Chelsea power show

Andy Gray looks ahead to the new Premier League season - and tips Chelsea to emerge as champions.

Ancelotti can give Blues the edge in title chase, says Andy

If you were to give me £1,000 right now and tell me to go and put it on the top four in the Premier League this season, right now, I would still back Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. I wouldn't go along with the theory that we are looking at a big five, or a big six, simply because as yet, none of the other clubs have proved they can break that dominance. But this year, there are certainly pretenders to those thrones. Everton have shown they can get close and have done it once, Aston Villa and Tottenham have both come close and Manchester City, well they are the conundrum, aren't they? What has happened at that club over the summer is exciting. It's exciting for the Premier League and it's exciting for Manchester City, never mind their fans. I am all for clubs spending this sort of money, be they one of that big four or anyone else. And as much as I still think it will be hard to break their dominance, I would love to see that happen - whoever it is, and money alone doesn't mean it will be Man City. I like what Mark Hughes has done with the money as well. Roque Santa Cruz, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry and Carlos Tevez are all proven Premier League performers. It is so hard to come into this league initially and do well, but what City have gone and got is guys who know what it's all about. And don't worry about his squad being lop-sided in terms of strikers, either. You can never have too many goalscorers, in my opinion. Yes, he might have to upset one or two of them from time to time, but that's not a problem either.

Wondering

What City need to be concerned with is hitting the floor running, which is why I like his signings. They did it a couple of years ago when Sven Goran Eriksson came in and made all those changes, but faded. What Mark needs to sort out is City's away form because their home form was second only to Manchester United last season, yet on their travels they were dismal. Speaking of Manchester United, everybody is wondering how they will get on without Cristiano Ronaldo. Well, I'll tell you right now, anyone dismissing them as a major title contender is a fool who knows nothing about the game. United have a clutch of fantastic footballers and defensively they are better, if not stronger than most. And in terms of replacing Ronaldo, I think you are looking at 20 to 30 extra goals this season. No-one can tell me that between them, Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nani, Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick can't manage that between them. Believe me, right now, if anyone finishes above Manchester United, they will win the league. Which brings me nicely on to Chelsea who, as things stand, are my tip to do just that. I watched them closely in the Community Shield and they have to be happy with what they've got. Again, if you gave me money right now to back the champions, I would have to plump for them. They have lost nothing from last season, they have kept all the big, powerful players - like Didier Drogba - but what they have gained is a very talented, experienced and respected coach in Carlo Ancelotti. I think Luis Felipe Scolari failed because he hadn't managed a big club side, but you only have to glance at Ancelotti's record in Milan to see that won't be a problem. He is an intelligent man who speaks the language as well and he will get this Chelsea side playing the way he wants them to - and we saw that at Wembley with the diamond in midfield. I know a lot of people are saying that's not the right way for Chelsea to play, but I'm sorry, I think they have to move on from the days of Jose Mourinho. People still seem to believe because they won two titles playing that way, they should stick to it, which is nonsense. Ancelotti has won two Champions Leagues with that diamond formation in midfield and while it can be exposed, show me a system in football that cannot be, at one time or another. Liverpool will have similar ambitions to Chelsea of course, but I don't think it's too simplistic to say their chances depend on the fitness of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. I am not sure how they will cope without one, never mind both, of them. If Gerrard is out, I can only think of Javier Mascherano, Lucas and maybe Alberto Aquilani who can come in to that central role. In Torres' case they can move Dirk Kuyt in from the right, but other than that they've got David N'Gog, maybe Ryan Babel and that's about it. Yes, Rafa Benitez has a great starting XI but I do worry about Liverpool beyond that. And having finished only four points behind Manchester United last season, their supporters have every right to expect more this time around. But for pessimistic fans, Arsenal have to take the prize at this stage. I speak to a lot of them - I was with Ian Wright the other day and there are none bigger than him - and it is all doom and gloom. Of course it is a massive season for Arsene Wenger in which he really needs to win some silverware, but I don't share that despondency. Like Liverpool they have fine first team but beneath that, they have a crop of fantastic young players who Arsene can bring in for two or three games, if needed. Yes, their defence will always be an issue and it is how they defended in big games that cost them last season, but if they can do that part of their job half-decent - and I don't even mean up to the standards of United, Chelsea and Liverpool - then I really do think they will go close. Outside of those four I think we are looking at three other leagues. The ones, including Manchester City, who will be challenging for Europe; the ones who shouldn't really be worried about relegation and those that can expect a real scrap. Two clubs close to my heart will be in the first mini-league - Everton and Villa. I was a little disappointed in the way Martin O'Neill tossed aside Europe last year, I have to admit. Why go all that way in a competition and not want to win it? You might as well go out in the first round. To make matters worse they went and drew with Stoke that weekend and their season pretty much fell apart. This season, Villa have to be thinking big. Yes, they've lost Gareth Barry - but were always going to - and Stewart Downing won't be fit for a while and young Fabian Delph is potentially a good signing, but Martin needs to be aiming high. The same applies for Everton, although they are even thinner in terms of numbers than Villa. But David Moyes is used to that and if you look at, apart from that one season, their league finishes, he has worked wonders time and time again. His players are now used to it as well and if Yakubu, Louis Saha, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe can stay fit this season, I can see Everton doing well again. Also in that group are Tottenham, who look to have bought wisely, but are starting with injury problems, West Ham, where Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke are building something decent and Fulham, who will need to build on last season but with Roy Hodgson in charge, should do well again. Then you come to that middle group, who might flirt with the Europa Cup places and relegation, but are ultimately clubs I don't really worry about. Every year we think Bolton will be in trouble, but they're not. They have such a good work ethic under Gary Megson it usually sees them through but both the manager and players need to get off to a good start. A lot of people might be expecting Stoke to struggle second season in, but I don't. Forget the surprise element being taken away from them - that went on the very first day of last season, when Rory Delap hurled his first huge throw - it was just a case of people not being able to cope with them. And Stoke have that precious commodity that you always need if you are going to survive in the Premier League, or any other league in the world - goalscorers. You have to think that Ricardo Fuller, and in particular James Beattie will get the goals to keep them out of trouble.I wouldn't worry about Blackburn either, because Big Sam will get them organised. He's brought a few in as well, most of who we've never heard of, but how many times have we seen him do that and defy the odds? Up the road at Wigan Roberto Martinez has a tough job, simply because the club have let their best players go. Last season Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios left, this summer Antonio Valencia and Lee Cattermole have been sold. They are another side that are in need of a good start. Steve Bruce will do alright at Sunderland having made a couple of what look to be shrewd signings, but after that, well I can think of five teams who I wouldn't be at all surprised to see in trouble. Hull City have to be concerned, simply because of their dreadful second half of last season. Players can go away on holiday to as exotic a place as they like, but there is no getting away from that. Nine times out of 10 it would have got them relegated. To make matters worse, Phil Brown has been after plenty of players in the summer, but doesn't seem to have got exactly who he wanted. One club that is in utter turmoil right now is Portsmouth. No matter what is going on off the field, you are going to be in trouble on it if you sell your best players - and that is what they have done. I do fear for the club and you have to think they will need all the support at Fratton Park to stay clear of trouble. Then we come to the clubs that have come up and you always have to fear for them in their first season in such an unforgiving league. Owen Coyle has worked miracles at Burnley and we know he can get his players and the club up for one-off big games in the cups and the play-offs, but the big question is can they do it over 38 games, week in, week out against some of the best players in the world? Both Wolves and Birmingham know only too well how tough that first season is. I would love Wolves to stay up because I spent some happy times there and it's a great club and a massive one-club city. If goals are going to keep them up they need Sylvain Ebanks-Blake to be able to do it at the highest level. What Alex McLeish has done to avoid the yo-yo effect is spend money - and spend it fairly big. He has strengthened at the back and has brought Barry Ferguson back for another crack in England, and has also got in Christian Benitez for a fair bit. I have to be honest and have no idea about this lad, but it's clear Alex knows goals are going to be what keeps Blues up. It's a big ask for Big Eck.