Premier League Predictions 2023-24: City to make it four in a row but Toffees to come unstuck

• Impossible to oppose 8/111.73 Man City

• Spurs at 16/54.20 and Forest at 6/17.00 to surprise

• 11/43.75 Everton fancied for relegation

• Nine season-long bets from 8/111.73 up to 25/126.00

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Manchester City: Four in a row on the cards

Prediction: 1st

Not being a supporter of a Premier League team I can say and tip without bias, so although I think it would be great to get a new name on the trophy at the end of the season - or at the very least a three or four way title battle that goes down to the wire - I find it impossible to oppose Manchester City @ 8/111.73 in the Winner market.

Form figures of 1-1-2-1-1-1 over the last six seasons state the obvious, which is that they've been the best team in England for some time now, and they show no signs of slowing down.

The departure of Ilkay Gundogan is compensated by the signings of Mateo Kovacic and defender Josko Gvardiol (likely to mean John Stones could play as a holding midfielder if necessary), so City's only real loss is Riyad Mahrez. But as good as Mahrez is, he wasn't a regular in City's starting XI and let's be honest, any of their immense attacking talent can play out wide if required.

And with Erling Haaland having the potential to improve on his debut season at the club - a frightening prospect for the rest of the Premier League - I expect City to retain their title and become the first club to win it four seasons on the spin.

Liverpool: Massive improvement to come

Prediction: 2nd

It's easy to forgive Liverpool a relatively poor season last term. They started the campaign slowly, picked up injuries to almost all - bar Mo Salah - of their key attacking players, and just didn't recover.

Finishing fifth could be a blessing in disguise as I'm sure Jurgen Klopp will concentrate massively on the Premier League and rest some of his stars when it comes to Europa League nights.

Much has been made of Liverpool's 'weaker' midfield going into the new season but I don't see that at all, quite the opposite in fact.

The signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai could be inspired, Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to play much further forward this term, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are capable squad players, and the likes of Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo can easily drop deeper if Klopp is able to field an attacking three of Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz.

And at the time of writing Thiago is still on Liverpool's books while Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia is fully expected to make the switch to Anfield.

If anything, it could be Liverpool's defence that proves to be their weakest department, but with the talent they have further up the field, and if they can avoid long-term injuries to key players, then I fancy the Reds to push Man City hard and at least finish in the top two.

Arsenal: Not quite good enough once again

Prediction: 3rd

It's quite easy to make a case for six or seven teams challenging for a Top 4 Finish so some big clubs are going to end the season disappointed, though I don't expect Arsenal to be one of those.

I think it's fine to hold the view that the Gunners did buckle under pressure at the end of last season, as well as saying that they did magnificently to finish second, just five points behind a very good Manchester City team.

With over £200m spent in the transfer window - including £105m on Declan Rice - Mikel Arteta has a stronger squad to tinker with this term, but I expect some other teams to perform much better than they did last season also, thus bringing the Gunners back to the pack a bit.

I fancy they'll finish top four, but rather than back them at 2/51.40 to do so I think we'll have much more fun backing Martin Odegaard each-way (four places) at 25/126.00 to record the Most Assists this season, as mentioned here.

I still believe he's Arsenal's key man, and if he can stay fit throughout the campaign then it's easy to envisage him getting 12+ assists in a side potentially packed full of goals.

Tottenham: Ange an excellent appointment

Prediction: 4th

I'm really excited by Tottenham's new manager Ange Postecoglou and I fancy the fans are going to love him. And the signs are increasingly positive that Harry Kane will stay at the club for the season. I fancy both men will bring out the best in each other with Kane's five goals scored in Tottenham's brace of 5-1 pre-season friendly wins early evidence of exactly that.

Spurs have since added to their squad with the capture of their primary defensive target Micky van de Ven, and along with the signing of James Maddison - a player I rate highly - I just sense that Tottenham are set for a good season under Postecoglou.

However, I have to admit that this bet is mostly based on my thinking that I don't expect Man United or Newcastle to be any better than last term, and that Chelsea will have to improve significantly to finish in the top four.

So with Spurs having no European distractions, and at the odds, then I'd rather back Postecoglou's men at 16/54.20 to claim the final Champions League slot than any of the trio mentioned above.

Manchester United: Can't see them improving

Prediction: 5th

Manchester United finished third last season, but given how poorly they performed in some big games I have to say their final league position was largely down to the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea massively falling below expectations.

Away from home United were dreadful to teams in the top half of the table, only winning one of their nine games played (that being a stoppage time winner at Fulham) so improvement on the road is likely to be needed for them to finish in the top four again given the trio of clubs mentioned above will surely perform better this season.

But I just don't see Erik ten Hag's men improving. They've swapped a decent keeper for a decent keeper, have brought Mason Mount into a midfield that is set to lose Fred and Scott McTominay, and they've signed a young striker to be their main goal-getter.

True, Rasmus Hojlund could be a potential star, but there's going to be a lot of pressure on his young shoulders, and with United now mixing domestic football with the Champions League, I can see them struggling to finish in the top four this season.

Newcastle: No top four but finally a trophy?

Prediction: 6th

I fancied Newcastle to finish in the top four from an early stage last season so I was pleased to call something correct at least, but my gut feeling for the Magpies this term is that they'll struggle to repeat that lofty position given their desire to win a trophy as well as playing in Europe.

I have to admit though - even as a Middlesbrough supporter - that I can't wait for Champions League nights at St James' Park, the atmosphere will be something else.

Eddie Howe has strengthened his squad with two or three quality players, but given the improvement I expect from Liverpool, Spurs, and to a lesser degree, Chelsea, then I think Newcastle will struggle to finish in the top four this season, and that their best chance of silverware lies in the domestic cups.

I'll be backing them in the League and FA Cup Winner markets once they materialise, but for the purpose of this column we can back them to win any of the four major trophies at 13/53.60.

Chelsea: Nkunku injury an early blow

Prediction: 7th

A reminder that Chelsea finished 12th last season, a staggering 40 points behind Arsenal, 27 points away from the top four, and yet they've been tipped in some quarters to win the title this season!

The Blues' squad is a big one, and bolsters plenty of big-money signings, but right now, other than maybe Enzo Fernandez, I don't see any potential super stars among them.

And of the signings with previous Premier League experience - the likes of Raheem Sterling and Marc Cucurella for example - I don't think any improved for the move to Stamford Bridge.

In summary, I don't think the squad Mauricio Pochettino has inherited - especially his top 14 or 15 players - is any better than the one he had at Tottenham, and the recent injury to new striker Christopher Nkunku is a massive blow.

Villa, Brighton and Forest to complete top 10

We've dealt with the new 'Big 7' and I genuinely do fancy them all to occupy the top seven positions in the Premier League. Last season was a strange one with the winter World Cup, and a few clubs just didn't get going in a stop-start campaign.

This season will be different. The cream will definitely rise to the top and behind the top seven everyone else will be playing for a top half finish at best.

Aston Villa and Brighton finished in the top half of the table last season and should do so again, while the team that I fancy most to surprise this term is Nottingham Forest.

Steve Cooper's men really started to find their feet at the end of last season, eventually avoiding relegation quite comfortably, and I feel that Forest have a much more settled squad to go to war with this time around.

Their home form was solid last season, so if they can improve on their away from it won't take much for them to bridge the gap to the top 10.

Prediction: Villa 8th, Brighton 9th, Forest 10th

Mid-table for trio of London clubs while Clarets can survive with ease

It's quite easy to make a case for lots of teams to struggle this term, and I'm expecting another fight to avoid the drop that will feature five or six clubs that goes right to the final few weeks of the season.

I'm not expecting West Ham to be among those clubs this time around, and Brentford and Fulham - despite a distracting few weeks off the field - should be fine too.

I also fancy newly-promoted Burnley - who ran away with the Championship last term - to have a good campaign and comfortably avoid the drop.

Prediction: West Ham 11th, Brentford 12th, Fulham 13th, Burnley 14th

Everton to finally drop

The six clubs that I've yet to mention could all be in and around the drop zone all season, so perhaps I should be putting up Crystal Palace - as the biggest price of the sextet at 11/26.50 - as my tip to be relegated.

But it's Everton at 11/43.75 that I fancy the most in the Relegation market.

The Toffees have survived by the skin of their teeth for the last two seasons, and yet they look to have an even weaker squad as we head towards the start of a new campaign.

With little money to spend, Sean Dyche will have to work miracles to avoid being in a relegation scrap and perhaps the only saving grace for the Merseyside club is that Wolves - who also struggled last term - look to have similar problems financially, while Luton Town could be one of the weakest teams to be promoted in recent times.

However, it could be that all three of the above named clubs drop down to the Championship.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 15th, Sheffield United 16th, Bournemouth 17th, Everton 18th, Wolves 19th, Luton Town 20th

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