As the new season kicks off Andy Gray and Richard Keys, who front beIN Sports’ English Premier League coverage, predict who will win the title, those who will struggle and what might happen in the opening games.
Andy Gray: Last season I thought Manchester City would win the title because of the depth of their squad and I got it right – just. History will tell you that defending the title is doable but extremely difficult and I don’t think City can do it.
They will be a little distracted by their pursuit of the Champions League but the main reason I think they will lose their crown is that Jose Mourinho will be more intent than ever to win the Premier League this season and he now has the players to deliver.
He has been given the chance to build his own team and because of that some people are saying that winning the title is now a must-do or he will be shown the door at Stamford Bridge. I don’t necessarily agree with that but having won nothing last season the pressure will be on.
I think we will see a different, more powerful Chelsea this year and, for me, Diego Costa is going to make a significant difference. I love everything about this player and I think he is going to make a huge impact on the Premier League.
Listen, if you can finish within four points of the champions last season without a centre forward, which is what Chelsea did, then they must have a big chance of winning the title with Costa up front. I can see him scoring more than 20 league goals this season.
Taking Didier Drogba back to Stamford Bridge was also a good move because he is a useful backup. Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis at left back are also excellent additions to players like Eden Hazard, Mohamed Salah, and Andre Schurrle who I think will play a more prominent role this year.
I also like Arsenal who struggled a bit with injuries last season. They have made some good signings with Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers, who could become a very good centre–back or holding midfield player, and Alexis Sanchez who gives them that little bit extra.
If the players who missed huge chunks of the season last year like Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Theo Walcott are also all fit then they are going to be pretty formidable.
The teams I think will struggle to survive in the Premier League are Burnley, Leicester and maybe my old club West Brom. I also worry for Aston Villa.
Richard Keys: I tipped Chelsea to win the title last season and they fell short but they will win it this season.
Arsenal will finish second, City will be third because their priority will be the Champions League and Manchester United will nick fourth.
Having said that, I have my doubts about United because I still think they are considerably short of what they need. We have seen the best of Robin van Persie who I believe has a knee injury he has to
adapt to, and they are still poor at the back. Van Gaal will make them competitive but when he got the job I gave him 18 months and I still believe that to be the case and then Ryan Giggs will take over.
I think Spurs will do well and I fancy another good season from Everton who did good business getting Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku on board permanently. They paid an awful lot of money for Lukaku so I hope he can handle that pressure. I also wonder why Mourinho let him leave Chelsea. There must be a good reason.
I fancy Chelsea to win it because they have made good signings and, like Andy, I think Costa will do the business.
For most of us it was probably a surprise when he started banging in the goals for Atletico Madrid because we didn’t know much about him, but Mourinho has followed his career from day one. Mourinho now has the team he wanted and if he doesn’t win the league this year, unlike Andy, I think he will be axed.
The teams I think will struggle are Burnley and QPR who came up and West Brom. I also think Newcastle will also continue to struggle.
MAN UNITED v SWANSEA
AG: Louis van Gaal has been extremely fortunate with United’s opening fixtures, playing all the clubs who came up in their first six games so they should hit the ground running. They will be on a high going into this match so I’m going 3-0 against a Swansea side who do not have enough quality.
RK: Van Gaal’s opening fixture at Old Trafford against Swansea is hardly likely to end in a defeat. Swansea don’t have anything to worry United. 2-0.
NEWCASTLE v MAN CITY
AG: I know City were under strength in the Community Shield against Arsenal, but I was still disappointed with their performance. Newcastle will be confident of starting well in front of a full house at St James’ Park and I think they will get a point out of this. 1-1.
RK: Newcastle may have bought a few half decent players in the summer but they still look ordinary to me. A full-strength City will be too good for them. 3-1 away win.
LIVERPOOL v SOUTHAMPTON
AG: I think Liverpool will come flying out of the traps. Yes, they are going to miss Luis Suarez but they are not the first team to lose a marquee player and move forward.
They conceded 50 goals last season. If they reduce that to 35 this season then that’s 15 they don’t have to score. They can then get more goals from Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, and Phillipe Coutinho to make up for those Suarez scored. They will beat Saints comfortably. 3-0.
RK: Don’t agree. I think this might be the surprise result of the weekend. I know Southampton have sold their best players but this is Ronald Koeman’s first game as manager and Liverpool will miss Suarez and have a lot of new players who need to get to know each other. 1-1.
LEICESTER v EVERTON
AG: Everton have had a terrible pre-season with no wins. You may think that doesn’t matter but it’s not the best way to go into a season. Leicester will be confident they can get something in front of a full house at home. 1-1.
RK: I think Everton will start as they did last year, a bit tippy tappy, overplaying a little bit while Leicester City will be straight at them. I’m going for a 2-1 home win.
QPR v HULL
AG: Glenn Hoddle, who has been taken on as coach at QPR could be the best signing they have made. He is supposedly going to change the way they play so they will be upbeat and Hull will miss Shane Long who was sold. 2-1 home win.
RK: I am not sure QPR have good enough players and Hull know their way around this league now so I am going for a 1-0 away win.
STOKE v ASTON VILLA
AG: Stoke have had a very good pre-season so they come into this game in confident mood. 2-0 home win against a poor looking Villa.
RK: Stoke had their best ever finish last season and have made a good signing in Bojan Krkic. Villa’s close season has been a shambles and bringing in Roy Keane is not the answer. 3-0 Stoke.
WEST BROM v SUNDERLAND
AG: It’s got draw written all over it but it might be an open game so we should see goals. 2-2.
RK: Two teams that aren’t very good and will probably struggle all season. 1-1.
WEST HAM v TOTTENHAM
AG: Sam Allardyce doesn’t want to be at West Ham and the club probably don’t want him and are looking for a cheap way to get rid. Spurs should win 2-0 and then I wouldn’t be surprised to see Allardyce go.
RK: Same story as last season with too much reliance on Andy Carroll who is still not fit. Spurs did well to get Mauricio Pochettino and if he can get them playing like Southampton they will go well, 3-1 Spurs.
ARSENAL v CRYSTAL PALACE
AG: Palace would have been in trouble anyway but the exit of their manager Tony Pulis makes matters worse. I can see them being played off the park by the Gunners. 4-0.
RK: Couldn’t agree more. The extraordinary timing of Pulis’s exit makes me think he has been tapped up by another club, although the reason is a lack of signings over the summer. Palace will be unsettled and so I expect Arsenal to score at least four.
BURNLEY v CHELSEA
AG: Last season Chelsea lost too many games against teams they should have beaten and Mourinho will remind his team of that before he sends them out on Monday night. They will be far too strong for Burnley. 2-0.
RK: Chelsea should romp this 3-0. Let’s face it Burnley are not a Premier League team but they deserve their chance in this league and good luck to them but this will be an easy start for Chelsea.
