The world’s best soccer league is back this weekend, with Manchester City set to begin its quest to for a fourth straight championship and sixth in seven years. While the Sky Blues have established a dynasty, there is no shortage of clubs stepping up and capable of taking a shot at the crown.
Manchester City
2022-23: 89 points, first place.
The skinny: Pep Guardiola finally got the one prize that had eluded him at Manchester City – a Champions League title. And, to go with it, a treble which also included the league and FA Cup. That one final ingredient turned out to be Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, who scored 52 goals in all competitions and won the EPL Golden Boot with 36 goals in league play.
Big additions: Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic.
Big losses: Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez.
Big question: After finally getting over the hill, will City maintain its motivation to do it again?
Prediction: First place
Arsenal
2022-23: 84 points, second place.
The skinny: The young Gunners took a big step forward last season and actually led the Premier League for most of the season before losing steam down the stretch. Mikel Arteta’s long-building project seems to finally be bearing fruit as attackers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have emerged as stars of this young Gunners squad.
Big additions: Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber.
Big losses: Granit Xhaka.
Big question: Can the Gunners take the next, final step and finish the job and win the league?
Prediction: Second place
Liverpool
2022-23: 67 points, fifth place.
The skinny: Since winning the Premier League for the first time in 2020-21, the Reds have taken a step back as their squad aged. While Liverpool has been reloading with some young talent, key players like Virgil van Dijk – who was just named captain after Jordan Henderson left for Saudi Arabia – and Mohamed Salah are both on the wrong side of 30.
Big additions: Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai.
Big losses: Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino.
Big question: If the Reds can’t get back into Champions League, how safe will Jurgen Klopp’s job be?
Prediction: Third place
Manchester United
2022-23: 75 points, third place.
The skinny: While the Red Devils have fallen behind rival City in recent years, there is cause for optimism. Manager Erik Ten Hag led the team to the FA Cup final (where they lost to City) and saw English attacker Marcus Rashford take a big step forward after the World Cup in Qatar.
Big additions: Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund.
Big losses: David De Gea.
Big question: After 12 years with David De Gea between the sticks, how will newcomer Andre Onana fare?
Prediction: Fourth place
Newcastle United
2022-23: 71 points, fourth place.
The skinny: The Magpies have been on the rise since being bought by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in 2021 and last season was their biggest step yet, with the team qualifying for Champions League. But Newcastle hasn’t exactly splashed its cash on big names and has gotten by with a rock-solid defence, allowing 33 goals, tied for a league-best.
Big additions: Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali.
Big losses: Allan Saint-Maximin.
Big question: Can Newcastle continue to build on recent success while facing the pressure of Champions League?
Prediction: Fifth place
Chelsea
2022-23: 44 points, 12th place.
The skinny: To say that Chelsea’s 2022-23 campaign was turbulent would be like saying that tornados are a bit windy. The Blues under new owner Todd Boehly spent roughly $1 billion on 17 players over the two transfer windows and went through three managers. Needless to say, the team didn’t exactly jell, stumbling to an embarrassing 12th-place finish.
Big additions: Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkuku, Axel Disasi.
Big losses: Kalidou Koulibaly, Kai Havertz, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta.
Big question: Can new manager Mauricio Pochettino bring some stability to a Blues team in turmoil?
Prediction: Sixth place
Aston Villa
2022-23: 61 points, seventh place.
The skinny: Considering the slow start that Villa got off to under manager Steven Gerrard, you have to wonder how much higher it could’ve pushed if Unai Emery was in charge for the full season. After making some big additions in the off-season, the Midlands club is a sleeper pick to challenge for a Champions League spot.
Big additions: Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby.
Big losses: None yet.
Big question: Will the Villans find a taker for Philippe Coutinho, a former star who has fallen off in form?
Prediction: Seventh place
Tottenham Hotspur
2022-23: 60 points, eighth place.
The skinny: After going unbeaten in their first seven games to start the season, Spurs slowly unravelled and manager Antonio Conte left the team in March, leaving it to struggle down the stretch. The defence was especially appalling, allowing the sixth-most goals in the league. Harry Kane was a bright spot, finishing second in the Golden Boot race with a career-high 30 league goals.
Big additions: James Maddison, Manor Solomon.
Big losses: Harry Winks. Hugo Lloris is also on the verge of leaving.
Big question: With just a year remaining on his contract, will Spurs sell Kane to Bayern Munich, as rumoured?
Prediction: Eighth place
Brighton and Hove Albion
2022-23: 62 points, sixth place.
The skinny: The Seagulls were the surprise package of last season and even weathered a mid-season manager change when Chelsea poached Graham Potter. The team didn’t miss a beat under Roberto De Zerbi and got standout performances from rising stars Kaoru Mitoma, Moses Caicedo and Pervis Estupian, among others.
Big additions: Joao Pedro, Mahmoud Dahoud, Bart Verbruggen.
Big losses: Alexis Mac Allister, Robert Sanchez.
Big question: Can Brighton continue its success after selling off some top players, like Mac Allister?
Prediction: Ninth place
West Ham United
2022-23: 40 points, 14th place.
The skinny: Despite scrapping it out in the bottom half of the table for most of the season, the Irons would certainly call 2022-23 a success. After all, they won the European Conference League and qualified for this year’s Europa League. The task now is to find a balance between the two competitions.
Big additions: None yet.
Big losses: Declan Rice, Gianluca Scamacca.
Big question: How will the club reinvest the $180-million windfall from selling Declan Rice?
Prediction: 10th place