Premier League 2018/19: Predicting the top 10 come May 2019

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 UnitedCardiff City scored only two goals so far, both against ArsenalCardiff 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.Huddersfield Town have improved defensively but lacks the sharpness in attackSimilarly, 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.Benitez at Newcastle has a tough task on his handsThe 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.

Premier League 2018/19: Predicting the top 10 come May 2019

9th Place: Leicester City