Premier League Predictions 2016/17 (Part 4/4)

Aug. 13, 2016

With the new football league season kicking off last weekend, the build up to the 2016/17 Premier League season has somehow heightened even further. The most expensive league in the world gets underway with Champions Leicester City travelling to the KCOM stadium to face newly-promoted Hull City, after The Foxes stunned the world with their title-winning campaign and The Tigers came through a tense Play-off final with Sheffield Wednesday back in May.

And after predicting the way England’s second division would play out in another blog just over a week ago, my attentions have turned to the top tier with just hours to go until the big kick-off.

Which team will be lifting the Premier League trophy on Sunday 21st May 2017?

5th – Tottenham

Into the top five which means that measured predictions become rather more like estimations.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has enjoyed an excellent couple of seasons at White Hart Lane and this season could be yet another one to saviour for Spurs supporters.

Pochettino has only added two players over the summer. However, in midfielder Victor Wanyama, the Argentine has strengthened in one of the two key areas that the side looked short in last time out.

The other is in attack, with Spurs relying too heavily on England international Harry Kane over the past two seasons. Forward Vincent Janssen has impressed during a spell with AZ Alkmaar in his native Holland of late, and the 22 year-old could potentially form a formidable partnership with Kane for a number of years.

Alex Pritchard is the only player to exit the club on a permanent deal since Tottenham secured third spot last time out, showing just how content the squad are in playing under Pochettino.

4th – Arsenal

With all the negativity that is surrounding the Emirates Stadium once again ahead of the new season, it would appear that the Arsenal faithful have forgotten about their second place finish back in May.

That finish also means that manager Arsène Wenger will be preparing his side for yet another Champions League campaign, their 18th consecutive season in the competition.

Nevertheless, while the teams that finished both above and below the North London club have added several new players over the summer, Arsenal’s lack of activity has again left onlookers suggesting that Wenger is more concerned with balancing the books than he is with pushing the club back towards the top.

Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka will almost certainly improve The Gunners’ chance of lifting the Premier League trophy for the first time since the ‘invincibles’ managed that feat back in 2004, while central defender Rob Holding promising to be a top player in the future.

Arsenal remain short at both ends however, and a striker is a must if the club are to dream of anything more than a place in the top four this season.

Granit Xhaka has been Arsenal's only 'big' signing so far this summer.

3rd – Chelsea

Chelsea begin the 25th Premier League season with the aim of transforming their fortunes after what was a miserable campaign on and off the field last year, eventually seeing the club finish in – what was for their standard – a lowly tenth position.

The revolution began towards the back of last season, with Antonio Conte named as caretaker boss Guus Hiddink’s replacement.

And the former Italy Head coach has spent over £60 million on just two players since linking up with the club after leading his nation to the quarter-finals of the 2016 European Championships.

Belgium forward Michy Batshuayi looks to be the striker that the club have craved since the temporary departure of their iconic forward Didier Drogba back in 2012, and then again three years late.

Title winning midfielder N'Golo Kanté is the other to make his way through the doors, and he could form an almost unstoppable partnership with Nemanja Matić in the heart of The Blues’ midfielder.

Winning the title might be just beyond Chelsea’s powers this season, but with no European football to contend with and a competent new manager at the helm, it would be a mistake to write them off.

2nd – Manchester United

Sure new boss José Mourinho will improve Manchester United this season, and there is even less doubt that he will help bring even greater publicity to a club that has willingly welcomed the mass media since Sir Alex Ferguson moved into the background.

However, it is the players that one of the division’s most colourful characters has brought to the club as opposed to the man himself that has made me confident that United will build on their fifth place finish from last season.

United owner Malcolm Glazer has parted with well over £150 million once again this summer, with just four new players to show for that sizeable expenditure.

Midfielder Paul Pogba has become the most expensive footballer in the world with his £89.25 million move. Henrikh Mkhitaryan will play in front of the Frenchman after joining from Borussia Dortmund, while Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic will lead the line after stealing Anthony Martial’s number nine shirt.

Central defender Eric Bailly is perhaps the less well known of the four, but I would argue that he was the most important, as the 20-time Champions have never struggled more for a world class defender.

José Mourinho has broken the world transfer record to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford.

1 – Manchester City

Where I have stated the importance of Manchester United’s signings over and above their new coach, Manchester City’s best signing will undoubtedly be Pep Guardiola, the number one manager in the world at this moment.

And if that acquisition has not excited City supporters enough, then the addition of several of the most exciting young players from across the globe will surely complete the job.

Ilkay Gündogan and Leroy Sané will provide the necessary flair and creativity in a midfield that has relatively underperformed in recent years, while England defender John Stones will improve no end under the guidance of Guardiola - a manager who has transformed Jérôme Boateng into arguably the best in the world since he was rejected by City back in 2011.

Spain international Nolito, Brazilian youngster Gabriel Jesus, and Colombian Marlos Moreno have also been brought in by the former Bayern Munich boss, with Edin Dzeko and Martín Demichelis the only two former first team players to leave the club.

There is no better squad in the division and no striker who promises goals like Sergio Agüero does. If the Argentine stays fit then Manchester City will win the league and he will finish as top goal scorer.