MADRID, 10 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Premier League kicks off a new season this Friday in which Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City seeks its third consecutive title, but this year it will have Arsenal FC and Manchester United as its main rivals, who have strengthened notably to counteract the overwhelming dominance ‘citizen’.
Of course, the current champion of the Champions League suffered to win the 2022/23 domestic league, marching behind Arsenal until the last days. However, his attacking reliability added just in time to a downturn for the Londoners, clinching Guardiola’s fifth title in six years, this time with a difference of five points.
The ‘citizen’ team has lost vital pieces in their last seasons in this transfer market, such as the German Ilkay Gündogan or the Algerian Riyad Mahrez, but has been reinforced with the Croatian Mateo Kovacic for the midfield and with his compatriot Josko Gvardiol stops behind, further propping up an almost impassable back line.
The main adversary of the Manchester sky-blues will be Arsenal led by Mikel Arteta, who came as a surprise last year. The little depth of his squad was too big a slab in the last month of competition, so the arrivals of the Englishman Declan Rice, the most expensive signing in the history of the Premier, and the versatile German Kai Havertz, from Chelsea FC, gave him They give more options to the Basque coach.
After the year of confirmation of the North London team, this year they start as the true alternative. This was seen last weekend in the Community Shield, which they won on penalties after an even match against Manchester City. If the signings settle in the Arteta system, their title options grow exponentially.
Below are the two teams classified for the Champions League: Manchester United, which has been reinforced with the Norwegian Rasmus Hojlund and who will want to grow if Erik ten Hag maintains the good level of his plans, and the surprising Newcastle United, who achieved the fourth position and for this reason it has moved with its head in the market; however, the extra load of games will be a challenge for Eddie Howe’s charges.
Teams like Liverpool FC or Chelsea FC, who were below their usual performance last year, are facing this campaign with fresh air. Signings like Dominik Szoboszlai shine among the ‘reds’, but the coach Jürgen Klopp still has shortcomings in his squad, as the money from Saudi Arabia convinced Fabinho Tavares and Jordan Henderson, and left a hole still uncovered in the pivot position.
In the ‘blues’, an injury to French striker Christopher Nkunku, who will miss five months of competition, has disrupted everything. The new coach, Mauricio Pochettino, will have to take Senegalese Nico Jackson, recently arrived from Villarreal CF and who has had a great pre-season; Likewise, the Argentine coach will use the multiple signings from the previous stage, in full reconstruction of the team.
On the other hand, there will be a fight between Aston Villa led by Unai Emery with a Tottenham Hotspur that has come to less and with Harry Kane, and Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton & Hove Albion on the bench and without his lighthouse Alexis Mac Allister, although for now keeping the Ecuadorian Moisés Caicedo, the architect of having reached fifth place in the Premier last year.
In the lower zone there are contenders such as Fulham, Crystal Palace or West Ham, as well as a Bournemouth that with the signing of the Spanish Andoni Iraola as coach completely changes his bet, seeking to settle in the Premier with one of the technicians who has been the most striking recent years in the major European leagues.
Also appearing in the fight for salvation are the recently promoted Sheffield United, Luton Town and a Burnley team that has made the most of the summer transfer market. Other teams in danger are Wolverhampton Wanderers, boiling after the departure of their coach Julen Lopetegui, and Everton, who have lost a lot of potential this summer.
–SCHEDULE OF DAY 1 IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE.
-Friday August 11.
Burnley – Manchester City 21.00.
-Saturday 12.
Arsenal – Nottingham Forest 13.30.
Bournemouth – West Ham 16.00.
Brighton – Luton Town 16.00.
Everton – Fulham 16.00.
Sheffield Utd – Crystal Palace 16.00.
Newcastle Utd – Aston Villa 18.30.
-Domingo 13.
Brentford – Tottenham 15.00.
Chelsea – Liverpool 17.30.
-Monday 14.
Manchester Utd – Wolverhampton 21.00.