Premiership Predictions

Our predictions for the upcoming Premier League season. Print ‘em out and stick it on the refrigerator door!

We're in for one hell of a ride this season

Champions: Liverpool

With both United and Arsenal losing key players and Chelsea failing to land a world-class talent, Liverpool remain the only team to have significantly bolstered over the summer. Glen Johnson will provide more balance to what was already the best starting XI in the Premier League. Once he recovers from injury Alberto Aquilani will also be a force. Of course, it all depends on the axis of Liverpool ’s attack – Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres – staying healthy.

Champions League Spots: Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal (in that order)

Chelsea have the strongest squad in the league and new manager Carlo Ancelotti will help get the best out of some of the team’s elder statesmen. But the Blues will just miss out on the title because of the African Nations Cup, which will deprive them for a month of the deadly services of Didier Drogba and Michael Essien. United won’t be far behind, but Sir Alex Ferguson will struggle to fill the absence left by Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. Arsenal won’t do nearly as badly as some expect with a fully-fit Andrey Arshavin lighting up the league and the return of Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky to look forward to.

Where will Manchester City finish? Fifth place.

City will stumble out of the starting blocks as the new signings struggle to gel. But the club’s attack – which on paper is the best in the league – should click come October and then the goals will start flying in. If Mark Hughes can manage the big egos he’s brought in… and if the side can maintain a decent position in the league over the Christmas period… then they might be able to attract even more reinforcements during the January transfer window which will help them push the Big Four to the wire.

Going Down: Hull, Wigan, and Portsmouth

In a first for many years, we are betting all three teams that were promoted from the Championship will survive another season in the Big Time. Taking their places on the chopping block will be Hull, who barely escaped relegation last season… Wigan, whose Spanish signings won’t fill the void left by Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia and Emile Heskey… and Portsmouth, a club in complete disarray who have offloaded far too much of their talent this summer.

Golden Boot: Emmanuel Adebayor

All eyes will be on Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba, but if Emmanuel Adebayor has his head in the game, then he can be the most lethal striker in the world. Big, strong, and quick on the ball, Adebayor was bred for the Premier League. He has had his share of motivational problems. But facing stiff competition for places in the Manchester City front line, we predict Adebayor will be back to his best, equaling the hefty goal haul he had for Arsenal a couple of seasons ago.

Player of the Season: Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard will both produce their best seasons as each seeks to show Fabio Capello that he, and he alone, is the indispensable engine for England’s World Cup campaign in South Africa. But the plaudits will ultimately go to fan favourite and players’ favorite, Stevie G – especially if he delivers the title to Anfield.

First manager to go? Paul Hart.

Not that it will be entirely his fault.  Financial troubles have forced Portsmouth to offload some of its best players this summer, such as Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson, and the club have very little time to rebuild before the transfer window closes in a couple of weeks. If Hart still has his job after Christmas, then we’ll eat our hat.

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