EPL team guide 2015-16: Arsenal to Manchester United

Sport360 staff 19:34 07/08/2015
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  • The Premier League guide part one: Arsenal to Manchester United.

    The new Premier League season begins this weekend and here Sport360 has compiled the ultimate two-part guide to each team including predictions, vital statistics and key transfer news. Part one covers Arsenal to Manchester United.

    ARSENAL

    Manager: Arsene Wenger
    Last season: 3rd
    Key ins: Petr Cech (Chelsea, £10m)
    Key outs: Lukas Podolski (Galatasaray, £1.8m), Abou Diaby (Marseille, free), Carl Jenkinson (West Ham, loan), Yaya Sanogo (Ajax, loan), Wojciech Szczesny (Roma, loan)
    Star man: Alexis Sanchez
    One to watch: Theo Walcott
    VERDICT: Possess their best squad to challenge for the title and a fit-again Walcott could compensate for the need of another striker. Cech’s arrival will stabilise the defence, but much depends on whether they can handle the pressure mentally – 1st.


    ASTON VILLA
    Manager: Tim Sherwood
    Last season: 17th
    Key ins: Jordan Ayew (Lorient, £10m), Idrissa Gueye (Lille, £9m), Jordan Vertout (Nantes, £8m), Jordan Amavi (Nice, £7.7m), Rudy Gestede (Blackburn, £6m), Scott Sinclair (Man City, £2.5m), Micah Richards (Man City, free), Emmanuel Adebayor (Spurs, loan)
    Key outs: Christian Benteke (Liverpool, £32m), Fabian Delph (Man City, £8m), Ron Vlaar (released), Andreas Weimann (Derby, £2.5m), Matthew Lowton (Burnley, £1.3m)
    Star man: Emmanuel Adebayor
    One to watch: Jordan Amavi
    VERDICT: New boys must make an impact or another season of struggle awaits – 14th.
    Tim Sherwood will be keen to prove Aston Villa's critics wrong.

    BOURNEMOUTH
    Manager: Eddie Howe
    Last season: 1st place (Championship)
    Key ins: Tyrone Mings (Ipswich, £8m), Max Gradel (St Etienne, £7m), Sylvain Distin (Everton, free), Artur Boruc (Soton, free), Adam Federici (Reading, free), Josh King (Blackburn, Tribunal), Christian Atsu (Chelsea, loan)
    Key outs: Ian Harte (released), Josh McQuoid (Luton, free), Darryl Flavahan (released), Mohamed Coulibaly (released), Brett Pitman (Ipswich, undisclosed)
    Star man: Callum Wilson
    One to watch: Tyrone Mings
    VERDICT: Good football and a bright boss, but this is a massive step up for the Cherries. Howe will need to work wonders – 18th.

    CHELSEA 
    Manager: Jose Mourinho
    Last season: 1st
    Key ins: Asmir Begovic (Stoke, £8m), Radamel Falcao (Monaco, loan), Nathan (Atletico Paranaense, £4.5m), Danilo Pantic (Partizan Belgrade, £1.25m)
    Key outs: Felipe Luis (Atletico Madrid, £16m), Petr Cech (Arsenal, £10m), Didier Drogba (released), Marco van Ginkel (Stoke, loan)
    Star man: Eden Hazard
    One to watch: Radamel Falcao
    VERDICT: Haven’t been weakened by summer transfers and Falcao could prove an inspired gamble if he makes a contribution off the bench. Strong, but conquering Europe may be Mourinho’s main target this time – 2nd.

    CRYSTAL PALACE
    Manager: Alan Pardew
    Last season: 10th
    Key ins: Yohan Cabaye (PSG, £10m), Connor Wickham (Sunderland, £9m), Alex McCarthy (QPR, £3.5m), Patrick Bamford (Chelsea, loan)
    Key outs: Jack Hunt (Sheffield Wednesday, loan), Shola Ameobi (released), Lewis Price (Sheffield Wednesday, free)
    Star man: Yohan Cabaye
    One to watch: Wilfried Zaha
    VERDICT: Boss Alan Pardew has shaped Palace into an enterprising outfit and formidable foes, while bringing in Cabaye and Wickham will strengthen them further. Mid-table should be assured, especially given their strong results on home turf – 10th.

    EVERTON
    Manager: Roberto Martinez
    Last season: 11th
    Key ins: Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona, £4.3m), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United, free), David Henen (Olympiakos, £200,000)
    Key outs: Sylvain Distin (Bournemouth, free), Francisco Junior (Wigan, loan), Jonjoe Kenny (Wigan, loan), Antolin Alcaraz (released)
    Star man: John Stones
    One to watch: Brendan Galloway
    VERDICT: Significantly underachieved last season and the pressure will be on Martinez to put things right. Spoke of top-four when he took charge but they look a long way off that and lack depth. Have a tough start and will be playing catch up again – 9th.

    Losing John Stones to Chelsea would be a hammer blow to Everton.

    LEICESTER CITY
    Manager: Claudio Ranieri
    Last season: 14th
    Key ins: Shinji Okazaki (Mainz, £7m), Robert Huth (Stoke, £3m), Christian Fuchs (Schalke, free), Yohan Benalouane (Atalanta, £5m), N’Golo Kante (Caen, £5m)
    Key outs: Chris Wood (Leeds, £2.5m), Esteban Cambiasso (released)
    Star man: Kasper Schmeichel
    One to watch: Shinji Okazaki
    VERDICT: Loss of Cambiasso will hurt deeply, but so will that of former boss Nigel Pearson who guided them to safety against
    all odds. Might not have been popular with pundits, but earned respect of his players. Ranieri has big shoes to fill – 19th.

    LIVERPOOL
    Manager: Brendan Rodgers
    Last season: 6th
    Key ins: Christian Benteke (Aston Villa, £32.5m), Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim, £29m), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton, £12.5m), Danny Ings (Burnley, Tribunal), Joe Gomez (Charlton, £3.5m), James Milner (Man City, free), Adam Bogdan (Bolton, free)
    Key outs: Raheem Sterling (Man City, £49m), Rickie Lambert (West Brom, £3m), Sebastian Coates (Sunderland, £2m), Glen Johnson (Stoke, free), Steven Gerrard (LA Galaxy, free)
    Star man: Philippe Coutinho
    One to watch: Roberto Firmino
    VERDICT: Spent big again and the new boys have to shine to keep Rodgers in a job – 5th.

    MANCHESTER CITY
    Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
    Last season: 2nd
    Key ins: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool, £49m), Patrick Roberts (Fulham, £12m), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa, £8m)
    Key outs: Edin Dzeko (Roma, £14m), Karim Rekik (Marseille, £3m), Scott Sinclair (Aston Villa, £2.5m), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic, £1.5m), James Milner (Liverpool, free), Micah Richards (Aston Villa, free), John Guidetti (Celta Vigo, free), Stevan Jovetic (Internazionale, loan)
    Star man: Sergio Aguero
    One to watch: Raheem Sterling
    VERDICT: Fell short last term and defensive concerns remain. If Sterling sizzles then success could still follow, albeit in the cups – 3rd.

    Sergio Aguero was last season's top scorer in the Premier League.

    MANCHESTER UNITED
    Manager: Louis van Gaal
    Last season: 4th
    Key ins: Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven, £25m), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton, £25m), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern
    Munich, £14.4m), Matteo Darmian (Torino, £12.7m), Sergio Romero (Sampdoria, free)
    Key outs: Nani (Fenerbahce, £4.25m), Robin van Persie (Fenerbahce, £3.84m), Angelo Henriquez (Dinamo Zagreb, £1.2m), Tom
    Cleverley (Everton, free)
    Star man: Wayne Rooney
    One to watch: Memphis Depay
    VERDICT: Van Gaal has caused a stir with his signings but they still look short of Chelsea and Arsenal. A good shout for a cup – 4th.

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