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Express Sport brings you your guide to the Premier League title race
IT could be the most open Premier League in years, with no shortage of challengers to Chelsea’s title. Richard Jolly rates the prospects of every club in the top flight before the scramble for supremacy begins.
Chelsea and Jose Mourinho will hope to defend their title and lift the trophy once more come May
ARSENAL
MANAGER: Arsene Wenger
MAJOR SIGNING: Petr Cech
LAST SEASON: 3rd
Wenger has still not bought a world-class striker or an experienced holding midfielder, but bringing in Cech means he has his best squad for years. Alexis Sanchez is a superstar, while Wenger faces a struggle to fit Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott into the team. If they defend well they could finally return to the top two.
KEY MAN: Cech – the goalkeeper Arsenal have needed for years.
VERDICT: Time for a title tilt.
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ASTON VILLA
MANAGER: Tim Sherwood
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Idrissa Gueye, Jordan Amavi, Micah Richards, Jordan Ayew, Rudy Gestede, Jordan Veretout
LAST SEASON: 17th
Villa have had the spine of their side ripped out, with Christian Benteke, Fabian Delph, Tom Cleverley, Ron Vlaar and Shay Given all leaving. Boss Sherwood has started to splash the cash on Ayew and Gestede – new forwards for a shot-shy team. After years of dreadful home form and relegation battles, Villa have to give their fans more to cheer.
KEY MAN: Ayew – has to get the goals Benteke used to score.
VERDICT: Another battle to beat the drop.
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BOURNEMOUTH
MANAGER: Eddie Howe
MAJOR SIGNING: Tyrone Mings
LAST SEASON: Championship winners. Six years after they almost dropped out of the Football League, Bournemouth are in the Premier League. Manager Howe’s attacking style and eye for a bargain have brought three promotions. Talents like Matt Ritchie and Harry Arter could make their mark but a lack of top-flight experience could cost the newcomers dearly.
KEY MAN: Callum Wilson – goal machine at lower levels.
VERDICT: Tough for the fairytale to continue.
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CHELSEA
MANAGER: Jose Mourinho
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Radamel Falcao, Asmir Begovic
LAST SEASON: 1st
Mourinho has not bought big or strengthened his first-choice 11 yet, but Chelsea were so dominant last season they remain probable champions. They still have the best defence, a potent striker in Diego Costa and a fine supply line in Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas. But one more major signing would really help.
KEY MAN: Hazard – deservedly crowned Footballer of the Year.
VERDICT: Still the team to beat.
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Jose Mourinho's Chelsea are favourites to defend their title and lift the trophy
CRYSTAL PALACE
MANAGER: Alan Pardew
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Yohan Cabaye, Patrick Bamford
LAST SEASON: 10th
Pardew cemented his status as a Palace hero by transforming them from relegation strugglers to top-half finishers. Now he has shown his ambition by signing France playmaker Cabaye. Borrowing Chelsea’s prolific young forward Patrick Bamford seems another smart step. Skilful wingers like Yannick Bolasie should create chances but Palace need more home wins.
KEY MAN: Cabaye – a class act in the midfield.
VERDICT: Could continue to go up and up.
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EVERTON
MANAGER: Roberto Martinez
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Tom Cleverley, Gerard Deulofeu
LAST SEASON: 11th
At least last season’s underachievers will not be distracted by the Europa League any more. Tim Howard, Gareth Barry, Ross Barkley, Arouna Kone and Kevin Mirallas all owe Everton a better campaign than they had last year, while Martinez’s men have to tighten up at the back.
KEY MAN: Romelu Lukaku – has the potential to be prolific.
VERDICT: Should be back in the top eight.
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LEICESTER
MANAGER: Claudio Ranieri
MAJOR SIGNING: Shinji Okazaki
LAST SEASON: 14th
Bottom for 140 days, Leicester then won seven of their last nine games to dodge the drop. Just when things could not get much stranger, they sacked Nigel Pearson and appointed Ranieri. The ‘Tinkerman’ has lost the excellent Esteban Cambiasso. Can he get as much from a limited group of players as Pearson did?
KEY MAN: Kasper Schmeichel – a fine keeper could be busy.
VERDICT: Could come to regret losing Pearson.
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LIVERPOOL
MANAGER: Brendan Rodgers
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Nathaniel Clyne, Danny Ings
LAST SEASON: 6th
The Steven Gerrard era came to an ignominious end with a 6-1 thrashing at Stoke. Raheem Sterling is gone but Rodgers has spent £75million. Firmino, the third-most-expensive Liverpool player ever, has to provide the chances for Benteke, the second-costliest, especially with Daniel Sturridge injured, and they need more goals.
KEY MAN: Milner – must take over from captain fantastic Gerrard.
VERDICT: Tough start could cost Liverpool – and Rodgers.
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Liverpool will be hoping £32.5million signing Christian Benteke can help them this season
MAN CITY
MANAGER: Manuel Pellegrini
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph, Patrick Roberts
LAST SEASON: 2nd
City accept they should have pushed Chelsea closer. They have responded by opening the chequebook and making £49million Sterling their biggest-ever buy. Captain Vincent Kompany needs to improve and Sergio Aguero must be prolific in what will surely be Pellegrini’s last season in charge.
KEY MAN: Yaya Toure – can he get back to his blockbusting best?
VERDICT: Pellegrini unlikely to bow out a title winner.
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MAN UNITED
MANAGER: Louis van Gaal
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian
LAST SEASON: 4th
Van Gaal is probably keeping David de Gea but losing Angel Di Maria and United are short of strikers after selling Robin van Persie. The manager now has more midfield craft and graft, and a gifted young scorer in Depay, but they must start this season better than last.
KEY MAN: De Gea – the best keeper in the league.
VERDICT: Likelier champions next season than this.
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NEWCASTLE
MANAGER: Steve McClaren MAJOR SIGNINGS: Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic
LAST SEASON: 15th
An embarrassing flirtation with relegation under John Carver finally brought drastic action from Mike Ashley. He appointed McClaren and loosened the pursestrings to sign Serbian attacker Mitrovic and Dutch goalscoring midfielder Wijnaldum. The manager is looking to rebuild his reputation. Defensive improvements are needed.
KEY MAN: Mitrovic – bad-boy striker with an eye for goal.
VERDICT: Mid-table safety.
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NORWICH
MANAGER: Alex Neil
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Robbie Brady, Youssouf Mulumbu
LAST SEASON: Third in Championship.
It has been a rapid rise. Precocious manager Neil was just 33 when he won the play-off final. Now the league’s youngest boss has the tough task of keeping Norwich up. Neil has finally started to spend but City probably need a better back four and to keep their winning momentum.
KEY MAN: Mulumbu – a proven Premier League performer at West Brom.
VERDICT: Staying up would be a greater feat than going up.
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Alex Neil - The league’s youngest boss has the tough task of keeping Norwich up
SOUTHAMPTON
MANAGER: Ronald Koeman
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Jordy Clasie, Juanmi
LAST SEASON: 7th
Saints sold and surged forward last year but they have lost Morgan Schneiderlin, and the sale of the talented Nathaniel Clyne and Toby Alderweireld surely means they won’t be able to field the Premier League’s second-best defence again. At least Jay Rodriguez, who missed the whole of last season, is fit again to relieve the goalscoring burden on Graziano Pelle.
KEY MAN: Clasie – classy Dutchman is charged with replacing Schneiderlin.
VERDICT: Europa League could cost them in England.
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STOKE CITY
MANAGER: Mark Hughes
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Joselu, Glen Johnson, Ibrahim Afellay, Shay Given
LAST SEASON: 9th
Paid the price for success when they lost goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and midfield linchpin Steven N’Zonzi. But Hughes has been a bargain hunter at the Britannia and Spanish striker Joselu could prove another smart buy, while former Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay is the flair player the Welshman wanted.
KEY MAN: Jack Butland – chance to replace Begovic.
VERDICT: Hughes to show why he earned a new deal.
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SUNDERLAND
MANAGER: Dick Advocaat
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Jeremain Lens, Younes Kaboul, Sebastian Coates
LAST SEASON: 16th
Sunderland persuaded Advocaat to change his mind and stay on. Now he has to change their fortunes. They struggled to score or win at home last season and ended up in their annual relegation battle. Advocaat has two new centre-backs in Kaboul and Coates, and he has to revive underachievers like Adam Johnson and Jack Rodwell.
KEY MAN: Lens – the £8.5million Dutch winger is a proven scorer.
VERDICT: Should beat the drop.
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SWANSEA
MANAGER: Garry Monk
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Eder, Andre Ayew
LAST SEASON: 8th
How do Swansea top their best-ever Premier League season? Monk’s answer is to upgrade his attack with Portugal striker Eder and Ghana winger Ayew as Swansea look to compensate for the January loss of Wilfried Bony. But it will be hard to repeat last season’s home and away wins over Arsenal and Manchester United.
KEY MAN: Ayew – quick winger could surprise a few defenders after signing from Marseille.
VERDICT: Should be another top-10 hit.
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Garry Monk guided Swansea to their best ever finish in the Premier League last season - 8th
TOTTENHAM
MANAGER: Mauricio Pochettino MAJOR SIGNINGS: Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer, Kieran Trippier
LAST SEASON: 5th
Spurs conceded as many goals as relegated Burnley last season and Pochettino has brought in three defenders. The manager’s youthful revolution continues but the lack of an attacking signing means Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen will shoulder huge burdens again.
KEY MAN: Kane – can the 31-goal man show he is no one-season wonder?
VERDICT: Groundhog Year as they don’t break into the top four.
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WATFORD
MANAGER: Quique Flores
MAJOR SIGNING: Etienne Capoue LAST SEASON: Second in Championship
All change at Watford, where the Hornets have gone up, are on their fifth manager in a year and have made nine summer signings. Former Atletico Madrid boss Flores needs his new-look group to settle as quickly as possible. It bodes well that his three main strikers scored 57 goals last season.
KEY MAN: Odion Ighalo – a 20-goal revelation last season.
VERDICT: Have the talent to stay up in the top flight.
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WEST BROM
MANAGER: Tony Pulis
MAJOR SIGNINGS: James Chester, Rickie Lambert
LAST SEASON: 13th
Pulis represents a one-man insurance policy against relegation. He tends to guarantee home wins, clean sheets and team spirit. But the summer transfer market has brought much frustration, so Albion may be set for another season of grinding their way to safety.
KEY MAN: Saido Berahino – their only reliable goalscorer but West Brom must stop Spurs from signing him.
VERDICT: West Brom will survive – in Pulis, they’ve got the man to guarantee that.
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WEST HAM
MANAGER: Slaven Bilic
MAJOR SIGNINGS: Dimitri Payet, Angelo Ogbonna
LAST SEASON: 12th
Exit Sam Allardyce, enter the more glamorous and crowd-pleasing Bilic, who has to show he can juggle the Premier League and the Europa League, and cope without the influential Stewart Downing. Allardyce left Bilic enough quality but the Croatian has to ensure their poor form since Christmas does not continue.
KEY MAN: Payet – this midfielder had the most assists in France last year.
VERDICT: Mid-table entertainers.
Slaven Bilic faces his first season in the Premier League with West Ham