The Premier League is off and running and the clubs from around the country in the top flight have got the first taste of the new season, which was not too sweet for a few of them. The likes of Chelsea and Liverpool dropped points on the night while Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City registered easy victories. All these teams, along with Arsenal, who also managed to take all three points from their first game, are expected to fight for a place in the Champions League this season.
Ronald Koeman’s much-improved Everton side are the outsiders for a top-4 finish this season but which clubs are sure to finish in those positions? Here are our early-predictions for the top-4 of the Premier League come the end of the season, in no particular order:
Manchester United:
The Red Devils finished the previous season in the 6th place but have made some exciting additions to the squad and if the first game is anything to go by, they will be one of the toughest teams to beat this season. Their biggest issue was scoring goals and converting chances and if they can build on their result against the Hammers, United are not going to drop too many points, and may even challenge for the title.
Manchester City:
Pep Guardiola failed to lift a single trophy last season and that frustrated him so much that he decided to spend over £200m on his squad yet again this summer. He has added some fine players to his squad, solving a few problems from the previous season. They now have one of the strongest squads in the competition and are sure to compete for the title, let alone a place in the UCL.
Arsenal:
Though the Europa League will take its toll on the squad at the Emirates, Arsene Wenger will be well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. The fact that his side failed to finish in the top-4 last season will make qualification to Champions League a pre-requisite for Arsenal and Wegner this season. They have added players who solve impending problems at the club and if they can find consistency in the middle of the season, they are genuine contenders to finish in the top-4.
Liverpool:
Though Chelsea fans will disagree, Liverpool are in a better position to finish in the top-4 at the moment than the Blues. The Reds failed to pick up more than a point from their first game of the season but they are still active in the transfer market and are sure to solve the frailties in the squad. Klopp has got enough time to acclimatize to the requirements in the league and though he may not be able to compete for the title yet, will surely be a contender to finish in the top-4, come the end of the season.
The number of changes made to the squad at the Bridge and the lack of additions to the squad under Mauricio Pochettino might see both London clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur miss out on the top-4 alongside Everton, who will need time to establish themselves as a superpower in England.
