Premier League: Prediction time for the 2023-2024 season
Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City celebrates with the 2022-2023 season Premier League trophy. Picture: Michael Regan/Getty Images
WELL that summer skipped by rather quickly. Thankfully we had the Women’s World Cup to distract us for the past month. But all too quickly, we are back to the dangerous game of making predictions for the Premier League season ahead. Something that can go seriously wrong, as proved by my predictions last season.
Anyway, here’s my call for the 2023/2024 season.
New boss Andoni Iraola is seen as a young, exciting manager, known for his hands-on approach, and he will need to work a miracle if he is to improve the Cherries’ defensive record. Only relegated Southampton and Leeds were worse last season.
David Brooks
18th
The Gunners will look to take that next step and claim the title this time out. The Charity Shield win against Man City will be a boost and prove they can get the better of the champions. Big summer acquisitions are already in place and we all will wait to see if Declan Rice can live up to his £105m price tag.
Bukayo Saka.
2nd.
Manager Unai Emery has transformed the club from a relegation-fearing side to genuine European competition-qualifying contenders and has bought wisely in the summer to ensure the Midland’s club keep advancing.
Moussa Diaby.
9th
Thomas Frank continues his inspirational leadership of the unfashionable London club. He and the club have far exceed expectations in recent years. Can this development continue apace is the question.
Nathan Collins.
11th.
Can The Seagulls equal and even do better than last season’s efforts? A tough task without Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, both moving to Liverpool. They have been busy in the transfer market bringing in a real attacking talent in Joao Pedro from Watford, while Netherlands U21 keeper Bart Verbruggen has arrived from Anderlecht.
Joao Pedro.
8th.
Back in the top-flight again and with some considerable style, raising the managerial credentials of boss Vincent Kompany, to go with his impressive medal haul as the captain of Man City. The Belgian has transformed the side into a dynamic attacking force and may well cause some concern among bigger-reputation sides.
Josh Brownhill.
17th
The horror story that was last season and the arrival of new boss Mauricio Pochettino indicates that there will be a drive to get Chelsea back as a powerhouse this season. No European football will provide time and space for redemption, but that advantage is balanced by the loss of some experienced talent at the end of last season.
Enzo Fernandez.
6th.
How Palace will fare without Wilfried Zaha will be the big question this time out. Roy Hodgson is still in charge after returning to take the helm to steady the ship after Patrick Vieira’s exciting but ultimately unsuccessful term. We probably will get a lot of the same from The Eagles this season.
Eberechi Eze.
12th.
Barely survived again last season and have lost a few players in the off season, so it will be interesting to see how Sean Dyche can handle this under-performing, sleeping giant of a club, now that he has his first full season at the club.
Ashley Young.
15th.
Were one of the surprise packages of last season. Not only avoiding relegation but blackening a few eyes along the way. How they fare this season depends a lot on whether they can keep Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marco Silva from being lured away by Saudi Arabian riches.
Raúl Jiménez
14th
: Jurgen Klopp’s side struggled at every level last season due to a mixture of exhaustion and players ing their best. The side is in a rebuilding mode, as shown with the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister and record-g Moises Caicedo, but they still have plenty, hopefully recuperated, talent available to get them back in the mix.
Virgil Van Dijk.
3rd.
The fairytale came real and Premier League football returns to Kenilworth Road for the first time since 1992. Nostalgia and jokes about away fans traversing someone’s back garden to get to the stand aside, the Hatters will have a tough task maintaining their new status into 2025.
Carlton Morris
Finish: 20th
After finally completing the quest for the Champions League title last season, many will wonder if Pep Guardiola’s time at City is coming to an end. Another project in the next league to come along might prove too enticing. But for now, he remains at the Eastlands and despite a few departures, the club still has more than enough talent to win their fourth domestic championship in a row.
Kevin De Bruyne.
First.
Erik ten Hag and United did better than expected last season but they are still in the rebuilding stages of their progress. And while they are definite contenders, they are still a bit off the pace of their nearest rivals, especially their noisy neighbours.
Rasmus Hojlund.
Fourth
The Toon did better than predicted last season and were rewarded with a Champions League qualification. How they balance that with the commitments of the Premier League will be an interesting conundrum for wunderkind manager Eddie Howe.
Anthony Gordon.
5th.
One I predicted would go down last season, but Steve Cooper’s side rallied near the end of the season and survived. They will still have their hands full to stay up this season, but a few smart summer buys and the experience of last season should stand to them.
Morgan Gibbs-White.
16th
The Blades were only out of the Premier League for two seasons and their quick return says a lot about the quality of the club, its players, and the attacking philosophy of manager Paul Heckingbottom. But shoestring finances suggest that this will be only a fleeting return to the top flight for the South Yorkshire side
John Egan
19th
One could be forgiven for thinking it’s all change at Spurs with the arrival of Ange Postecoglou from Celtic to take charge. But the long-running Harry Kane transfer debate continues to define all events at Spurs, as speculation on whether an exit from North London would be a good use of the England striker’s time rumbles on.
Harry Kane, if he’s not already on a plane to Munich.
7th.
The elation of winning the Europa League may be diluted by the departure of Declan Rice, but the triumph has no doubt ensured David Moyes has banked some goodwill with the fans and board alike. They still have some work to do in the transfer market to ensure the progress of last season can be built upon.
Michail Antonio.
10th.
Wolves are playing in their sixth consecutive year in the Premier League since their last promotion. They have brought a lot of quality in that time to the league. However, last season they struggled a lot picking up just 11 points in their last 16 games. And but for even worse performances from Southampton and Leeds, may well have faced the drop themselves.
Fabio Silva.
13th.
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