Phil Thompson - Sky Sports Expert

Pundits' punts!

Posted: 14th August 2008 16:49

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Soccer Saturday Premier League Team

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  • Arsenal
  • Aston Villa

We asked them to deliver their verdicts and the Soccer Saturday boys didn't disappoint.

On the eve of the big Premier League kick-off, Messers Stelling, Merson, McInally, Nicholas, Thompson, Le Tissier, Kamara and Cottee have studied the stats, scoured the summer ins and outs and told skysports.com who will bring home the bacon and who will have egg on their face.

Could their predictions be spookily spot-on?

Or have they made a forecasting faux-pas of Michael Fish proportions?

Here's your chance to compare the panel's picks for the new season, and read all their analysis in full...

Jeff Stelling

Champions: Manchester United
Champions League spots: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea
Fit for fifth: Tottenham, Manchester City or Portsmouth
Surprise package: Manchester City
Going down: Hull, Stoke, Bolton
Golden boot: Emmanuel Adebayor
Best buy: Paul Robinson
Barking buy: Deco
Read Jeff Stelling's predictions in full

Paul Merson

Champions: Chelsea
Champions League spots: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool
Fit for fifth: Tottenham
Surprise package: Portsmouth
Going down: Stoke, West Brom and Blackburn or Bolton
Golden boot: Fernando Torres
Best buy: Robbie Keane
Barking buy: No comment!
Read Paul Merson's predictions in full

Alan McInally

Champions: Manchester United
Champions League spots: Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool
Fit for fifth: Tottenham
Surprise package: Luka Modric
Going down: Hull, Stoke and either Blackburn, Bolton or West Brom
Golden boot: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best buy: Darren Bent - to belatedly come good!
Barking buy: Blackburn searching for a lower league 'gem'
Read Alan McInally's predictions in full

Charlie Nicholas

Champions: Arsenal
Champions League spots: Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea
Fit for fifth: Aston Villa
Surprise package: Andy Johnson
Going down: Hull, Stoke, Blackburn
Golden boot: Robin Van Persie
Best buy: AJ and Xabi Alonso - if he goes to Arsenal!
Barking buy: Robbie Keane
Read Charlie Nicholas's predictions in full

Phil Thompson

Champions: Manchester United
Champions League spots: Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs
Fit for fifth: Arsenal
Surprise package: Aston Villa
Going down: Between Hull, Stoke, West Brom, Fulham and Bolton
Golden boot: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best buy: Robbie Keane
Barking buy: Everton's lack of signings!
Read Phil Thompson's predictions in full

Matt Le Tissier

Champions: Chelsea
Champions League spots: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal
Fit for fifth: Tottenham
Surprise package: Newcastle
Going down: Hull, Stoke, Bolton
Golden boot: Emmanuel Adebayor
Best buy: Robbie Keane
Barking buy: El Hadji Diouf
Read Matt Le Tissier's predictions in full

Chris Kamara

Champions: Manchester United or Chelsea!
Champions League spots: Liverpool, Arsenal
Fit for fifth: Portsmouth
Surprise package: Afonso Alves
Going down: Too early to say!
Golden boot: Fernando Torres
Best buy: Deco
Barking buy: West Brom letting Kevin Phillips go to Birmingham
Read Chris Kamara's predictions in full

Tony Cottee

Champions: Manchester United - if they sign Berbatov!
Champions League spots: Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal
Fit for fifth: Aston Villa
Surprise package: Portsmouth
Going down: Hull, Stoke, West Brom
Golden boot: Fernando Torres
Best buy: Robbie Keane
Barking buy: Robbie Fowler at Blackburn could be interesting...
Read Tony Cottee's predictions in full