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Attention turned momentarily to the continental contest on European soil as 24 nations battled for the ultimate prize at Euro 2024 before Spain emerged as champions for a record fourth time.
While the CONMEBOL Copa América, which was halfway across the globe in the United States, went on as a sideshow during the break, football fans can now look forward to another eight-month-long campaign of domestic football.
This will be the 33rd season of the Premier League and the 126th season of top-flight English football overall. It will also be the first season to see the use of semi-automated offside technology after Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to its introduction.
EFL Championship title holders Leicester City and Southampton will return to the Premier League after a one-year absence, while Ipswich Town returns after a twenty-two-year absence. They will replace Luton Town, Burnley, and Sheffield United, respectively.
Meanwhile, Manchester City will be looking to do the unthinkable as five-time successive Premier League title winners following a record fourth successive title win. A feat that will certainly break many hearts in North London.
Chelsea have a new boss yet again, and Premier League debutant Arne Slot will attempt to fill Jürgen Klopp’s boots at Anfield after the former Liverpool boss ran out of energy.
Roberto De Zerbi left Brighton after a disappointing 11th-place finish, while David Moyes was shown the exit after a less-than-impressive 9th-place finish at West Ham United.
We will examine some of the prominent questions ahead of the new Premier League season, which begins with the maiden fixture, Manchester United vs. Fulham, scheduled for August 16.
Who are the favourites to win the premier league?
Last season, we saw a feisty three-horse race between Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool. One that eventually became a two-horse race after Liverpool stumbled along the way following a series of underwhelming performances at the business end of the season.
With Arsenal falling short in successive seasons, Chelsea and Manchester United in a state of flux, and Liverpool with new boss Arne Slot, City are surely favourites once again.
The Pep-led side recently secured the services of 20-year-old Brazilian winger Sávinho from Troyes in a deal reportedly worth £30.8 million in an attempt to have more options on the right.
However, in what could be a shocking turn of events, the Sky Blues could become relegated!
Ever since the FA unveiled a 115 charge sheet, the four-time successive champions could face stern punishment of any kind.
Despite repeated denials of alleged financial irregularity, if found guilty, Pep Guardiola’s side could be fined, suffer a point deduction, or be expelled from the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Slot will be the man with the biggest shoes to fill when the season begins, knowing Liverpool fans are already accustomed to competing for four titles every season. A tall order, even by Jürgen Klopp’s standards.
The 45-year-old Dutchman was handpicked after a lengthy search for Klopp’s successor following his impressive spells with AZ Alkmaar and, most recently, Feyenoord.
“If you inherit a team that’s really good, it’s not so easy to find players who are even higher, especially because those ones need to be available as well,’’ Slot said over Liverpool’s lack of activity in the transfer market.
He will be looking to break the Dutch curse, having seen compatriots like Louis van Gaal, Frank de Boer, Ruud Gullit, and Ronald Koeman all fail to win the league title during their spells in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, with year-on-year improvements under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal could be third-time lucky as they look to end their 21-year wait for a league title after finishing second in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
What is our verdict? Another three-horse race is expected in the upcoming season, with Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City right in the middle of the action.
Who will be in the top four?
Elsewhere, in what appears to be a statement of intent, the Red Devils have been active in the transfer market as they look to become a contender for the highly contested top four.
Rumours suggest that as many as seven players, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, and Harry Maguire, are on United’s clearout list.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have secured the signing of striker Joshua Zirkzee for £36.5 million from Bologna in an attempt to shore up their attack as Erik ten Hag hopes to forget about his side’s struggles in front of goal.
Will serial underachievers Chelsea be Chelsea again? With Enzo Maresca now at the helm, having led Leicester City back to the Premier League, the Blues will surely be in the race for a top-four finish.
Following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure, Maresca will become Chelsea’s fifth manager since Todd Boehly and his associates bought the club in May 2022.
Despite a host of expensive signings that have failed to produce the expected results, Chelsea will be keen to have a go again next season. Surely, Manchester United, Newcastle, and Tottenham must be mentioned in the race for the top four.
We can only wait and see how the upcoming season’s events will unfold.
Who will qualify for European places?
While Manchester United will be one of the teams contending for a top-four finish, they will also be in the race for European qualification. Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Brighton, and Chelsea will also join the list of clubs expected to be in the race for continental football of any kind.
With changes at the helm at West Ham, the Hammers will be looking to challenge for a European trophy of any kind under new boss Julen Lopetegui.
One can only guess how it will pan out. However, one thing is certain: Premier League fans are up for a thrilling European qualifying place battle.
Which club will be the surprise package?
Aston Villa was the surprise package of the previous season. After an impressive run, they finished in fourth place with 68 points, beating Spurs, Chelsea, and Newcastle to the highly coveted spot.
Not known for depth, a place in the UEFA Champions League could pile pressure on their domestic campaign.
But then, Unai Emery appears to have the magic wand at the moment. Can we expect another impressive run yet again? Or will it all come crumbling down the drain, as we saw with the likes of Brighton last season?
Did anyone say Darkhorse? While Crystal Palace have never finished higher than 10th in the Premier League, they could be one to watch despite recently losing their prized asset, Michael Olise, to Bayern Munich.
The Eagles had shown a glimpse of what they could do on their day under Oliver Glasner, who won more than half of his 13 games [7W, 3D, 3L] in charge after slipping into the managerial seat on February 13.
Nevertheless, don’t write off the likes of Brentford, whose last-season finish in 16th place was partly due to Ivan Toney’s absence after a lengthy ban for breaching betting rules.
This time around, the Englishman who created the assist for Harry Kane in the 2-1 win over Slovakia at the Euros will be available from the get-go when the Bees begin their Premier League campaign.
That said, provided Thomas Frank remains in charge.
Who will win the golden boot?
No Premier League campaign would be complete without individual records!
Erling Haaland was the top scorer after winning successive Golden Boots, scoring 27 goals last season.
However, with a string of less-than-impressive outings last term, his stocks could dip, especially with trusted provider Kevin De Bruyne plotting a Premier League exit.
Cole Palmer surprisingly came in second with 22 goals, while Newcastle’s Alexander Isak was third with 21 goals.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Haaland is expected to claim a third successive Premier League Golden Boot, with the caveat that he continues to see a steady source of quality supply upfront.
Who will win the golden glove?
Arsenal’s David Raya walked away with the Golden Glove last season after 16 clean sheets for the Gunners.
England’s number one goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, came in second with 13 clean sheets. After a brilliant performance at the just-concluded European Championship, Pickford will be ready to go head-to-head with Raya for the title.
While Petr Čech and Joe Hart are the joint-highest winners of the Golden Glove Award, with four each, perhaps we could see another contender for the award this season outside the duo.
What’s your verdict?
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