After months of waiting and anticipation, the 2023-24 Premier League is here. The English top flight has had a reputation of becoming tougher and more competitive as each season passes and this current one should not be any different.
All 20 clubs will be jostling to meet highly-demanding expectations and objectives and Afrosport takes a look at the title contenders, top four contenders and relegation candidates.
Title contenders
Manchester City
The Citizens are the outright favourites to retain the title after leapfrogging Arsenal, bagging it for the third time in a row, a record rivals Manchester United have done twice.
After also matching United for the treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, some argue nothing will stand in the way of City lifting an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title.
Arsenal
The Gunners led the Premier League for the bulk of the last season, at some stage being eight points clear of Man City. Mikel Arteta’s men however fizzled out at the tail end of the campaign which gave Pep Guardiola’s side control of their destiny.
City ultimately finished five points clear of Arsenal and it was a bitter pill to swallow for the North London side. They have however been able to gain some revenge on City by beating them on penalties in the season curtain raiser, the Community Shield last week and will be looking to set the record straight this time around.
Player recruitment made this summer that includes UEFA Champions League winner Kai Havertz, UEFA Europa Conference League winner Declan Rice and Dutch full-back Jurrien Timber, is an indication of the above-mentioned objective.
Top four contenders
Manchester United
After a disastrous end to the 2021-22 season, the Red Devils were a revived side under Erik ten Hag last term, finishing a credible third and also bagging the EFL Cup trophy, their first piece of silverware in six years and also reached the FA Cup final but lost to Manchester City.
It has brought the feel-good factor back in the United dressing room and also among fans and there are high expectations to better their performance on the pitch after signing Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund.
Finishing in the top four will however be the primary objective once again.
Chelsea
The Blues finished a dismal 12th in the league last season despite spending more than £600 million on players.
There is however a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino and with even more signings in Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Angelo Gabriel, Lesley Ugochukwu, Axel Disasi and Robert Sanchez, expectations will be even higher. Anything other than a top-four finish could put pressure on Pochettino.
Liverpool
The Reds also had a dismal 2022-23 campaign by failing to make the top four after finishing in fifth place.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will be expected to be back in the hunt for a top four finish after adding midfield reinforcement in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to bolster the squad.
Relegation candidates
Promoted sides: Burnley, Sheffield United, Luton Town
All three sides gained promotion from the Championship last season but the unknown on what the 2023-24 season has in store for them makes them prime candidates for relegation.
It is left to the respective managers of the clubs to defy the odds and make bold statements that can potentially make any of these three clubs a household name in the manner the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford have become.
Everton
The Toffees have been embroiled in relegation battles for the past two seasons, narrowly escaping at the death including last season on the final day.
When such is becoming a norm, luck and time run out and if Everton have to go through the same thing this season, they might not be a third-time lucky.
