With the English Premier League season less than a month away, the predictions as to who will win the league and who will be relegated have begun. The question I’m asking is: who will be in the top 4 this year?
Every year we see the league getting stronger but we usually see the same teams in the prized positions with Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool being the main contenders. In recent seasons we’ve seen the emergence of Tottenham Hotspur and Everton slowly creeping their way into European football.
For the first time, it’s going to be hard to predict who will be taking the top 4 places.
As an Arsenal fan, I’ve always been confident with the team finishing in a Champions League spot. However, we all saw that didn’t happen in the 2016-2017 season! And with all the top teams strengthening and growing in confidence of the chances making the top 4, it’s making it extremely competitive. Each team will know that to be successful in the league this year, there can be no room for errors. A couple of inconsistent results could send them from first to seventh very quickly.
The transfer window hasn’t been open for long and we’ve already seen quality signings being made. Each manager will know of the pressures of this year’s Premier League, and vulnerability in any team will soon be caught out in an excitable season ahead.
Everton is the dark horse this season without a doubt. The team has made some tremendous signings including Wayne Rooney, who will bring vast experience to the squad. And with Ronald Koeman as manager, there’s no reason why Everton can’t be the surprise team this year.
As an Arsenal fan and a Premier League follower I am excited to see the upcoming season. It’s going to cause plenty of shocks and surprises that we all know the Premier League is capable of.
By Liam Haycock
Liam Haycock is a college soccer athlete at the University of the District of Columbia. Haycock is from a small village in the United Kingdom, and has a strong passion for writing about sport.