The European Championship may have only ended four days ago – and that feels strange – but it’s already time to look ahead to the Premier League season ahead.
Granted, we’ve just seen most of the top players in the top division battle it out at the European Championship or the Copa América, but in just 32 days the Premier League is back.
It seems like an eternity since Manchester City snatched a record fourth title from Arsenal on the final match day, losing all three of our promoted teams – Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton.
This time, of course, there are three new faces: Ipswich Town, Southampton and Leicester City. And of course, there is another fascinating battle for the title.
But will City make it a fifth edition and invite accusations that the division is turning into a peasant league? Will Arsenal finally go the extra mile? Or will we see another Leicester-style miracle?
Pap Guardiola’s team will set a record fifth consecutive Premier League title
Arsenal narrowly missed out on glory last season, while the wait for the title has already lasted two decades
Luton Town were sent straight back to the Championship after their own fairytale rise
Well, according to Grosvenor Sport‘s supercomputer, it looks like we’ll see another blue moon in the 2024-2025 season. If this happened every year, it would kind of defeat the purpose of the song.
The supercomputer simulates each match 1,000 times to draw the most accurate conclusion possible about the outcome. After taking into account factors such as team strength, betting market and artificially generated randomness, a table is compiled.
Pep Guardiola’s team, in what could be the Spanish coach’s final season, are predicted to extend their lead over the Gunners and finish three points above last season’s total of 94.
Mikel Arteta and co. are expected to drop the same number of points as their title rivals and finish on 86 points, eight points behind second-placed City.
Arne Slot’s first campaign at the helm at Anfield will be largely successful, however, with his team predicted to finish third on 80 points, just two shy of Jurgen Klopp’s last term.
And Manchester United complete the Champions League places. Grosvenor Sport will be hoping that Manchester United can score 71 points and also secure a Champions League place, perhaps further boosted by the arrival of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, who will sign soon.
Aston Villa finished fourth last season, but Ollie Watkins and co. are expected to drop two places to sixth on 65 points. Enzo Maresca will breathe new life into the Blues and take Chelsea up to fifth on 67 points.
In seventh place is Tottenham with 63 points, who still haven’t returned to the Champions League for a third year in a row. West Ham, Newcastle and Brentford are in eighth, ninth and tenth place respectively with 57 points.
Arne Slot’s first term as manager at Anfield is expected to be a successful one as the Reds finish in third place
Manchester United have acted quickly in the transfer market and are expected to climb to fourth place
New West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui will have a brilliant first term and improve by five points and one place, according to the supercomputer
The battle for the middle is very exciting, with four teams separated by five points. It is the two surprising teams from the end of the season that dominate.
Oliver Glasner’s revolution at Crystal Palace has been widely praised and his team are expected to finish 11th on 47 points, still a long way from 10th-placed Brentford on 57 points.
Bournemouth narrowly lost with 46 points in 46, while Andoni Iraola prepares for a second season. Everton surprisingly sit in 13th place with 42 points, level with Fulham in 14th.
Brighton may be the shocker of the supercomputer’s calculations. Fabian Hurzeler becomes the youngest ever Premier League boss this season, but his team are expected to narrowly avoid relegation by 35 points, level with Southampton.
Leicester, however, did even better, narrowly avoiding an Indiana Jones-style disaster, eventually scoring 34 points.
But it is heartbreaking for Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Ipswich Town, with Grosvenor Sport predicting the trio will reach the Championship with just 32, 29 and 18 points respectively.
Fabian Hurzeler becomes youngest ever Premier League manager at 31
Kieran McKenna and Ipswich shocked the nation when they put together a promotion-winning campaign, but it looks set to end in a heartbreaking battle
Wolves have been a much better side under Gary O’Neil, who has spent much of the season without his three favourite attackers, but the forecast suggests this could be a tough season at Molineux.
Nottingham Forest narrowly recovered from last season’s slump, but the supercomputer says they will struggle to repeat the feat that Wolves did. Ipswich’s fairytale rise ended in a drop to the Championship with just 18 points – their sixth lowest tally ever.