The Premier League is back, but who will win the title race, which teams are likely to go down, and can anyone stop defending champions Liverpool?
Sports journalist and Man City fan Bill Borrows sizes up the opening weekend of the EPL as soccer biggest events kicks off live on Friday, August 15...
GAME OF THE WEEK...
Man United vs Arsenal (Sun, Aug. 17)
Seasoned Man United haters... erm... watchers will be hoping United get off to a flying start with their all-new forward line of Benjamin Šeško, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo and romp home 3-0. This then guarantees that #UnitedAreBack starts trending before hitting the relegation positions in early October and their all-new forward line start looking for new clubs. This is now, officially, “The Manchester United Way”.
Prediction: Man United 3 Arsenal 0
FIRST LIVERPOOL GAME...
Liverpool vs Bournemouth (Fri, Aug 15)
The first game of the season should be a banger. The media will be keen to anoint Liverpool as the greatest team the world has ever seen within three minutes of kick-off (millions of fans who couldn’t find Liverpool on a map = millions of clicks) but, given the amount the new Premier League Champions have spent to try and retain the title – almost £300 million – compared to Bournemouth’s brave £70 million net spend to ward off relegation, anything less than a total humiliation of Andoni Iraola’s side will be unacceptable. Bournemouth will score first, however.
Prediction: Liverpool 3 Bournemouth 1
THE PLAYER TO WATCH...
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Viktor Gyokeres hasn’t even kicked a ball in the Premier League yet but his boss at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, went very large after his debut goal pre-season. “If you leave Gyokeres one vs one, he will destroy you” he said, in no way adding to the weight of expectation the Swedish international must be feeling after being identified as the one missing piece of the jigsaw that has stopped Arsenal winning the title in recent years. Expect Arteta to take that pressure off his shoulders by failing to get his team to perform until he is sacked just after Christmas.
TITLE PREDICTIONS...
Predicted title winners and losers... and why
Here's where I think every team in Premier League will finish the title race – and why.
1 Man City | Guardiola will insist |
2 Chelsea | Starting to click |
3. Liverpool | Cracks at the back |
4. Arsenal | Can’t cross the line |
5. Aston Villa | Emery and Europe |
6. Nottm Forest | Hit ceiling |
7 Tottenham | Frank factor |
8. Newcastle | Isak or no Isak, unsettled |
9. Crystal Palace | Ready for top half |
10. Brighton | Mid-table forever |
11. Man Utd | New strikers, same defence |
12. Everton | New ground bounce |
13. West Ham | Holding pattern |
14. Bournemouth | Gravity |
15. Leeds Utd | Not enough quality |
16. Fulham | Not strengthened |
17 Brentford | New era but lost players |
18 Wolves | Lost key players |
19. Sunderland | Too big a step |
20. Burnley | Yo-yo club |
Premier League trivia question
EXTRA TIME...
EXTRA TIME: Is Sky Multi-view any good?
Sky Sports' new “Multiview” feature is controversial. Younger fans are already embracing it while older fans aren't so sure. Why pay a subscription to watch multiple screens when you can just watch legendary British sports round-up Soccer Saturday? You wouldn't wash the car and then take it to a car wash...
NEXT FIXTURES...
Premier League fixtures 25/26 (Week 1)
Friday, August 15
3 p.m. — Liverpool vs Bournemouth (USA Network)
Saturday, August 16
7.30 a.m. — Aston Villa vs Newcastle (USA Network)
10 a.m. — Brighton vs Fulham (USA Network)
10 a.m. — Sunderland vs West Ham (Peacock)
10 a.m. — Tottenham vs Burnley (Peacock)
12:30 p.m. — Wolves vs Man City (NBC, Peacock)
Sunday, August 17
9 a.m. — Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (USA Network)
9 a.m. — Nottingham Forest vs Brentford (Peacock)
11:30 a.m. — Man Utd vs Arsenal (NBC, Peacock)
Monday, August 18
3 p.m. — Leeds vs Everton (USA Network)
Friday, August 22
3 p.m. — West Ham vs Chelsea (USA Network)
Saturday, August 23
7.30 a.m. — Man City vs Tottenham (USA Network)
10 a.m. — Brentford vs Aston Villa (USA Network)
10 a.m. — Burnley vs Sunderland (Peacock)
10 a.m. — Bournemouth vs Wolves (Peacock)
12:30 p.m. — Arsenal vs Leeds (NBC, Peacock)
Sunday, August 24
9 a.m. — Everton vs Brighton (USA Network)
9 a.m. — Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest (Peacock)
11:30 a.m. — Fulham vs Man Utd (USA Network)
Monday, August 25
3 p.m. — Newcastle vs Liverpool (USA Network)
(All times ET)
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