Premier League 2014/15: Soccer Saturday's Paul Walsh makes his pre-season tips

The new Premier League season is just days away - and we've been asking the Soccer Saturday boys how they think it will pan out.

As ever, the likes of Paul Merson, Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier and Charlie Nicholas will join Jeff Stelling on Sky Sports News on Saturday afternoons throughout the campaign to cast their eye over - and have their say on - proceedings.

But who do they reckon will be 2014/15 title winners? Who will go down? Who will be top scorer? And which players should we be looking out for?

Here are Paul Walsh’s predictions for the new season... 

Who will win the title?

I reckon Chelsea. Just look at the attacking flair they have. I know Fernando Torres hasn’t been doing well but you’ve got Diego Costa up front with Didier Drogba in the background. Then, in the attacking midfield areas, there’s Willian, Eden Hazard, Oscar and Andre Schurrle and Cesc Fabregas in the mix as well. There are other names as well.

Then, at the back, they have done good business by getting a fortune for David Luiz, who Jose Mourinho never really wanted as a central defender, and getting in Kurt Zouma and Filipe Luis to add to an already solid unit. I know Jose isn’t renowned for his attacking football but with the players I’ve mentioned they will score goals and I don’t see them shipping in too many at the other end. Chelsea will compete on all fronts.

Who else will finish in the top four?

Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal complete my top four because I don’t think Man United – who I have finishing fifth, ahead of Tottenham and Everton – have strengthened enough, at least not yet, to break back in.

Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs alluded to the fact last season that United don’t have a risk-taking midfield passer and they still don’t have that player, someone like Steven Gerrard at Liverpool who pings the ball forward, short or long, and makes a difference. Ander Herrera could be that player, but after catching glimpses of United’s International Champions Cup game with Liverpool, I am still not sure what his best position is.

Plus, Louis van Gaal has to decide whether Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are good enough to play at the back for his club and, if they’re not, get one or two others in. So there are question marks over United but, of course, they could splash £100million over the next few weeks and get right back in the top-four mix.

Who will get relegated?

Things are always liable to change but I look at some of the business Burnley have done, like Marvin Sordell and Lukas Jutkiewicz, and it doesn’t convince me. Aston Villa are in danger because they have hardly done anything, bar Joe Cole, Philippe Senderos and Kieran Richardson. Cole could make a difference but he has been out of sorts for some time, and while Richardson is steady, where’s he going to play? They don’t inspire.

Leicester would be my third team. Two Man United kids and a back-up ‘keeper in Ben Hamer don’t get me off my seat and I believe Leonardo Ulloa from Brighton, at £8million, is a real gamble. Will he score enough goals? I don’t think so. They are my three but I would class Villa as the most likely to get out of danger, while I don’t think Swansea, West Ham and Southampton will have easy seasons.

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