(Sports Focus) Xinhua's 2020/21 Premier League predictions
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E-mail Xinhua, September 11, 2020
By sportswriter Michael Butterworth
BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- It seems like only yesterday that the last Premier League season ended, but with the 2020/21 campaign set to begin on Saturday 12th September, Xinhua reporters Michael Butterworth, Jonathan Dixon, Tobie Taljaard, Paul Giblin and Michael Place have dusted off their crystal balls to bring you their predictions for the coming year.
1. Who will win the 2020/21 Premier League?
Michael Butterworth: Manchester City. They'll be smarting after last season's disappointment and have greater squad depth than Liverpool. In a busy season likely to be disrupted by COVID-19 cases, that could prove crucial.
Jonathan Dixon: Man City will find the consistency they lacked last season. Ferran Torres is a good addition, and with the extended transfer window, a couple of marquee signings will undoubtedly arrive.
Tobie Taljaard: Chelsea. Really high-quality investment this transfer window. Getting another CB will surely be enough when other teams haven't upgraded as much. Biggest worry is Lampard's management but I think they get it done in a really tight race.
Paul Giblin: Liverpool won by such a big margin last season, it will be hard to peg them back. I expect this season to be closer, but nobody has done enough to improve that much.
Michael Place: Liverpool
2. And the rest of the top four, in order
MB: Liverpool should take second, Chelsea's spending spree will see them close the gap in third, and I think Manchester United keep up their momentum from last season and finish fourth ahead of Arsenal, who will make up for that disappointment by winning the UEFA Europa League.
JD: Liverpool are great, but keeping up last year's momentum will be tough. Arteta turned Arsenal around at the end of last season and that run will continue. Man United will scrape fourth. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains out of his depth, but Greenwood and Rashford are set to have big seasons alongside Bruno Fernandes.
TT: Liverpool's experience and continuity will help them finish second ahead of Man City, whose shaky defense and uncertainty surrounding Pep Guardiola means they finish third and Pep leaves at the end of the season. Man United will just beat Spurs and former manager Jose Mourinho to fourth.
PG: Man City should still have enough to be second, though their defense is still questionable. Chelsea should get closer with their summer signings, and Man United will hope Martial, Rashford and Greenwood continue to mature in attack. Arsenal under Arteta could nudge United out of fourth, but I think they have a bit too much to do.
MP: Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd.
3. The three relegated teams
MB: I think West Ham's time is up. There seems to be no clear plan for the future and a toxic atmosphere appears to be engulfing the club. Even with the exciting Matheus Pereira, West Brom don't look like they have enough goals in them, and Fulham will struggle too.
JD: West Brom and Fulham arguably had the strongest squads in the Championship last year but still suffered from a lack of cohesion and tactical naivety. I expect them to fall short as they struggle with consistency. Brighton have never looked like a team wanting to progress. When the club's best addition this year is returning loanee Ben White, you have to question whether the club has what it takes to stay up.
TT: Aston Villa, especially if they lose Jack Grealish. Fulham did well to rebound after a season in the Championship, but there's not a lot of quality in their side. West Brom just seem out of their depth. The ultimate see-saw team.
PG: Fulham, West Brom and Brighton. I don't think the newly-promoted sides have enough to stay up, and Brighton flirted with danger last season. Graham Potter is rated as a coach, but I'm not sure they can dig narrow results out.
MP: Fulham, West Brom, Aston Villa.
4. Top goalscorer
MB: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. It's just what he does.
JD: Every time I watch Danny Ings, he scores. The Southampton hitman's pace and natural finishing could see him as the heir to Jamie Vardy.
TT: Timo Werner. If Chelsea are going to win the league, this needs to happen.
PG: Harry Kane. If he's fit, he's the best striker in the Premier League.
MP: Sergio Aguero.
5. PFA Player of the Year
MB: Kevin De Bruyne to steer clear of injury and become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo to retain the PotY award.
JD: If Ings is top goalscorer, how can you not give it to the man? However, perhaps a more practical choice is last season's winner Kevin De Bruyne, who will pick up where he left off.
TT: Virgil Van Dijk will become the first defender to win the award twice. In the prime of his career and the best defender in the world.
PG: Marcus Rashford. Perhaps his recent charitable efforts could help him out.
MP: Jordan Henderson.
6. PFA Young Player of the Year
MB: Trent Alexander-Arnold to retain the YPotY trophy he won last year.
JD: Phil Foden. With David Silva gone, Foden should find himself a regular at Man City next season. Learning under KDB will be crucial.
TT: Christian Pulisic came back from the COVID break in sensational form. Really finding his feet in the league.
PG: Phil Foden. With no David Silva, he should get enough game time to show how good he is.
MP: Phil Foden.
7. Best signing
MB: Thiago Silva. Not a long-term option, but getting a Champions League finalist on a free transfer is a great bit of business for Chelsea, who need shoring up at the back if they want to challenge for top honors.
JD: Rodrigo Moreno. With Leeds finally back in the big time, Rodrigo will hopefully be the signing that solves their goalscoring problems. A fee of 27 million pound seems low compared with other signings made this summer.
TT: Timo Werner will win the golden boot in his first season in the league.
PG: Timo Werner should guarantee Chelsea the goals that were missing last season.
MP: James Rodriguez.
8. Worst signing
MB: James Rodriguez. The halcyon days of the 2014 World Cup seem an awfully long time ago, and the Colombian has lately struggled for form and fitness. In an Everton side that is both imbalanced and in transition, his 20 million pound signing feels like a luxury they can't afford.
JD: It's clear that Callum Wilson is a natural goalscorer, but his fitness and injury problems make the 20 million pound transfer fee and four-year contract a high-risk investment. One lousy injury this season and Wilson's Newcastle career could be over before it begins.
TT: Man Utd's Donny van de Beek was very expensive for someone who may not play every week. Likely to take a season to get used to the speed and physicality of the league.
PG: Probably someone West Ham pay way too much money for.
MP: Joe Hart.
9. First manager to leave
MB: I don't think David Moyes will see November at West Ham. His reappointment 18 months after first leaving was underwhelming and smacked of panic.
JD: Frank Lampard. A 200 million pound transfer spend comes with a lot of pressure to deliver, especially for a manager lacking in experience and qualifications. For all the money spent on high quality signings up front, Chelsea's defense remains an issue, especially for a manager who struggles to understand that side of the game.
TT: Scott Parker. Fulham have a rough start back in the Premier League and the club may change manager in December to try to avoid relegation.
PG: David Moyes. West Ham didn't really improve much when he arrived and I think they could struggle again.
MP: Aston Villa's Dean Smith. Enditem
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