After what seems like a ridiculously short summer break (it’s actually been six weeks), the Premier League is back with us this weekend, and the new campaign throws up plenty of questions.
- Will Liverpool maintain the dominance they enjoyed to lift their first title in 30 years?
- Can Manchester City bridge the gap that left them 18 points adrift of their big rivals?
- Who of Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs or Manchester United will miss out on the top four?
- Can Leeds, West Brom and Fulham avoid an immediate return to the Championship?
- Timo Werner, James Rodriguez, Fabio Silva? Who will be the best buy of the season?
??With opening day looming, we've put together a quick summary of all twenty clubs, kicking off with this selection of the latest betting odds.
| TO WIN TITLE | TOP 4 FINISH | TO FINISH BOTTOM |
| 1.80 MAN CITY | 1.50 CHELSEA | 4.33 FULHAM |
| 3.25 LIVERPOOL | 1.50 MANCHESTER UTD | 4.50 WEST BROM |
| 11.00 CHELSEA | 3.50 ARSENAL | 7.00 ASTON VILLA |
| 17.00 MANCHESTER UTD | 4.00 SPURS | 10.0 CRYSTAL PALACE |
| 34.00 ARSENAL | 7.00 WOLVES | 11.0 NEWCASTLE UTD |
| 51.00 SPURS | 10.0 LEICESTER CITY | 13.0 BURNLEY |
| 151.0 LEEDS UNITED | 21.0 EVERTON | 17.0 BRIGHTON |
| 151.0 LEICESTER CITY | 26.0 LEEDS UNITED | 17.0 SHEFFIELD UTD |
ARSENAL
Last Season = 8th
Major signings = Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes
An awful start to last season cost Unai Emery his job, and while the arrival of Mikel Arteta brought immediate improvements in terms of organisation on the field, there is clearly much work to be done. Acquiring Willian from neighbours Chelsea should improve their attacking threat from midfield, but Arteta's major coup was to persuade his talismanic captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to stay at the club. His goals will continue to be crucial to the Gunners' top-four ambitions, but in truth the top six might again be a more realistic prospect.
ASTON VILLA
Last Season = 17th
Major signings = Ollie Watkins
Most of Villa's problems last season arose from their lack of cutting edge in front of goal, so Dean Smith looked to his old club, Brentford, in the hope that club record signing Ollie Watkins will produce the goods up front. Smith has his team's late rescue act last season to thank for the fact that he still has the services of Jack Grealish at his disposal, but at some point he will have to accept that his England star will be moving on.
BRIGHTON
Last Season = 15th
Major signings = Adam Lallana, Joel Veltman, Ben White
Despite occasional glimpses of good things, Brighton did little better under the guidance of Graham Potter than they did for Chris Hughton before him, and Potter will be under no illusions that his team will spend most of this season in their usual position in the nether regions of the Premier League. Survival remains their main priority, and the arrival of Adam Lallana from Liverpool might add some experienced quality to the Seagulls' workmanlike line-up.
BURNLEY
Last Season = 10th
Burnley continue to punch well above their weight, and last season's top ten finish was a huge achievement for Sean Dyche and his players. The Clarets rely on their compact organisation and defensive resilience, so Dyche will be anxious about the potential departure of centre back James Tarkowski, without whom they might struggle to reach last season's heights.
CHELSEA
Last Season = 4th
Major signings = Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell
Chelsea have been busier than anyone in the transfer market and those big new names make a bold statement about Frank Lampard's ambitions to close the gap between his team and the top two. The departure of Willian to Arsenal will leave a gap that Ziyech should fill nicely once fir, while Werner will boost the Blues attack ahead of the sometimes ineffective Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud. Last season's young blood will be better for having their first full top-flight season behind them, and when Christian Pulisic returns from injury, Lampard should be spoiled for attacking options, while Thiago Silva looks perfect to add some defensive steel at the back.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Last Season = 14th
Major signings = Eberechi Eze
There was a brief period just after lockdown when Palace looked like they might be capable of a top eight finish, but seven straight defeats revealed familiar deficiencies at both ends of the pitch. Wilfried Zaha continues to promise more than he delivers, although if he stays beyond the transfer window, he might blend well with new arrival, Eberechi Eze, while loanee Michay Batshuayi should add a promise of goals up front.
EVERTON
Last Season = 12th
Major signings = James Rodriguez, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure
A couple of eye-catching acquisitions might just help change Everton from perennial under-achievers to a team with positive ambitions to challenge the top six. The appointment of Carlo Ancelotti last season did not quite have the anticipated impact, but the arrival of 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner, James Rodriguez, is a major coup that might help bring the best out of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
FULHAM
Last Season = Championship (playoff)
The winners' of the Championship promotion playoff is usually favourite to go straight back down, and it will be no surprise to find Fulham struggling at the wrong end of the table this season. Scott Parker has certainly earned his stripes after bringing the Cottagers back to the top-flight at the first time of asking, but the fact that Fulham still rely heavily on the goals of Aleksandar Mitrovic suggests they might struggle if the Serbian has a lean spell.
LEEDS UNITED
Last Season = Championship (Champions)
Major signings = Rodrigo
It's been a long road back to the Premier League for Leeds United, and having eventually won the Championship with room to spare, they appear to be the best-equipped of the three promoted teams to survive their first season back. Manager Marcelo Bielsa is sure to provide some drama from the touchline and in the press room. Their £30million signing, Rodrigo, should add an extra attacking dimension up front, while England debutant, Kalvan Phillips, now has a stage worthy of his raw talent.
LEICESTER CITY
Last Season = 5th
It says a lot about Leicester's progress under Brendan Rodgers that last season's fifth-placed finish was something of a disappointment after being in the top four for most of the season. Jamie Vardy remains the Foxes' main threat up front, but they will miss the attacking width of Ben Chilwell after his departure to Chelsea, while much will also depend upon a return to form from James Maddison after an injury-interrupted campaign.
LIVERPOOL
Last Season = Champions
Major signings = Kostas Tsimikas
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and that's an adage that Jurgen Klopp appears to abide by after a hitherto quiet transfer window that has seen £11million Kostas Tsimikas as the Liverpool manager's only signing to date. Takumi Minamino is knocking on the door for a place after his goal in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Community Shield, but he still seems some way off gatecrashing Liverpool's established and dynamic front three of Salah, Mane and Firmino. Defending the Premier League title is always a big ask, but if Liverpool get off to a flyer than they did last season, they they are again going to be hard to catch.
MANCHESTER CITY
Last Season = Runner-up
Major signings = Nathan Ake, Ferran Torres
Manchester City will not have enjoyed relinquishing their title by last season's huge 18-point margin, and Pep Guardiola will be looking to address the inconsistencies that brought nine league defeats, most of which came unexpectedly in the midst of otherwise impressive form. Defensive lapses and an extended absence of Sergio Aguero combined to produce a disappointing campaign, even though City won no less than eleven league games by four or more goals. The arrival of Nathan Ake should help reduce those defensive frailties, while striker Ferran Torres will offer some competition to Aguero and Gabriel Jesus up front.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Last Season = 3rd
Major signings = Donny Van De Beek
Last season's third place finish represented a huge achievement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his first full year in charge, and much of that success revolved around the arrival of midfield playmaker Bruno Fernandes in the January transfer window, backed up by the emergence of talented striker Mason Greenwood. The acquisition of Donny Van De beek from Ajax means competition for midfield places will be immense, while David De Gea will also be under pressure between the sticks after Dean Henderson's return from an impressive on-loan season at Sheffield United.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Last Season = 13th
Major signings = Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser, Jamal Lewis
The much-heralded takeover bid at St James's Park appears to have evaporated, leaving Steve Bruce to continue in charge after what was a decent consolidating period last season. The Magpies' deficiencies were often clear to see, but Bruce can't be accused of being idle in the transfer market, where the arrival of Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth should combine to make Newcastle a far more effective attacking unit this season.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Last Season = 9th
Major signings = Aaron Ramsdale
?After starting as newly-promoted favourites to go down, Sheffield United were very much the surprise package of last season, and at one stage looked very much like they might even qualify for Europe. Three straight losses at the end of the campaign put paid to those hopes, but there was no denying that the compact organised unit built by boss Chris Wilder created a headache for most of their opponents. Their one major signing is goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from Bournemouth, and if he can replicate the form of last season's loanee Dean Henderson, then it should be another promising campaign of consolidation for the Blades.
SOUTHAMPTON
Last Season = 11th
Southampton emerged from the shadow of their humiliating 9-0 home defeat by Leicester City last October to enjoy a better second half of the season than most, with Danny Ings finally enjoying an injury-free season to bag an impressive 22 goals. Ralph Hasenhuttl transformed his side into an effective attacking unit, especially on the road, where they became the only team to earn more away points (31) than they did at home (21), and indeed only Liverpool and Manchester City bettered the Saints' away record of W9, D4, L6.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Last Season = 6th
Major signings = Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Matt Doherty
Tottenham Hotspur might not have earned the Champions League place that Jose Mourinho craved, but sixth place and a Europa League spot represented a successful first season in charge for the Special One. Another top four challenge will be on the cards for Spurs, whose squad has been bolstered by the arrival of Matt Doherty from Wolves and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton, adding some solidity behind Spurs' undoubted attacking flair.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Last Season = Championship (runner-up)
Major signings = Grady Diangana
West Bromwich Albion made a quick return to the Premier League, but will need to work hard to avoid an immediate return back in the opposite direction. Slavin Bilic has moulded a workmanlike squad into an organised unit, and will be boosted by the arrival of the talented Grady Diangara from West Ham United. A good start is vital for the Baggies if they are to build any belief about their right to be playing at this level.
WEST HAM UNITED
Last Season = 16th
West Ham United are another team who need to avoid a stuttering start that would make things difficult for manager David Moyes, who has not been given the open cheque book that he would have hoped for to strengthen his squad, especially in a suspect back line. With few new faces, there will be extra pressure on Michail Antonio to carry the front line, with newcomer Tomas Soucek looking to build on a promising spell at the end of last season.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Last Season = 7th
Major signings = Fabio Silva
Two seventh-placed finishes in the last two seasons makes Wolves very much the "best of the rest" outside the big six, and that sustained success has been built on Nuno Espirito Santos' ability to turn a tightly-knit squad into an effective unit in both defence and attack. It remains to be seen how much the departure of wingback Matt Doherty to Spurs upsets the balance of the line-up, but the arrival of teenager Fabio Silva should provide an extra attacking spark to complement Jiminez, Neves and Traore up front.