Here we go again.
78 long days since the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, the best league in world football returned to action.
Predictions at any time are tricky. Sport is unpredictable and erratic; this season, like any other, will be full of twists and turns.
Peaks and troughs in form, injury woes, managerial changes, and transfers make forecasting the outcomes of football a real head-scratch.
When I mention transfers, I don't only mean mid-season - I mean now.
The summer window goes on, and dealings continue to unfold.
It seems silly, then, to try and predict how teams will perform when we don't even know the players that will be donning the shirts.
Regardless, I wanted to get my thoughts out now before the end of the opening weekend.
It's a clean slate and, while things are almost guaranteed to change between now and the 1st of September, here is how I envisage things playing out in the 2023/24 Premier League season.
20th - Sheffield United
It has been a difficult summer for Sheffield United so far.
Major outgoings have heavily dented the quality of the personnel at the club, with key players Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge moving on.
The former, now at his boyhood club Marseille, was imperative to The Blades' promotion from the Championship last season, netting 14 and assisting 11 in the league.
Berge, who has been on the radar of several top-flight clubs in recent years, has swapped Sheffield for Burnley.
Their importance will be difficult to match. Vini Souza and Benie Traore are players of similar positions to have been signed upon the duo's exit, but it's yet to see whether they can meet those rather high standards.
The club have also acquired Auston Trusty, who had an impressive loan spell at Birmingham from parent club Arsenal last campaign.
Ultimately, I see Sheffield United struggling in their first season back in the top flight, finishing rock bottom.
At least for now, they just haven't set themselves up well enough for the treacherous road ahead.
19th - Wolves
Oh, Wolves.
It's safe to say the club are in a bit of financial trouble at the moment.
Just the two signings made so far - goalkeeper Tom King, and the return of Matt Doherty. Both for free.
This is despite the massive sale of star-man Ruben Neves, who has joined Al-Hilal for £47m, as well as Nathan Collins to Brentford (£23m) and Conor Coady to now-Championship side Leicester (£7.5m).
Simply put: Wolves cannot afford to spend.
They have, however, made the interest acquisition of Gary O'Neil, who replaces Julien Lopetegui as manager.
O'Neil surpassed expectations at Bournemouth last season, but it remains to be seen whether he can take Wolves in a similar direction.
18th - Luton Town
Luton Town in the Premier League is a feel-good story.
In 2014, the Hatters were promoted back into League Two. Fast forward 9 years, and they are a top-flight side.
I'm sure I speak for a lot of neutrals in wanting Luton to have a good campaign.
Unfortunately, I do see them ultimately going straight back down, but not without a fight.
I believe Kenilworth Road will be an uncomfortable ground to play at, but don't see nearly as much in them on their travels.
As for transfers, Luton have made a fair few.
Ryan Giles, Tahtith Chong, Mads Andersen, Thomas Kaminski, Chiedozie Ogbene, Jacob Brown, Issa Kabore (loan), and Ross Barkley all joining the Bedfordshire club.
They'll give survival a good go, and will win hearts by doing so, but I think they will ultimately fall short.
17th - Nottingham Forest
The infamously big-spenders of last summer's transfer window, this time around has been a bit calmer for Nottingham Forest.
Anthony Elanga from Manchester United is a neat pick-up. His quality is obviously there, let's see if he can prove himself at his new club.
Matt Turner has joined the club following his departure for Arsenal, where he proved a safe backup option for The Gunners.
Striker Chris Wood has also moved to Forest from Newcastle, where he inevitably found himself third-choice in the pecking order behind Isak and Wilson.
With no major departures, Nottingham Forest have had a successful transfer window thus far., though this could change amidst the floating interest in Brennan Johnson.
Can Steve Cooper keep his side in the Premier League for another season? I say yes - just.
16th - Fulham
Last season was a huge success for Marco Silva's side.
They finished 10th with 52 points as one of the surprise packages of the campaign.
Aleksandar Mitrovic was key for Fulham's success. He has been strongly linked with a move away, though nothing has materialised yet.
The Cottagers have seemingly found their potential replacement, though, in Raul Jiminez.
A player whose qualities are well-known, though his form has been stagnant ever since his horrific head injury back in 2020.
Calvin Bassey is an astute signing for around £19m from Ajax. He was excellent for Rangers, and will be a good Premier League player for a club like Fulham.
With no big-name departures, it remains to be seen whether Marco Silva can get his players to perform to the high standard they produced last time around.
I do believe the mid-table finish was a feat that will prove very difficult to replicate, seeing them drop 6 places but keep their Premier League status for another year.
15th - Everton
A display of final-day heroics from Abdoulaye Doucoure saw Everton secure their place in the top flight after a torrid season.
Sean Dyche, appointed last campaign, has settled at the club and is looking to finally turn their fortunes around.
The Toffees have been notably quiet in the transfer window shenanigans so far., acquiring Arnaut Danjuma (eventually), Chermiti, and Premier League veteran Ashley Young.
They have been linked to various players, the likes of Hugo Ektike and Wilfried Gnoto surfacing as potential quality additions to an underwhelming Everton squad.
We all know who Everton are and the size of the club. Things need to change, the fans have stuck by the team through thick and thin, and Sean Dyche has some hard work to do.
14th - Burnley
Newly-promoted Burnley had an incredible Championship season, winning the league with 101 points, 10 ahead of the aforementioned Sheffield United who claimed the second automatic promotion place.
Vincent Kompany has worked wonders in Lancashire, changing the style of football, the personnel, and the atmosphere around the club.
Infamous for their defensive style, Kompany has adopted a more forward-thinking approach for Burnley, and it is paying off.
This summer, a few good signings have been made. Sander Berge, as mentioned earlier, has joined the Clarets alongside Zeki Amdouni, Jordan Beyer, Nathan Redmond, and James Trafford.
Trafford was superb for Bolton in League One, and the hero for England in their U21 Euros final against Spain, saving a 98th-minute penalty to secure the win.
I'm excited to watch Burnley this season, and that's not something I would have ever said about them when they were last knocking about in the Premier League.
14th would be a brilliant season.
13th - Crystal Palace
Palace are one of those mid-table teams who always seem to float around, predictable and expected.
They have, however, lost Wilfried Zaha - and that is a huge loss. His commitment to Crystal Palace all these years has earned him the move away from a club he had simply outgrown.
Michael Olise has been linked with a deal away, too, though this is still up in the air. Chelsea and Manchester City are among the rumoured clubs, but both look to be investing elsewhere. Will he get his transfer?
The window on the whole has been relatively quiet for Palace. Two additions in Matheus Franca and Jefferson Lerma, and a number of free transfer exits. There's not too much to comment on.
They will be fine, they will survive, but Crystal Palace will not kick on without some fresh changes to the side.
12th - Brentford
Thomas Frank has done an exceptional job as Brentford boss in recent seasons, seeing them become a relatively established and feared Premier League side.
Ivan Toney is electric. He is a game changer, a prolific talisman who is easily their best player.
He is banned for over eight months for breaking FA betting rules - now that is a blow.
Will they replace him? Can they replace him? It is yet to be seen.
Brentford still have quality mind you, particularly in Bryan Mbuemo, Ben Mee, and David Raya - who could also be out the door in the next few days.
Nathan Collins, Kevin Schade, and Mark Flekken have been brought into the side, but it will be extremely difficult to replicate the Brentford we have seen in the past few seasons without Toney.
11th - West Ham United
UEFA Conference League champions, they definitely know who they are.
West Ham had a turbulent domestic season, but continental success sees them qualify for Europa League football this year despite their 14th-place finish in the league.
Despite the major loss of Declan Rice and potentially even Lucas Paqueta, West Ham could (and ultimately should) improve this season.
It all depends on how they spend.
Edson Alvarez is a great signing. He's no Rice, but not many midfielders are.
Harry Maguire looks set to join the Hammers, as does James Ward-Prowse. Two experienced England internationals who will improve the side.
Maguire may have struggled at Manchester United, but his quality shines through for England in a way I envision as similar to what he will produce in east London. As for Ward-Prowse, we know what he can do.
More signings must be made, but I believe they will be. Whether that's an oversight by me, we will soon find out. For now, I'm settling on 11th.
10th - Bournemouth
"Bournemouth? Am I reading this right? Something's not right here."
Bold, but I stand by it.
The Cherries struggled for the majority of last season, though Gary O'Neil did a fine job to turn their fortunes around.
New man Andoni Iraola, though, is a big step up.
The ex-Rayo Vallecano manager was a revelation in La Liga, proving himself as one of the division's best.
His side beat Real Madrid Villarreal, and Sevilla last season, finishing a very respectable 11th come the end of the campaign.
Furthermore, their on-the-pitch acquisitions have been excellent, too.
Alex Scott from Bristol City is an exceptional piece of business, as is Max Aarons from Norwich - for a combined total of around £27m.
Hamed Junior Traore, Romain Favre (loaned to Lorient), and Milos Kerkez conclude their summer incomings so far.
All young, hungry, and ready to shine under Iraola's wing.
This will be an exciting time for Bournemouth.
9th - Brighton
One of my favourite teams to watch in the league, de Zerbi's Brighton are thrilling.
Off the pitch, their summer has been rather hectic.
Alexis Mac Allister has gone to Liverpool, out-of-favour Robert Sanchez to Chelsea, whilst Deniz Undav has also headed out the door.
The Moises Caicedo saga could finally be coming to an end, with Chelsea and Liverpool battling it out as we speak for the £100m midfielder.
Brighton have signed the exciting Joao Pedro from Watford to help turn their abundance of chances into more frequent goals.
Bart Verbruggen, Igor, Mahmoud Dahoud, and Adrian Mazilu have also been brought by the Seagulls.
Relative to their 6th place finish last time out, 9th is disappointing, but it won't be a bad season by any stretch of the imagination.
Let's not forget they will be playing Europa League football. Will that be their ultimate focus?
8th - Aston Villa
Unai Emery, take a bow.
He has come back to England and completely revolutionised Aston Villa.
They are exciting and unpredictable, in the best way. He has got them firing on all cylinders, and has brought out the best in striker Ollie Watkins.
More of the same, and Villa are in for a fun season. Let's not forget they are in the Conference League play-off round, too.
In terms of business, they have spent their money exceptionally well so far this summer.
Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres are really, really good coups. Youri Tielemans on a free transfer isn't half bad either.
All three signings will significantly improve Emery's side. All three have recently been linked to bigger and better clubs - that is an indication of what Aston Villa are building.
No higher than 8th, but with the quality of the teams ahead of them, it's a good season for Unai Emery's Villa.
7th - Tottenham Hotspur
I initially had Spurs slightly higher in my prediction table, but I'm glad I waited until the last minute to get this written due to one man - Harry Kane.
Kane has left the club to join European giants Bayern Munich in one of the biggest and most significant dealings in recent years.
Many thought he'd never leave, but that time has come. What exactly do Tottenham do?
Well, Son had a poor season last year, but form is temporary. Him finding his feet again would be a huge boost to Spurs' search for European football, and the same goes for his fellow attacking outlets Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Whether they target a direct replacement for Kane is yet to be seen. A striker of his quality joining the club, for one, is nigh-on possible.
They have so far made three new signings irrelevant to the Kane debacle, the most notable being James Maddison from Leicester - one of the league's best midfield outlets.
Young centre-back Micky van de Ven also joins the club, alongside goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
New manager Ange Postecoglou visualises the potential start of a new and improved Tottenham Hotspur - though the success won't be instant.
Spurs fans, and the board, need patience with Ange. They said they wanted better football, they will get it.
Life without Kane will be expectedly tough, but letting him go could spur the team on as they begin their new journey (pun 100% intended).
6th - Newcastle United
After securing Champions League football last season, Newcastle have united the fanbase in a way that has not been seen for them in a pretty long time.
It was an exceptional campaign for Eddie Howe's men, solidifying their status as a top Premier League side once again.
They have invested pretty heavily in the window so far, the biggest fee of them all being Sandro Tonali's £55m move from AC Milan.
I don't believe he will be the world-class acquisition the Magpies are hoping for, but I by no means see him being a flop.
Harvey Barnes proved his quality at Leicester and will be a top addition to Newcastle's team, alongside Tino Livramento, who also joins.
Departures haven't hit them too harshly, either. Allan Saint-Maximin and Chris Wood have moved elsewhere, but they are in safe hands with the group of players they have.
Will the heights of Champions League football hinder their league chances? Slightly, in my opinion.
5th - Chelsea
Genuinely, where do I even start with Chelsea?
I could spend my entire time just talking about their transfer business - the sheer volume of arrivals and departures is staggering once again.
Of the eight new faces, I'll limit myself to just a few.
Christopher Nkunku is the big one - a fabulous signing. Or at least that was until he suffered a knee injury that will see him sidelined for an 'extended period'.
Axel Diasi and Nicolas Jackson are further additions, and who knows what Chelsea will do next. Will they land Caicedo? Tyler Adams? Kudus? Olise? Lavia? I could go on.
They have sold big, too. Havertz has gone to Arsenal, Mount to Manchester United, Kovacic to Manchester City, and Loftus-Cheek and Pulisic both to AC Milan.
It has been busy to say the least, and it's almost certainly not over yet.
Can Pochettino make his mark on this Chelsea collective and fire them up the table? Yes.
Not quite Champions League, but a manager so good with young players can get this team back on an upwards trajectory. Let's see what happens.
4th - Manchester United
I've swapped these next two quite a few times now, but I'm going to settle with Manchester United in 4th place.
United finished last season comfortably within the top four in the end, beating out Newcastle to 3rd in the table.
Since then, they have spent quite a bit of money this summer already.
Rasmus Hojlund is an exciting young striker who demonstrated his potential at Atalanta last season. With fears of a stress fracture, though, his contributions will have to be monitored at the start of his United career.
Elsewhere, Andre Onana is a significant upgrade on David De Gea, and Mason Mount is a young, hardworking midfielder who will bolster the Red Devils' squad.
So with these improvements, why only 4th? That makes no sense.
Well, that's simply down to the teams above them, and not particularly to a fault of their own.
3rd - Liverpool
Liverpool are unpredictable (yes, I know that is literally the point of all of this).
Everyone knows the quality they possess. Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, and Darwin Nunez to name a few of their top players.
Depth is the key issue here. Their midfield is bare, and that's after the big-money signings of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.
I have been a huge fan of Szoboszlai for a while now. I think he is a superb creative talent whose hard work and determination will suit Klopp's Liverpool and the Premier League to a tee.
It is looking less and less likely that the Reds will manage to pull off the signing of Moises Caicedo. If that does fall through, turning their attention back to Romeo Lavia would be a smart bit of business and bolster their midfield options ahead of a season with Europa League football.
I think Liverpool will be really, really fun to watch this season, and I'm excited to see how they get on.
2nd - Arsenal
Same as last season, Arsenal will miss out on that Premier League title they so desperately crave.
After leading the race for so much of last season, the Gunners blew it at the tail-end to hand Manchester City one-third of their treble.
They will be back and challenging once again.
Declan Rice is one of the signings of the summer, though at a hefty cost. Jurrien Timber has impressed so far too, putting in an exceptional display against City in the Community Shield.
Kai Havertz is an interesting acquisition. His form at Chelsea was rather hit-and-miss, but Mikel Arteta could be the man to bring out the best in the German.
David Raya could yet be on his way to north London to provide competition for Aaron Ramsdale, too.
That is a number of impressive signings to an Arsenal squad that has needed to improve its depth.
With money that could be made on a number of potential outgoings, Arteta could still find a way to improve his squad just that little bit better and pip his professor to the title.
For now though, its another season of eventual disappointment for Arsenal fans I'm afraid.
You're challenging Manchester City. What can you do?
1st - Manchester City
Inevitable. I'm sorry for the boring choice, but who can stop them?
Who can stop a City team that have just bought one of the best defenders in the world, Josko Gvardiol?
Yes, Gundogan is a big loss to their midfield, and I don't think Kovacic is an equal replacement, but they are after Lucas Paqueta whose talents are simply too good for the current West Ham squad.
They just keep getting better.
Haaland will do Haaland things, De Bruyne will do De Bruyne things, etc etc.
In fact, we have already seen the Norwegian do what he does best in the opener against Burnley last night.
On the whole, it must be said that City looked a tad jaded, making mistakes that could have proven costly on any other day.
That is, at least, any other day that Haaland isn't producing finishes like that. His second goal of the match was just simply outstanding.
It's not just Haaland, though - Manchester City's quality in numbers is what sets them apart from those trying to stop them.
Especially given that they are chasing a fourth Premier League title in a row, it could be scary times once again for the rest of the Premier League.
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