Reds will win Champions League

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This article was published 10/08/2019 (2566 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Liverpool will win the title. Newcastle is going down. A return to the Champions League beckons for Arsenal. And Manchester United? They won’t qualify for Europe.

Disagree? That’s fine. Part of the fun at the outset of a new season is making predictions — bold ones. No doubt you have a few of your own.

As the Premier League kicks off this season, here are some of mine:

About that title…

Liverpool will put three decades of top-flight misery behind it in the spring when it lifts the Premier League trophy. Granted, saying the Reds will finish first isn’t especially bold, what with the 97 points they put up last term — not to mention their triumph in the Champions League. But it’s still Liverpool, and until it actually does it, there remains an element of risk in touting it for the title. But I can live with that. Liverpool is just that good.

Bye-bye Newcastle

Again, it doesn’t take much bravery to suggest Newcastle is headed for the drop. That it didn’t make an attempt to retain Salomon Rondon and then sold Ayoze Perez to Leicester only makes the prediction easier. Former manager Rafael Benitez worked miracles at St. James’ Park last season — and the one before that, and the one before that one. And no matter how owner Mike Ashley tries to spin it, as he did in a recent Daily Mail interview, Benitez walked because Ashley wouldn’t back him, and the ultimate price of that blunder will be relegation.

Welcome back, Arsenal

The Gunners haven’t finished in the top four since 2016, but Arsenal will return to the Champions League places in 2020. Recall that last spring, Arsenal finished fifth and just a point back of the Spurs. Well, Arsenal’s had a marvellous transfer period since then, acquiring Lille winger and Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pépé at a club-record fee, and then buying half a new back line in the forms of Celtic fullback Kieren Tierney and Chelsea defender David Luiz on deadline day. The Gunners also took Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos on loan in July — a somewhat diminutive move that could potentially pay big rewards.

“Former Glory, Man Uniiited…”

Manchester United looked great during pre-season. That’s nice. Pre-season isn’t Chelsea on Sunday. Now, if Marcus Rashford can score 20 or more goals, and if Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof can gel into an elite defensive pairing, and if Nemanja Matic can halt his decline, and if Paul Pogba can be settled and effective, and if Alexis Sanchez can contribute something, anything — the Red Devils just might have enough to get back into the Europa League. That’s a lot of “ifs.” Honestly, I think Everton will finish above them. Maybe even the Wolves.

Speaking of Everton and the Wolves

Last month, Everton made Andre Gomes, previously on loan from Barcelona, a Toffee on a permanent basis. Then Everton went and got Fabian Delph, Alex Iwobi, Djibril Sidibe and, most impressive of all, Moise Kean. The Wolves, meanwhile, signed Braga pair Bruno Jordao and Pedro Neto, as well as AC Milan striker Patrick Cutrone and Real Madrid defender Jesus Vallejo. The two clubs finished eighth and seventh, respectively, last season, and will improve to seventh and sixth, or even sixth and fifth, in 2019-20.

Villa will stay up

Norwich and Sheffield United will go straight back to the Championship from whence they came, but Aston Villa will remain in the Premier League for at least another season, and probably a lot more. Now, Villa won’t have top-scorer Tammy Abraham leading the line, so they’ll be looking for contributions from everyone. No problem there. They did ever so well to hold on to Scotland midfielder John McGinn, and new wingers Trezeguet and Anwar El Ghazi will generate excitement down the flanks. The Premier League is a better place with Villa in it.

Istanbul-bound

Manchester City will lift the European Cup in Istanbul on May 30. It’s the trophy City really, really wants. And we should know by now that what City wants, it gets. Of course, it also helps that Real Madrid is a mess, that PSG can be trusted to implode and that Bayern Munich is in something of a rebuilding phase. City’s biggest challenges will come from Barcelona, Juventus and Premier League rival Liverpool. But the Champions League will be City’s top, perhaps only, priority this season. And City seems to have addressed two pressing issues by signing Rodri to help out in the centre of the park and Joao Cancelo to slot in at left-back. It also doesn’t hurt that in Pep Guardiola City has the best manager in the world.

Quick picks

Top scorer: Sadio Mane, Liverpool

Golden glove: Alisson, Liverpool

Most assists: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City

Best summer signing: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Manchester United

Worst summer signing: Joelinton, Newcastle

Breakout star: Moise Kean, Everton

Pleasant surprise: Southampton

Trending downward: Crystal Palace

First manager sacked: Roy Hodgson, Crystal Palace.

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