Manchester City stormed to the Premier League title last season with a record 100 points and will again be the team to beat in the new campaign.
Pep Guardiola has added Riyad Mahrez to his already impressive squad so it will be up to City’s title rivals to mount a stronger challenge.
Liverpool, who have also bought well in the summer transfer window, should be City’s main challengers, but Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal will also hope to be in the running.
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Here we look at who the UK football pundits and journalists think will win the Premier League title in 2018-19 and who will be heading for relegation.
Predictions: who will win the Premier League title?
BBC: as reported yesterday, 21 out of the 24 BBC TV and radio football pundits have tipped Manchester City to win the title this season. Mark Lawrenson, Alan Shearer and Alex Scott are among those who back City, while Ian Wright, Ruud Gullit and Martin Keown are backing Liverpool.
Sky Sports: pundits Charlie Nicholas, Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier and Paul Merson all tip Manchester City to finish top and Liverpool to come second.
ESPN: of the broadcaster’s 28 football journalists, 27 believe that Manchester City will be champions. Only Glenn Price predicts it will be Liverpool’s year.
David Maddock, Daily Mirror: “Manchester City - though Liverpool will run them close, and it could even hinge on their respective Champions League campaigns.”
Mike Walters, Daily Mirror: “Here’s a prediction: if Liverpool collect 92 points this season, they will end the 28-year wait for a 19th title at Anfield.”
Danny Murphy, pundit (via the Daily Express): “Manchester City will be crowned champions again and Arsenal and Chelsea won’t be securing Champions League football.”
Matt Dickinson, The Times: “[top four of] Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur. The top two are easy. After that, Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery must answer questions before Chelsea and Arsenal can be confident of overhauling a discordant United and a Spurs side investing only in a new home.”
Oliver Kay, The Times: “[top four of] Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham. I expect improvement from Arsenal and Chelsea, but it might not be enough to make the top four unless there is regression elsewhere.”
Eurosport: “Manchester City. Imagine our surprise. No less than ten of our 13 journalists predicted that Pep Guardiola’s team will become the first side to retain the Premier League trophy since Manchester United in 2008/09 – with two shouts for an impressive and ambitious Liverpool and one for United.”
Cy Brown, Forbes: “Pep Guardiola and Manchester City return pretty much every piece from a side that scored 100 points and ran away with the title last year. They’re at a stage where they’re snatching up Riyad Mahrez, one of the best players in the league the last three years, not because they needed him but just because. It’s good to be king, and the Sky Blues are the undoubted kings of the Premier League at the moment.”
Predictions: who will get relegated from the Premier League?
Daniel Storey, Football365: “If you offered both Wolves and Fulham 17th place in May, the owners would probably take it. But both clubs also have dreams far beyond mere Premier League consolidation. That will ask serious questions of yet more established Premier League clubs, including Southampton, Crystal Palace, Watford and Burnley. This is not a league in which you can afford to suffer a slump and not be punished. I will rightly be accused of being disrespectful, but it is hard to see beyond Cardiff City’s relegation.”
Matt Dickinson, The Times: “Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town, Watford. Again, first two simple but could easily be worse sides than Watford if, say, Rafa Benitez leaves Newcastle or Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion struggle for goals.”
Oliver Kay, The Times: “Cardiff, Fulham, Huddersfield. That feels harsh, as all three teams and managers performed superbly to exceed expectations last season. Newcastle might have to be careful.”
Gab Marcotti, ESPN: “Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Bournemouth.”
Mark Ogden, ESPN: “Bournemouth, Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town.”
Andy Dunn, Daily Mirror: “Bournemouth, Cardiff, Huddersfield.”
Steve Bates, Daily Mirror: “18 Southampton, 19 Huddersfield, 20 Cardiff.”
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