Unstoppable City, rising Chelsea, but Spurs will struggle NEWCASTLE –

IT’S that time of year again – the crystal ball is out of the loft and a new Premier League season is upon us.

My annual pre-season prediction for each club is based on playing squads with another three weeks of the transfer window to go, but as things stand I can’t see anyone stopping Manchester City landing a fourth title in a row.

Watch out for a Chelsea revival under Mauricio Pochettino, but Tottenham and Wolves fans should look away now...

Have a great season, whoever you support.

ARSENAL –

Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz are fantastic additions to the squad, and the Gunners over-achieved massively by leading the title race for 248 days last season. But they couldn’t quite sustain it, and their best chance of being champions again may have gone.

LASTSEASON: ............... 2nd TITLEODDS: ................. 9-2 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3rd

ASTON VILLA –

European football is back at Villa Park, and Unai Emery has bought well by adding Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans to his squad. They are not going to win the title, but they could rattle the top six.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7th TITLEODDS: ................ 125-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7th

BOURNEMOUTH –

Alex Scott, one of the most coveted young players outside the Premier League, is a good signing. Not sure what to expect from new head coach Andoni Iraola, but if he does a better job than Gary O’Neil last season he must be a genius.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15th TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17th

BRENTFORD –

The Bees beat Manchester City home and away last season, so they are a force to be reckoned with. I love watching Thomas Frank’s team play, but Ivan Toney’s suspension will be a big loss in the first half of the campaign.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9th TITLEODDS: ............... 400-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10th

BRIGHTON –

They have lost Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool, and Moises Caicedo looks to be on his way, too – yet Brighton’s recruitment model is built to cope with setbacks, and the fans will relish European football. Another enjoyable season at the Amex.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6th TITLEODDS: ................ 66-1 SAVSAYS: ................... 8th

BURNLEY –

Manager Vincent Kompany will not let the grass grow under his feet at Turf Moor. The Clarets could not have asked for a tougher start than facing the Treble winners, but Burnley will cope comfortably back in the top flight.

LASTSEASON: ............... N/A TITLEODDS: .............. 1,000-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12th

CHELSEA –

No European football at the Bridge, but that will give new boss Mauricio Pochettino more time on the training pitch to galvanise his squad. Last season was a car-crash, and Christopher Nkunku’s injury is a setback, but I’m backing Poch to claim a top-four spot.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12th TITLEODDS: ................. 14-1 SAVSAYS: ................... 4th

CRYSTAL PALACE –

Wilf Zaha, for so long the talisman at Selhurst Park, has gone and the fans are worried that Michael Olise could be next to fly the Eagles’ nest. Roy Hodgson is going to need all of his experience to keep relegation at arm’s length.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11th TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15th

EVERTON –

Business as usual – they are not going to score enough goals to feel safe. Everton have had a poor transfer window so far and Sean Dyche, who led Burnley to Europe on the Premier League’s lowest budget, will need to delve into his magician’s top hat again.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17th TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14th

FULHAM –

If Aleksandar Mitrovic stays at Craven Cottage, no problem – all Fulham’s enterprise leads to their Serbian centre-forward. But if he follows the exodus towards Saudi Arabia, it won’t be plain sailing for manager Marco Silva.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10th TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16th

LIVERPOOL –

To lose Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho in one window is a lot of experience leaving the building. I’m excited by Jurgen Klopp’s refit in midfield, but it may need time to gel. Agreeing a British record £110million fee for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo shows they mean business even if they don’t get the deal over the line.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5th TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-2 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5th

LUTON –

Home form will be the key if they are to have any chance of staying up, and Ross Barkley is a good signing among nine new recruits. Whatever happens, even if the going gets heavy, they must stand by manager Rob Edwards.

LASTSEASON: ............... N/A TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500-1 SAVSAYS: .................. 20th MANCHESTER CITY –

After the Treble comes four in a row. I can’t see anyone stopping City landing a sixth title in seven years. Yes, they have lost Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez over the summer, but Pep Guardiola loves a world-class centre-back and Josko Gvardiol is another fantastic buy. Two predictions: Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot (again) and Jack Grealish for Player of the Year.

LAST SEASON: CHAMPIONS TITLE ODDS: . . . . 8-11 FAV SAVSAYS: .......... 1st

MANCHESTER UNITED –

There’s going to be a lot of pressure on Rasmus Hojlund to come up with the goals which justify Erik ten Hag’s £72m punt on the Danish striker. And new keeper Andre Onana has a tough act to follow in David De Gea, who won the Golden Glove last season, but United will build on their first trophy in six years.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . 3rd TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . 10-1 SAVSAYS: .......... 2nd

Can Eddie Howe harness the momentum of last season’s charge into the Champions League places? I’m not sure they have the strength in depth to sustain another top-four finish with the demands of European football – and expectations will be raised on Tyneside.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4th TITLEODDS: ................. 16-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6th

NOTTINGHAM FOREST –

They bucked a trend by sticking with Steve Cooper after a rocky start and got their rewards... good for them. An exciting front four of Morgan GibbsWhite, Brennan Johnson, Anthony Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi will have the City Ground rocking again.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16th TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11th

SHEFFIELD UNITED –

Don’t expect the football to be as expansive as the last time they were promoted under Chris Wilder, but Paul Heckingbottom is a canny operator. Losing Sander Berge this week was a setback and, ultimately, I fear a lack of Premier League quality will hurt the Blades.

LASTSEASON: ............... N/A TITLE ODDS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19th

TOTTENHAM –

How are Spurs going to replace Harry Kane’s 280 goals? With him on board, I would give them a shout of finishing in the top six, but new manager Ange Postecoglou’s worst nightmare will leave them drifting in midtable. It’s the end of an era in north London.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8th TITLEODDS: ................ 40-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9th

WEST HAM –

Slow out of the blocks to replace the void left by Declan Rice – and now they could lose Lucas Paqueta. Although Edson Alvarez has signed and (fingers crossed) Harry Maguire and James Ward-Prowse, two Premier League captains last season, are on the way.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14th TITLEODDS: ............... 250-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13th

WOLVES –

It shouldn’t have come to this, but I fear for Wolves this year. Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez have been sold without being replaced, head coach Julen Lopetegui has walked and new boss Gary O’Neil, who did a fantastic job at Bournemouth, has another big rescue on his hands.

LAST SEASON: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13th TITLEODDS: ............... 500-1 SAV SAYS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18th