2015/16 Premier League Predictions: Who will finish in Top 4, Europa League and relegation zone

#5 Europa League

Can Ronald Koeman weave his magic at Southampton again this season?

Southampton, Liverpool and Tottenham secured Europa League football last season, as did West Ham, by virtue of UEFA’s Respect Fair Play ranking. Along with those three, one can expect Everton, Swansea and even Stoke to throw their names into the mixing bowl, making this area perhaps the most competitive across the entirety of the division.

The Toffees will be coming off the back of a rather disappointing season by their standards, and Roberto Martinez will seek redemption. Scoring a miserable 48 last term, finding an alternative source of goals to Romelu Lukaku should be their top priority. But the signing of Gerard Delofeu from Barcelona may confirm the Merseyside club’s summer spending is over, with Martinez reluctant to add more than a couple of faces ordinarily. Retaining John Stones would be the most effective piece of business, and Chelsea could miss out by a whisker.

Southampton defied all the odds last season to finish seventh, acting sharply to rebuild from a so-called exodus. With the impressive Jordy Clasie replacing the departed Schneiderlin in midfield and Jay Rodriguez returning from an injury that sidelined him for most of last year, do not be surprised to see Koeman’s boys do it again. With a youthful, composed crop of players all desperate to impress, St. Marys could act as a greatly feared coliseum for the Saints, and I tip them to go two better than last term and finish 5th.

Relatively underrated were the Swans’ performances in 2014/15, and Bafetimbi Gomis’ contribution also seemed overlooked. Garry Monk has moulded a settled set of players, and signing the prolific Eder from Braga and the influential midfielder André Ayew from Marseille will only bolster their chances. The Welsh club did the double over both Manchester United and Arsenal last season and do not seem fazed by the big occasions. No notable names have left the Liberty and it could be a very big couple of years for the Swans.

Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool side could miss out on the Top 4 again

Sandwiched between seventh place Swansea and fifth place Southampton will be Liverpool. Danny Ings should have a good season, given game time, while Roberto Firmino should take the burden of creativity off Coutinho’s shoulders and could emulate the pace shown by Sterling in the last couple of seasons. Performing in the big games will be important for Liverpool but their inability to string a run together last season until it was practically too late cost them dearly. Improving on a poor return of just 52 goals will also be a focal point.

Tottenham, in all honesty, failed to impress me in the slightest last campaign. Lacklustre defending has prompted the signings of Toby Alderweireld and Kevin Wimmer, but practically speaking, the Spurs have done nothing this window.

Soldado has flopped, Lamela is a shadow of his former Roma self and Adebayor looks on the brink of leaving. Hopes for the season ahead rest heavily on the shoulders of the prolific Harry Kane whose tally of 21 carried the North Londoners last season. Should second season syndrome strike for the 22-year-old, then Tottenham could struggle massively this time around.

Europa League Predictions: Swansea City (7th), Liverpool (6th), Southampton (5th)