the perch, with four wins out of four.
Apart from Fabinho and Shaqiri, all of their new signings have taken to the Premier League like ducks to water. Keita has been an immense presence in the centre of the park whereas Alisson has been comprehensive between the sticks.
Though Liverpool put four past West Ham on the opening day, their most impressive performance came at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace. Away from home, they produced a robust performance to come away with the win.
The Merseyside outfit seems to have all bases covered and are set to give Manchester City a run for their money. However, their habit of crumbling in big games is what pulls them down. The Liverpool side also lacks players with title-winning experience with only Milner having lifted the Premier League before.
Apart from this, they lack depth in their defensive ranks. If their defence can endure an injury-free season, the elusive Premier League could be in reach. However, to go a season injury-free is easier said than done. Thus, for these reasons, I back Liverpool to settle for the runner-up spot.
Champions: Manchester City
As for the winners, I have predicted Manchester City to retain the crown they won in May this year. The Cityzens strengthened in the summer and added Mahrez to bolster their attacking options.
Defensively, they possess immense squad depth with each position being contested by at least two people. Their fullbacks, Mendy and Walker compete in a short list to be the best fullbacks in the land while Kompany is still one of the best centre-backs. Additionally, the development of Laporte has been a huge positive for Pep and the young Frenchman looks set to be a vital cog in their wheel.
The only concern for Pep is the lack of a replacement for Fernandinho but they have enough options in the form of Danilo, Delph and Gundogan.
The most distinguishing aspect though is the presence of their manager, Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard has enjoyed a chequered career as a manager and has bags of experience winning the biggest prizes in the game.
The City squad has players who have experienced the pressure of a title fight and have come through such tests with flying colours. Thus, when push comes to shove, one can expect the Cityzens to reign over their Merseyside counterparts.
A talented squad coupled with a manager with excellent tactical knowledge is the perfect recipe for success. Fortunately for City and unfortunately for the rest of the league, City possess both and look on course to retain their crown.
