Let’s face it: Not every team has the means to make a run at the top of the table like Leicester City did in 2015-16. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be intrigue in the bottom half of the table, as teams do their best to avoid the drop and prove themselves in the world’s biggest league.
Watford
2018-19: 11th place, 50 points
The skinny: In his first full season in charge, Javi Gracia took the Hornets to the FA Cup final, losing to powerhouse Man City. Watford also performed well in the league, avoiding the relegation scrap and sitting in the mid-table for the entire season. The Hornets are a tough side and will get in opponents’ faces, best exemplified by the fact they led the Premier League in yellow cards with 77 last year.
Biggest news: Signed Ismaila Sarr for a club-record fee from Stade Rennais
Big question: Will Gerard Deulofeu finally put it together for an entire season and stay healthy enough to reach his potential?
Key arrivals: Ismaila Sarr, Craig Dawson, Danny Welbeck
Key departures: Miguel Britos
Key player: Gerard Deulofeu
Prediction: 11th place and some real potential to get even higher.
Bournemouth
2018-19: 14th place, 45 points.
The skinny: The Cherries’ attack certainly rates well, with the likes of Callum Wilson, Josh King and Ryan Fraser providing plenty of fantasy points as the team scored the seventh-most goals in the league. The big problem is the defence, which allowed the third-most goals in the league at 70. This shakiness at the back isn’t a one-off, either, as Eddie Howe’s men have never allowed fewer than 61 goals in a season since gaining promotion in 2015.
Biggest news: Sold Tyrone Mings for $32 million, but may regret it due to lack of depth at fullback
Big question: Will the defence improve and allow the Cherries to climb back into the top half of the table?
Key arrivals: Harry Wilson (loan)
Key departures: Tyrone Mings, Lys Mousset
Key player: Josh King
Prediction: 12th place and a slow realization that it’ll take more defence to get higher in the table.
Aston Villa
2018-19: 5th in League Championship, 76 points
The skinny: One of England’s oldest and most prestigious clubs, the Villans return to the top flight after besting Derby County in the promotion playoff. Villa had played 24 years in the Premier League as one of its founders before falling on hard times financially and suffering relegation in 2016. Led by manager Dean Smith and assistant John Terry, it took a two-month unbeaten run to make it into the playoffs. They won’t want to return to the Championship so quickly.
Biggest news: Splashed out in excess of a reported $170 million in transfers
Big question: How will the Villans fare in attack without Tammy Abraham leading the line up front?
Key arrivals: Jota, Anwar El Ghazi, Tyrone Mings, Tom Heaton, Trezeguet
Key departures: Mark Bunn, Mile Jedinak, Micah Richards
Key player: Jack Grealish
Prediction: 13th place and a welcome return to the Premier League
Newcastle United
2018-19: 13th place, 45 points
The skinny: After going winless into November to start last season, Rafa Benitez was able to manage the Magpies to a surprising 13th-place finish, all things considered. Newcastle’s defence ranked seventh in the league in goals-allowed, but the attack was often toothless, scoring the fifth-fewest. Worse, much-maligned club president Mike Ashley essentially ran Benitez out of town after three successful seasons.
Biggest news: Actually splashed some cash, paying a club-record $64 million for Joelinton
Big question: How will the club play without Benitez guiding it?
Key arrivals: Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin, Jetro Willems
Key departures: Ayoze Perez, Joselu
Key player: Fabian Schar
Prediction: 14th place and this is where the table gets really tight, down to the relegation zone.
Southampton
2018-19: 16th place, 39 points
The skinny: After years of being touted as one of the best academy systems in England, the wheels came off on the south coast last season. The Saints were battling relegation for the majority of the year before struggling to secure safety with a few weeks to go. Ralph Hasenhuttl, who took over as manager last December, gets his first full season in charge.
Biggest news: Signed Championship standout Che Adams to help resuscitate an anemic attack
Big question: After two years of relegation battles, will the Saints’ prayers be answered once again?
Key arrivals: Che Adams, Danny Ings
Key departures: Matt Targett, Jordy Clasie
Key player: Nathan Redmond
Prediction: 15th place, but its closer to relegation than the top half of the table.
Burnley
2018-19: 15th place, 40 points
The skinny: Now, we’re not fully blaming former England keeper Joe Hart, but the Clarets had a big defensive regression from the previous season, shipping 68 goals compared to the 39 they had allowed in 2017-18. That led Sean Dyche’s squad to drop in the table from a surprising seventh to 15th, squarely in the relegation battle for most of the season. The Clarets’ attack has never overwhelmed anybody, either.
Biggest news: Peter Crouch, one of the tallest players in the game, announced his retirement
Big question: Can the return of standout goalkeeper Nick Pope restore the back line to its former glory?
Key arrivals: Jay Rodriguez, Danny Drinkwater
Key departures: Tom Heaton, Stephen Ward
Key player: Nick Pope
Prediction: 16th place and the defence improves after last season’s big step back.
Crystal Palace
2018-19: 12th place, 49 points
The skinny: The Eagles are notoriously slow starters, averaging just nine points over the first 13 games of the past three seasons. They’re an odd squad as well, performing much better on the road with 29 points away from home compared to 20 at Selhurst Park. To make matters worse, they didn’t score a goal at home until October last year.
Biggest news: Sold young, standout right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United
Big question: How will the defence, which had the sixth-most clean sheets last season, fare without AWB?
Key arrivals: Jordan Ayew, Gary Cahill
Key departures: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jason Puncheon, Alexander Sorloth
Key player: Luka Milivojevic
Prediction: 17th place and some drama with Wilfried Zaha
Norwich
2018-19: 1st in League Championship, 94 points
The skinny: The Canaries return to the Premier League for the third time this decade after two seasons in the Championship, but they hope this stay lasts longer than just one campaign, as it did 2015-16. Norwich’s attack led the second tier with 93 goals, but its back line was nothing to write home about, conceding 57.
Biggest news: Brought in goalkeeper Ralf Farhmann on loan from Schalke 04
Big question: While Teemu Pukki performed excellently in League Championship, how will he fare against Premier League defenders?
Key arrivals: Josip Drmic, Ralf Fahrmann, Sam Byram
Key departures: None
Key player: Max Aarons
Prediction: 18th place and some high-scoring games that end in losses.
Brighton & Hove Albion
2018-19: 17th place, 36 points.
The skinny: The Seagulls are survivors, that’s for sure. In their two seasons in the Premier League, they’ve scored less than a goal per game while averaging 1.5 against. In fact, Brighton’s attack was so dire last season, defender Shane Duffy was second on the team in scoring with just five goals behind Glenn Murray’s 13.
Biggest news: Reportedly turned down a massive bid from Leicester City for Lewis Dunk
Big question: Will new manager Graham Potter fare any better than Chris Hughton did in his two top-flight seasons?
Key arrivals: Leandro Trossard, Aaron Mooy
Key departures: Anthony Knockaert, Markus Suttner
Key player: Mathew Ryan
Prediction: 19th place and not enough goals to compete in the top flight
Sheffield United
2018-19: 2nd in League Championship, 89 points
The skinny: The Blades are another great comeback story of a once-proud club being taken over by foreign interests and looking to return to glory. Sheffield United was toiling in the third tier as recently as 2017. While the Blades’ attack isn’t too shabby, this side is mainly focused on defence, allowing just 41 goals in 46 games last season.
Biggest news: Signed Oli McBurnie from Swansea as an eventual replacement for veteran Billy Sharp
Big question: Without bringing in too many reinforcements, do the Blades have enough quality to stay up?
Key arrivals: Oli McBurnie, Lys Mousset, Ravel Morrison
Key departures: None
Key player: Dean Henderson
Prediction: 20th place and a lot of games on the wrong end of a clean sheet