Premier League 2023-24 Season Predictions
The 2023-24 Premier League officially kicked off on Friday, August 11, with a much-anticipated match between Burnley and defending champions Manchester City. The big question this season is whether City will become the first club to win the EPL Cup four times in a row or if another team will steal their thunder. Below, we provide predictions for the top League teams and upcoming games.
Manchester City
Nobody seems to want to bet against Manchester City. Pep Guardiola's powerhouse team may have lost Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan to Saudi Arabia and Barcelona, respectively. However, they are still the best team in the league by a long shot. City managed to bounce back in the last leg of last year's tournament, after primarily focusing on the Champions League, and overtake Arsenal, who had an eight-point lead.
This season, the team is expected to be laser-focused on the EPL as they have a chance to make history. If you click here you will find sports betting tips and odds to help you keep track of the Reds throughout the season The addition of Croatian elites Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol is guaranteed to be a welcome bonus. Erling Haaland's mere presence in the team also gives them an edge that is tough to beat.
Liverpool
After finishing fifth last year, the Reds can focus on the EPL this year. And with the Champions League off their plate, they might make it to the top. Fans are worried about the loss of captain Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabia. But the team’s ranks will receive a boost from the addition of RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister, the World Cup-winning Argentinean midfielder. Last Sunday’s game was a poor showing of Liverpool’s instability following the loss of Henderson. However, the fact that the Reds managed to hold their own against Chelsea shows that their sheer intent could be enough to push them through this season.
Arsenal
After missing out for five years, Arsenal made it to the Champions League this season. So, they should have a very busy season. Mikel Arteta has prepared by adding Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz to his roster. However, punters are divided on the depth of the current lineup. Arteta is sadly missing the talents of striker Gabriel Jesus, who may remain on injury reserve for the first few weeks of the season. He will have to rotate his team a lot more this year.
Monday 21: Crystal Palace Vs. Arsenal
Crystal Palace is missing Wilf Zaha, but that hasn't slowed them down. This is largely due to their fast and strong center-back and midfield lineup. For this game, Arsenal will maintain possession but face rapid counterattacks from Crystal.
Manchester United
Erik ten Hag’s boys won the EFL Cup last year. Since then, The Devils have added midfielder Mason Mount, goalkeeper Andre Onana, and striker Rasmus Hojlund to their roster. Their lineup alone almost guarantees that they will finish in the top 4. They might do even better if Rashford steps up his game. However, the Red Devils don’t seem to have found their groove, appearing disjointed in their weekend game. They might not have a great first few games.
Chelsea
Chelsea are looking to add Tyler Adams to their ranks. That and their new coach Mauricio Pochettino could see them finish at a higher spot this season. However, the Blues did have a terrible 2023-23 campaign, finishing an astonishing 12th. Any improvement this season will be welcome. Chelsea opened in a volatile state last week, but Nicolas Jackson showed promise.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa had a slow start to the season last year, to say the least. Unai Emery, however, launched one of the most remarkable comebacks in league history, taking the team from a 2W-6L-3 start to a number 7 finish. This is the highest EPL position the team has held since 2010, and the high from it should see them through this season. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the team used about $100 million this summer to add defender Pau Torres and winger Moussa Diaby to its ranks. We predict a top-half finish.
Brighton
Brighton suffered a major loss when Mac Allister transferred to Liverpool. And now, the team’s roster is facing another blow after star midfielder Moises Caicedo recently signed with Chelsea. It is difficult to see how Brighton will cope. But the addition of James Milner, Joao Pedro, Igor Julio, and Mahmoud Dahoud could offer hope.
Newcastle
The addition of AC Milan’s Sandro Tonali and Southampton’s Tino Livramento to Newcastle’s roster could give them a sharper sting this season. But with striker Callum Wilson now 32, it is unlikely that he can beat his 18-goal record of last season – a performance that saw the team qualify for the Champions League for the first time in over 20 years. The team thus might not be able to juggle two competitions. However, Newcastle's Alexander Isak is already on his best game. The team played aggressively against Aston Villa last weekend and might just pull through.
Tottenham
Tottenham recently lost their star striker and lead scorer, English player Harry Kane, to Bayern Munich. The team opened without Harry Kane for the first time in a long time but did not seem to miss him as James Maddison filled Kane’s shoes perfectly. The team finished mid-table last season behind Aston Villa and Brighton. It remains to be seen how they perform without Kane, but a similar or higher finish will be tough to come by.
Fulham
Fulham might lose Aleksandar Mitrovic, their lead goalscorer, and veteran midfielder Willian to Saudi Arabia. Under these circumstances, it might be difficult for them to make number 10 again.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace had a good showing last season, finishing at number 11. However, with the loss of Wilfried Zaha to Turkey, the team’s roster is in disarray and may affect their game for a few weeks.
Everton
Everton finished three spots away from the bottom of the table last season. But with well-respected Sean Dyche fully settled in as the coach, the team is expected to hire this season.
West Ham
West Ham, meanwhile, is stuck in limbo over the Declan Rice fiasco. It will be exciting to see if they rise out of their funk fast enough to rise higher than they did on the table last season.
Wrapping Up
The Premier League 2023-24 season is still in its infancy, but the excitement is already palpable. Punters seem to agree that Manchester City has the best team in the league and a real shot at making history next May when the tournament concludes. Until then, it will be exciting to see how the 38 rounds unfold and what surprises this campaign has in store.
- Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com
