Premier League 2019-20: Greatest-case, worst-case situations for all 20 groups
The Premier League begins on Friday when Liverpool host Norwich Metropolis, the primary of 380 matches between now and Could 17, 2020.
ESPN FC author Mark Ogden takes a have a look at the most effective and worst outcomes every membership can count on throughout their 2019-20 marketing campaign.
ARSENAL
Final season: fifth place, 70 factors
BEST: Overlook a few title problem. Supervisor Unai Emery’s rebuild on the Emirates continues to be in its preliminary levels, however the stress will probably be on the Spaniard to get the membership again into the Champions League. Fourth is the naked minimal — particularly given the late-summer signings of Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney — however that will even be the most effective Arsenal can hope for.
WORST: Arsenal are at a crossroads and if they do not kick on shortly, they may very well be weak to being overtaken by the likes of Wolves, Everton and Leicester. It is unlikely this season, however the worst-case state of affairs is the Gunners end out of the highest six.
ASTON VILLA
Final season: fifth place in Championship, gained promotion playoff
BEST: Again within the high flight after a three-year absence, Villa have been busy within the switch market to make sure they continue to be the place many consider they belong. In the event that they collect momentum and the brand new signings work out — a lot will probably be anticipated of recent striker Wesley, loanee turned everlasting switch Anwar El-Ghazi and Man Metropolis’s former starlet Douglas Luiz — Villa may find yourself within the high 10.
WORST: Groups promoted through the Championship playoff typically wrestle to outlive the primary 12 months within the Premier League and that’s the doomsday state of affairs for Villa. If the brand new signings fail to succeed, Villa may slide straight again down once more.
BOURNEMOUTH
Final season: 14th place, 45 factors
BEST: Supervisor Eddie Howe has reworked Bournemouth into one of many Premier League’s actual success tales, with the smallest membership within the high flight at all times doing sufficient to keep away from a relegation battle. However with such energy on the high of the league, a top-10 end can be actual achievement this time.
WORST: How lengthy can Bournemouth maintain themselves within the Premier League on exceedingly modest budgets — taking Liverpool’s Harry Wilson on mortgage appears like essentially the most thrilling incoming participant on paper — and tiny attendances at dwelling? In the event that they hit a nasty patch or Howe will get a suggestion he cannot refuse from an even bigger membership, Bournemouth may hit the skids and discover themselves relegated.
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Final season: 17th place, 36 factors
BEST: Will probably be a troublesome 12 months forward of Brighton. They simply survived final season and new supervisor Graham Potter takes cost with no earlier top-flight expertise. The most effective they will hope for is survival and 17th may be pretty much as good because it will get.
WORST: Brighton have a state-of-the-art stadium, spectacular coaching set-up and no rivals inside a 50-mile radius, however this appears like an important season on the Amex and the worst-case state of affairs is that Potter’s appointment would not work out they usually go down.
BURNLEY
Final season: 15th place, 40 factors
BEST: Burnley’s seventh-place end within the 2017-18 season was the membership’s greatest within the fashionable period, and repeating that feat can be extraordinary. With their price range limitations, a top-10 end can be an amazing season for Sean Dyche’s staff.
WORST: Relegation is clearly the nightmare state of affairs for Burnley, however they’ve turn out to be a longtime top-flight outfit and ought to be secure from a struggle for survival. The worst end result for the Clarets can be an damage disaster that sends them spinning towards the underside three.
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CHELSEA
Final season: third place, 72 factors
BEST: With no Eden Hazard and a switch ban denying Frank Lampard the prospect to strengthen his squad till subsequent summer season, a title problem will be dominated out at Stamford Bridge. Nevertheless, with sufficient high quality gamers (Willian, NGolo Kante, Antonio Rudiger) who’ve delivered prior to now and the newly acquired Christian Pulisic on the flank, Chelsea may find yourself behind Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool as the most effective of the remaining in third.
WORST: Lampard’s return to Chelsea as supervisor has been properly acquired by everybody on the membership, but when he proves to be a novice who’s out of his depth on the highest degree, failure to complete within the high 4 may value him his job.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Final season: 12th place, 49 factors
BEST: Underneath Roy Hodgson, Palace have turn out to be too good to go down however not fairly ok to problem for the highest 10. A superb season, with all key gamers delivering, may propel them into the highest half and it will be an actual achievement.
WORST: Palace have stored Wilfried Zaha for now however stay weak to a struggle for survival, particularly if golf equipment come calling once more in January. Maintain Zaha and Palace keep up. Lose him they usually face an extended season.
EVERTON
Final season: eighth place, 54 factors
BEST: Everton need to be a top-six membership — they even have ambitions to get themselves into the Champions League — however realistically the most effective they will hope for underneath Marco Silva this season is sixth. Manchester United and Arsenal are each inside their sights if they’ve a powerful marketing campaign and summer season signings like Moise Kean hit the bottom working.
WORST: Everton can end as excessive as sixth and possibly no decrease than ninth, however ninth can be a nasty season contemplating their ambitions. Ending the underside staff within the Everton-Wolves-Leicester race can be a disappointing season, however in all probability as unhealthy as it will probably get given the quantity of funding in squad enchancment.
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LEICESTER CITY
Final season: ninth place, 52 factors
BEST: Having gained the Premier League in 2015-16, a top-six end or higher is the goal for Leicester underneath supervisor Brendan Rodgers and one they will obtain. In the event that they end sixth and get again into Europe, it will likely be an enormous success.
WORST: Like Everton and Wolves, Leicester are knocking on the door of the highest six, so something outdoors the highest 10 can be properly beneath expectations and possibly value Rodgers his job.
LIVERPOOL
Final season: second place, 97 factors
BEST: It is all about one factor at Liverpool this season: profitable the Premier League. The Champions League ended supervisor Jurgen Klopp’s look ahead to a serious trophy at Anfield final season, however having gone with out the title since 1990, their season will probably be measured by whether or not they win the league. Provided that Man Metropolis spent cash to improve at full-back and in central midfield this season whereas Liverpool added solely prospects (Harvey Elliott, Sepp van den Berg), it will likely be a good harder prospect than it was final season.
WORST: Ending second can be a blow, however with Mo Salah and Sadio Mane lacking preseason due to the Africa Cup of Nations and Roberto Firmino and Alisson additionally taking part in catch-up following the Copa America, the fatigue issue this season may see the chasing pack deny them a top-two spot.
Man Metropolis are the odds-on favorites to retain the Premier League title, although their major purpose may be attempting to win in Europe as a substitute. Will that open the door for Liverpool to take the crown? Rob Newell/CameraSport through Getty Photos
MANCHESTER CITY
Final season: first place, 98 factors
BEST: How do you high a season that ended with a home Treble? Metropolis face soccer’s “Mission Unattainable” this season, until they do the identical once more and add the Champions League, too, however Pep Guardiola’s staff are so sturdy and dominant — particularly with Joao Cancelo and Rodri added to the combo — that they actually may win all 4 this time.
WORST: Ending the season empty-handed is the worst state of affairs for Metropolis, however that looks as if an outlandish proposition proper now. Successful nothing and shedding Guardiola on the finish of the season can be as unhealthy because it may get.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Final season: sixth place, 66 factors
BEST: Instances have been so turbulent at Outdated Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, season with out sacking a supervisor can be a very good end result. In any case, if supervisor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retains his job, United may have completed within the high 4 and maybe even gained a trophy, which is pretty much as good as it’ll get. Signing Harry Maguire exhibits they’ve lastly received the top-shelf defender who can regular a staff recognized for leaking targets final season.
WORST: There may be now a worry amongst United supporters that somewhat than specializing in conserving tempo with their top-six rivals, the true job will probably be to remain forward of Leicester, Everton and Wolves. Failing to amass a confirmed striker whereas letting Romelu Lukaku go will make it a real problem. Might United end outdoors the highest six? It isn’t outdoors the realm of risk
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Final season: 13th place, 45 factors
BEST: It has been a determined summer season for Newcastle. Having misplaced supervisor Rafael Benitez and forwards Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon, whereas spending £40m on alternative Joelinton, that something however relegation underneath new coach Steve Bruce can be considered a constructive end result at St James’ Park.
WORST: Newcastle look to be a membership near a meltdown, with proprietor Mike Ashley seemingly bored with spending sufficient to push his staff up the desk, which leaves their passionate followers on the point of revolt. Relegation can be unhealthy, however the worst end result for Newcastle can be a repeat of what has occurred to neighbours Sunderland: successive relegations and no signal of a route again to the highest.
NORWICH CITY
Final season: Championship winners, promoted
BEST: Daniel Farke’s staff gained promotion at a canter final season, so confidence will probably be excessive at Carrow Highway that they will survive within the Premier League. Burnley and Bournemouth have proven that less-fancied groups can prosper and a top-10 end can be a very good end result for Norwich.
WORST: Norwich gained promotion with ease however there aren’t any ensures within the Premier League and it may be an unforgiving competitors. They could additionally remorse taking the much less common highway of retaining the squad that received them up and making no vital summer season additions to account for the additional high quality within the high flight. Norwich’s nightmare state of affairs is a wrestle that sees them relegated once more.
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SHEFFIELD UNITED
Final season: second place in Championship, promoted
BEST: The Blades have damaged their membership switch document 4 instances this summer season — so as: midfielder Luke Freeman, winger Callum Robinson, striker Lys Mousset and ahead Oliver McBurnie — in order that they actually imply enterprise on their return to the highest flight for the primary time since 2007. However they’re nonetheless the relegation favourites, so any end greater than 18th can be sufficient to set the champagne corks popping.
WORST: Supervisor Chris Wilder has constructed a dedicated, unified staff at Bramall Lane, but when they do not have sufficient high quality, United may discover it robust. Eclipsing Derby’s document low top-flight factors whole of 11, set in 2007-08, can be the worst finish end result.
SOUTHAMPTON
Final season: 16th place, 39 factors
BEST: The 2018-19 marketing campaign was actually one to neglect, however the second half of the season underneath Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed some potential, and with just a few good signings this summer season up entrance — the Saints managed solely 45 targets final season however made Danny Ings a everlasting switch in addition to snapping up Che Adams — they need to not less than push for midtable consolation and a season of consolidating their standing within the high flight.
WORST: If this squad would not totally embrace Hasenhuttl’s model of play — he was as soon as described because the “anti Guardiola” for his choice of urgent, counterattacking soccer — and if Ings and Adams do not mesh properly up entrance, they are going to be a relegation contender once more in 2019-20.
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TOTTENHAM
Final season: fourth place, 71 factors
BEST: Spurs have turn out to be a staff that guarantees greater than they ship, however after 5 years in cost, Mauricio Pochettino is set to supervise real success. For that to occur, Spurs must win a trophy this season and, within the league, they will break up final 12 months’s high two in the event that they discover extra consistency. The additions of Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso ought to present the depth they should stay aggressive from begin to end.
WORST: With their new stadium now up and working, something outdoors the highest 4 will probably be a serious disappointment even when they have been to win silverware elsewhere.
WATFORD
Final season: 11th place, 50 factors
BEST: Watford should bounce again from the humiliation of shedding final season’s FA Cup last 6-Zero to Manchester Metropolis. A top-10 end will probably be a problem, however it’s inside Watford’s attain.
WORST: If the FA Cup last leads to a hangover that impacts this season, Watford can neglect in regards to the high 10, however Javi Gracia’s staff are too good to go down. The worst they will count on is a season on the fringes of the relegation zone.
WEST HAM UNITED
Final season: 10th place, 52 factors
BEST: Manuel Pellegrini’s staff have been large spenders this summer season, in order that they have the potential to hitch the race to dislodge the highest six. It feels a 12 months too quickly for West Ham to be severe about that, however something greater than ninth will probably be an amazing marketing campaign.
WORST: West Ham ought to be a top-10 membership not less than however they should get their dwelling kind working correctly having gained solely 9 of 19 league fixtures final season at London Stadium. In any other case, they are going to be risking one other bottom-half end.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Final season: seventh place, 57 factors
BEST: Wolves have turn out to be arguably the strongest contender to interrupt into the highest six and that’s actually inside their attain. The Champions League locations are in all probability a bounce too far, however fifth or sixth on the expense of a conventional “Huge Six” aspect is a risk at Molineux.
WORST: The Europa League may turn out to be an issue for Wolves, who should play six video games earlier than the tip of August if they’re to even attain the group levels. In the event that they turn out to be weighed down by Europe, it may see them crash out of the highest 10.