It's here, finally! Opening weekend of the 25th incarnation of the English Premier League. And here in India, the spot in front of the TV set again becomes the best place in the house.
Big money has dominated the headlines this summer, with the soap opera that was Paul Pogba’s £89 million move back to Manchester United finally reaching an expected conclusion. It was also a statement of intent, signalling that the best of the Premier League might be willing to financially outmuscle the big two in Spain, in order to diminish the lure of playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Call this the season of crucial questions. Will Pep Guardiola stamp his authority on the Premier League in his first season as the boss of Manchester City? How will champions Leicester fare? Will the other big spenders (I'm looking at you, Manchester United) mount a serious challenge? Will Wenger's Arsenal be the bridesmaid again? Can the promoted clubs stay up?
The Leicester question: who will replace Kante?
N’Golo Kante’s departure to Chelsea has left a two-person sized hole in Leicester’s midfield. The Frenchman’s move to Chelsea means that Leicester’s ploy of throwing bodies forward with gay abandon at the slightest sniff of a counterattack may have to change. Leicester will still be smarting from that 2-1 defeat to United in the Community Shield.
Andy King had the demanding job of stepping into Kante’s shoes against United while Nampalys Mendy’s wide range of passing provides a different option to Claudio Ranieri. The champions may not have to ponder over that question on the first weekend.
Their opposition Hull City, newly-promoted from the Championship, are woefully underprepared for life in the big league and they go into their first game with a caretaker manager and a paper-thin squad of 21 players, six of whom are injury doubts for the first game. If things continue like this, expect Hull to go down faster than an elevator with its tension wires snapped.
Our prediction: Expect Leicester to run riot at the KC Stadium. 4-0 to the champions.
Hull City vs Leicester City: 5 pm IST, August 13
The Spurs question: will Pochettino’s men last the distance?
Everton vs Spurs is the first of the big fixtures, with two European hopefuls taking on each other in an early-season test-of-strength. Unlike Hull, Everton’s new manager Ronald Koeman needs no acclimatising to the big league and will look to build on his successive seventh and sixth place finishes with Southampton.
Everton have bought smartly, with centre-back Ashley Williams and midfielder Idrissa Gueye solid additions to the spine of the team. Koeman's rival in the dugout on Saturday, Mauricio Pochettino, will still be gutted that his team faltered towards the end of the campaign to finish third.
Tottenham’s transfer activity has gone under the radar with defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama and centre forward Vincent Janssen the only major additions to a very stable squad.
Our prediction: Both will want to start strong and this match will be entertaining, but they will have to settle for a draw. 1-1
Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur: 7.30 pm IST, August 13
The City question: can they execute the Pep plan?
This is the moment that Manchester City’s Qatar-based owners would have dreamed of when they had taken over the club eight years ago. With the world’s most sought-after manager ready to leave his imprint on the blue half of Manchester, confidence in the club’s ability to win everything under the sun has never been higher.
Guardiola has added serious pace to the squad with the addition of Leroy Sane, Nolito and Oleksandr Zinchenko to an already robust attacking set-up, which will try to overwhelm opponents. There are some issues to iron out. Who among Fernando, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Yaya Toure and Fabian Delph will Pep want in his two-man midfield? Will City get rid of Joe Hart?
Sunderland present benign opposition in City’s first match in the Pep era. David Moyes is back in the Premier League and will set up his team to defend against a City attack filled with an embarrassment of riches.
Our prediction: Although City have some key personnel including captain Vincent Kompany out injured, this will be a stroll for Pep’s men. 3-1 to City.
Manchester City vs Sunderland: 10 pm IST, August 13
The United question: can they walk (and run) the talk?
The owners of Manchester United have put their money where Jose Mourinho’s mouth is, and now it will be up to the 53-year old Portuguese to get results on the pitch. Jose’s abilities as a tactician have never been in question, but his last season in Chelsea has seen his skills as a motivator being scrutinised.
The United squad feels unfinished, though. Michael Carrick’s role is still unclear. Whether the 35-year old will provide cover or be one of the two key midfield players for United this season remains to be seen. With Matteo Darmian having an underwhelming first season and Antonio Valencia looking more like a stop-gap arrangement, the right-back position is still up for grabs.
Most importantly, will Marcus Rashford regress after such a wonderful debut season or will Mourinho have faith in the youngster?
One thing is sure, Bournemouth are no pushovers. In Eddie Howe, they have a future England manager. Howe managed to steer the newly-promoted team to safety last time around after losing three of his players to season-ending injuries early on. Quiet and impressive, Howe’s men will look to trouble the 20-times champions when they host United on Sunday.
Our prediction: Mourinho and United will find it very difficult at the Vitality Stadium. Could be a draw but United may just edge it. 2-1 to United.
Bournemouth vs Manchester United: 6 pm IST, August 14
The Arsenal question: might this be Wenger’s last season?
In the din surrounding the two Manchester clubs, Arsenal and Liverpool have been treated as an afterthought by bookies and experts with regards to title challenges. Wenger will enter his 21st season managing Arsenal and many feel that his best chance in recent times came and went last season, when the Gunners finished second by a margin of ten points.
Wenger and Arsenal haven’t won the title in 12 years, and the Frenchman has to deliver the goods this time or risk facing the ignominy of being asked to leave after more than two decades in charge.
Big problems exist at centre-back as injuries to Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker have meant that Wenger only has Calum Chambers, untested youngsters Krystian Bielik and Rob Holding and specialist left-back Nacho Monreal to choose from. New signing Granit Xhaka could prove to be the match-winner as he will be tasked with keeping Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at bay.
Klopp’s Liverpool look capable of springing a surprise or two, but must sort out the striker’s position. Christian Benteke looks like he is on his way out, while Daniel Sturridge’s perennial injury problem is infuriating for the German disciplinarian and fans alike.
The squad has been sufficiently strengthened with Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Ragnar Klavan and Joel Matip coming in, but the goalkeeping and the left-back positions remain a major concern for the Reds.
Our prediction: Liverpool will trouble Arsenal's centre-back pair, but the Gunners have the artillery to put a goal or two past Liverpool's defence. 3-2 to Arsenal.
Arsenal vs Liverpool: 8.30 pm IST, August 14
The Chelsea question: can Conte ward off the blues for the Blues?
Irrespective of last season’s debacle, Antonio Conte inherits a squad full of talent, its 37 players making it the largest squad in the whole of the League. While more than 20 players are competing for spots in Chelsea’s front six (or five depending on whether Conte opts for a three-man defence with two wingbacks), Willian, Eden Hazard and new recruit Kante look to have their spots in the team cemented.
Michy Batshuayi has been brought in as competition for Diego Costa, while Ola Aina has been promoted to the senior squad to keep the ageing veteran Branislav Ivanovic on his toes.
West Ham and Slaven Bilic have had a busy summer, moving into a brand-new 60,000 seater stadium and looking to consolidate on their last season’s seventh-place finish. Bilic and his club have shown the ability to upset the big guns on a consistent basis, with away wins last season over Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal, the last of which came on the opening day. Will Chelsea suffer the same fate this time around?
Our prediction: West Ham’s participation in the Europa League is bound to take a toll on them. That said, it is Conte’s first match in charge and this could be a cagey affair. 2-1 to Chelsea.
Chelsea vs West Ham: 12.30 am IST, August 16