My predicted PL Table 23/24

Welcome back to my blog, and today I will be trying to foresee how the Premier League table will look at the end of the season. I’ll try my best to stick to what I predicted in my earlier article and also fill in the fate of the teams that I haven’t predicted yet. This year I aim to get 15/20 right, which is a huge ask, but let’s see if the table I’ve ended up with is truly as accurate as I believe it to be.

20. Sheffield United

The Blades haven’t really done much in the transfer window, which is extremely worrying, especially since they’ve lost their attacking lynchpin, Iliman Ndiaye. The Senegalese forward/CAM was spectacular for Sheffield last season, and the club should have done more to retain his services. Nevertheless, the Blades have to move quickly if they want a chance at survival, but given their current squad, I think they finish rock bottom.

19. Luton Town

Luton Town are a team that everyone wants to see stay up, but I highly doubt they will succeed in doing so. Their squad is simply too ill-equipped to compete with their relegation-battling rivals, and while they may entertain with a free flowing style of play, their defense will be unable to cope with the demands of the PL, resulting in an unfortunate relegation.

18. Everton

The thought of the Toffees not featuring in the PL anymore is quite frightening, but unfortunately, I think this is the season they go down. Everton have been steadily declining since the departure of Ancelotti, and I think they will struggle badly in the first half of the season, leading to a hasty sacking of Dyche. An inexperienced Rooney will come in, and things will get from bad to worse regardless of their recruitment in January, and they will be relegated on the last day at Turf Moor.

17. Wolves

Wolves are a club in turmoil, but I think regardless of who’s at the managerial helm come May, they have a decent core of players who will be able to pull off an escape from relegation. I also think Lopetegui could be backed in January in the face of relegation, and I trust that the Spaniard has the tactical expertise to (at the very least) keep Wolves up.

16. Bournemouth

Bournemouth have done well to stay up this season, and I think they will stay up once again this season. Their form will be choppy as they transition to the playstyle of their new manager, but they will be good enough to stay up comfortably.

15. Fulham

Marco Silva’s side will struggle a bit this season, as the Mitrovic saga as well as some serious doubts on how their attack as a whole will fare this season threaten to derail their season. However, I think they will still stay up comfortably (regardless of whether they retain their Serbian talisman’s services), but they probably won’t play as well as they did last season.

14. Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have re-appointed Roy Hodgson on a one-year deal to manage them this season, so I predict yet another bang-average 14th-place finish. Their attack will flourish with the spark that young superstars Eze and Olise provide, but their defense and midfield could struggle to keep up, resulting in yet another mid-table finish.

13. Brentford

I think the absence of Ivan Toney, the Bees’ top scorer last season, will heavily impact them in the first half of the season, leading to numerous points dropped and a state of panic at the club. Their talisman’s return, however, will revive the club, and a motivated squad will rescue themselves from the dregs of the bottom five to finish in a respectable 13th.

12. Nottingham Forest

For some reason, many football netizens are stubbornly believing that Forest will fall victim to second-season syndrome and get relegated this season. However, I feel they will do the complete opposite by finishing 4 places higher than last season. Their squad is now somewhat settled, and some decent additions in the form of Elanga, Ola Aina, and maybe even Matt Turner will help them improve as a team under Steve Cooper.

11. West Ham

West Ham finished 14th last season, and many fear that with Europa League football to face next season, the Hammers will drop down the table even further. However, I feel that they will actually improve on their finish despite the departure of their skipper, Declan Rice. The Hammers will probably sack Moyes around November after a terrible run of form, but I think they’ll appoint a top-class coach like Marcelo Gallardo, Rafael Benitez, or even Graham Potter who will turn their season around by utilizing their squad’s talents and lead them to a positive 11th-place finish.

10. Brighton

Brighton somehow made it to Europe last season, and I think it will take their focus off the PL a tiny bit, leading to them finishing 4 places below last season. While I’m sure RDZ’s side will continue to play electrifying football, having to focus on two major competitions will be taxing on their relatively thin squad, leading to injuries, drop-offs in form, or even simply tired legs. Tenth place isn’t too bad for a club that was in League one just a decade ago, so Brighton fans shouldn’t raise their expectations too much to avoid disappointment.

9. Burnley

In my last article on the PL, I said that Burnley are going to be the dark horses for this season, and I stand by my take. They have an excellent coach in Vincent Kompany, and their squad is by far the best out of the three promoted teams. They’ll play some electrifying football, something that used to be a rare sight at Turf Moor, go on a winning streak at their fortress of a ground, and end up barely missing out on Europe.

8. Aston Villa

Aston Villa are going places under Emery, and with some massive signings in the form of Torres and Diaby, I expect them to do big things this season. They will win the Conference League and go on a domestic cup run,but unlike West Ham, they will somewhat maintain their league form and finish in a respectable 8th place.

7. Tottenham

7th place for Tottenham used to be a bad thing, but I’m pretty sure Spurs fans would take this in a heartbeat. I expect Kane to leave before the window slams shut, and I expect Postecoglu’s side to struggle for the first two months of the season. However, the Australian will eventually decide on his starting 11 and implement his play style in the team, which will allow them to play well enough to secure a European spot, albeit one for the Conference League. Not too bad.

6. Arsenal

This prediction will probably result in quite a number of puzzled looks or fits of bewildered rage, but let me explain myself. Arsenal are still reeling from the embarrassing fashion in which they let go of the title, and despite some ambitious signings, I think they’ll struggle to perform for a while. Their form will be rocky with the starting 11 being shuffled around, and AFTV will have a field day with fans demanding Arteta the clown be sacked, but the Gunners will pull themselves together by November. However, they will bottle a CL spot with a winless streak in March, resulting in a disappointing sixth.

5. Chelsea

Chelsea will have a comeback season under Poch, but I think they’ll lack that extra bite to go the distance and make a much-coveted CL comeback. They will play extremely well until March or April, when a couple of losses and draws to top six teams result in them narrowly missing out on a CL spot.

4. Newcastle United

For some weird reason, many people are writing off Newcastle finishing in the top 4 in back-to-back seasons. I don’t see much cause for worry, despite them needing some reinforcements. I think their additions of Harvey Barnes and Livramento are sufficient for now, though they could use some more squad depth. Their squad is extremely talented, and under the astute leadership of Eddie Howe, I think the Magpies will make history with consecutive top-4 finishes. I have a sneaky feeling they will do decently in the CL knockouts as well.

3. Liverpool

Liverpool are a side on the rise, as their summer rebuild puts them in pole position to challenge City for the title. They will compete for the title in a three-way race with the two Manchester clubs, but I think they will ultimately fall short with their midfield lacking depth and their defense lacking quality depth. Like a certain famous manager once said, a world-class attack can win you games, but a world-class defense wins you trophies.

2. Manchester United

This seems to be a slightly biased prediction from me, but I can’t help but believe that the Red Devils will challenge for the PL this season. With a talented striker up front, amazing squad depth, and talented stars like Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, and Mount, I think United will be a force to reckon with. Ten Hag will fix our away game issue; we will go deep into the knockout stages of the CL, win the FA Cup, and challenge City for the title till the very end. However, I think the eventual champions will be City, who seem too strong to topple.

1. Manchester City

I desperately pray for City NOT to win four in a row, but I can’t really see anyone toppling the Sky Blues. They have the strongest squad in Europe by FAR, and they will easily compete in all competitions and dominate. The signing of Gvardiol has only made an already stacked winning machine stronger, and I fear this team will only continue to establish itself as one of the best teams of all time.

That is my predicted table for the season, with Sheffield United, Luton Town, and Everton going down, while Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City make the top 4. What do you think will happen? Let me know what you agree or disagree with, and do check out my other article on the Championship as well. Till next time, adios!