Saturday 13 August 2016 09:43, UK
Manchester United to win the league? Defending champions Leicester City to finish mid-table? Our Sky Sports' pundits have given us their Premier League predictions...
We asked Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry, Graeme Souness and Jamie Redknapp to provide their tips ahead of the upcoming campaign, which kicks off on Saturday afternoon when Leicester travel to Hull City, live on Sky Sports.
Who will win the league? Which teams will make the top four? Can Harry Kane defend his Golden Boot? And where will Leicester finish? Here's what the Sky Sports' panel had to say...
NEVILLE: Man Utd
They have a manager and two new players with personality and stature. With Jose Mourinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba - and a couple of players who were already there - there's an arrogance back in the club and the city.
There are players wearing that shirt who will stick their chests out - and that's what Manchester United are all about.
CARRAGHER: Man City
Over the last couple of years I've argued they have the best squad, but they haven't produced, really, and I think the hunger will come back under Pep Guardiola.
Of course, they need more signings, but they have some special players there already in David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne. Those three can be right up there with any in the league.
HENRY: Man City
My hope is always Arsenal. That's a massive hope at the moment, but I think it will be between City and United. I have to go for someone so I will say City.
Guardiola has succeeded straight away wherever he has gone and I know how he's going to ask those guys to play. If they understand what he wants they are going to be successful.
REDKNAPP: Man City
I'll go for them, but they've got to keep Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero fit. They were massive underachievers last year, lacking the spirit you need to win the title, but I think they'll win it this season.
SOUNESS: Man Utd
I think it will be one of the Manchester teams. If Ibrahimovic can fire on all cylinders - and I think there is a good year left in him - he will inspire those around him.
He's someone who I enjoy. I enjoy his arrogance because he's someone who can back it up. I think he could be the difference.
NEVILLE: 1. Man Utd 2. Arsenal 3. Man City 4. Liverpool
I will say Man Utd for the title with Arsenal in second, Manchester City in third and Liverpool fourth.
But if anybody is reading this and thinks I know what I'm talking about, then I need to make it clear that I really don't have a clue!
CARRAGHER: 1. Man City 2. Chelsea 3. Man Utd 4. Liverpool
With no European football, I think Chelsea will do well because they'll have more time together on the training pitch. Only 12 months ago they were champions and we shouldn't forget that, while Antonio Conte is a top manager.
I think Liverpool will also benefit from not having European football.
HENRY: 1. Man City 2. Man Utd. 3. Chelsea 4. Arsenal
This is very hard to call. Chelsea don't have any European competition to play, so that will be an advantage for them, but it might take them a little time to gel and adapt to what Conte wants. It's the same for Mourinho at Man Utd. It's the same at City with Guardiola too - so maybe there is a window for Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham - who have all had stability for longer - to take advantage if they don't gel straight away.
Will they get that advantage? Who knows? Will the other three teams gel straight away? Who knows?
REDKNAPP: 1. Man City 2. Man Utd 3. Tottenham 4. Liverpool
I have gone with those four and it means Arsenal and Chelsea miss out. There are seven contenders if you throw Leicester in it, who did an amazing job last year.
This is going to be a difficult year to win the title.
SOUNESS: 1. Man Utd 2. Man City. 3. Tottenham 4. Arsenal
It's very, very hard to call right now. Obviously it's our job to make forecasts, but I see it being between the two Manchester teams next year.
For Guardiola, this is a different league and the biggest job he has taken on.
NEVILLE: Between seventh and 10th
I think Leicester will have a good season, but one less good than last year. When you play in the Champions League the demands on the club are enormous and there will be a suffering on their league position, I'm pretty certain of that. This may sound ridiculous, but if they get in the top four again this season it will almost be as good an achievement as winning the league last season.
The last time we had an event like this - and it wasn't as big a surprise - was Blackburn in 1995 and the year after when they went into the Champions League they suffered and finished seventh. I think there will be an inevitable drop.
CARRAGHER: Mid-table
If they finish in the top eight I think they'll have had a great season. It wasn't that it was a freak or a fluke last season because they thoroughly deserved to win the title - but they have extra games in Europe now, so they can't play the same team every week.
They will have more injuries and a bigger squad, which means they'll need to play those players and some of the relationships built up last year may be affected. They've lost N'Golo Kante and may lose more so it will be a lot more difficult.
HENRY: Mid-table
It will be very difficult to repeat what they did last year. It is possible, because they proved it last season, but I think the Champions League might hurt them a little bit because of the depth of the squad. Anything is possible, but I still think everything will go back to "normal". I think they will finish mid-table - which is still great!
REDKNAPP: Top six
I feel they deserve a year's grace. I think they'll finish top six but they might struggle to get any higher because of the quality of the teams and managers coming in.
The Champions League will impact on them, too.
SOUNESS: Somewhere between fourth and eighth.
They looked fabulous in the Community Shield but it will be very hard to replicate the amount of effort they put in week-in, week-out this year, because they're in the Champions League.
They will get excited about Champions League football and some of the focus will go there. I think last year they were very lucky with injuries and I don't think that will happen again.
NEVILLE: Sergio Aguero
I'll say Kane or Sergio Aguero and I'll pick Aguero because he's the best goalscorer in the league and City, as a club, will probably score more goals. Potentially Diego Costa could do it if he stays at Chelsea.
CARRAGHER: Harry Kane
In the last couple of years it's been between Kane and Aguero because they always play. Aguero is as good as anyone, but he has too many injury problems. I will go for Kane, as long as he's not taking corners, eh Gary?
HENRY: Sergio Aguero
I think it will be Aguero again if he is injury free. Last year he missed a lot of games, but if everything goes to plan it will be a battle between him and Zlatan, who will always get goals.
REDKNAPP: Harry Kane
I've gone with Harry Kane at 7/1. I lost my money on Aguero last year but I've learnt my lesson. It's a difficult one because there's always a Jamie Vardy or someone who comes through, but I think it's between Aguero and Kane.
SOUNESS: Sergio Aguero
It's hard to look beyond Aguero. I think Vardy will be up there again. I can't look beyond those at this time, although I can see Marcus Rashford forcing his way into the United team. He gets goals.
NEVILLE: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The player I'm most excited to watch is Ibrahimovic. In the last three or four years, Man Utd have lacked stature on the pitch, they have lacked arrogance and they have lacked the players who have the balls to be real Manchester United stars.
In signing Ibrahimovic and Pogba they have players of stature and arrogance (in a good way) and historically, United have always needed players with big personalities.
CARRAGHER: Kevin De Bruyne
I think he was absolutely fantastic last season until he had a bad injury in the middle of the campaign.
He looked like a real star at times and if he'd stayed fit then, City might have given Leicester a good run for their money in the title race. I'm a massive fan.
HENRY: Sadio Mane
There's the usual suspects like Zlatan and Pogba - but the outsider for me who I think will have a good season is Sadio Mane at Liverpool.
I want to see how he is going to do and with the way Liverpool play I think he could have a very good season and be a crowd favourite.
REDKNAPP: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
I like him, I think he's a very talented number 10. Obviously you've got the likes of Pogba and Leroy Sane but I like watching a player who can thread a ball through the eye of a needle.
That's why I can't wait to see him show those qualities. The surprise player I think will be Burnley's Andre Gray. He's another one to watch.
SOUNESS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
I think Manchester United's season, to a great extent, will revolve around what kind of season Ibrahimovic has. He'll be one to watch.
I think Dele Alli and Kane at Tottenham, too. The striker Leicester have bought, Ahmed Musa. This is on the strength of watching him for 45 minutes so I might be way out there. It's a big year for De Bruyne as well, I like him.
