Premier League preview: Biggest transfer, season outlook, best and worst scenarios for each club
Thu, Aug 4, 2022
Soccer News (AP)
The 2022-23 Premier League season officially gets underway on Friday, August 5 with visiting , and it marks the beginning of nine-month journey as 20 teams battle up and down the table as they try to achieve a variety of different objectives. The title race figures to be one with just two horses, again, in and . and Arsenal hope to get back into the Champions League by finishing in the top four, and the relegation battle seems like it could be six teams deep come season's end. But ahead of the action kicking off, here is your guide for what to know about all 20 teams in the English top flight.
Arsenal
Last year's finish: 5th place
Biggest offseason move: Signing striker from Man City for £45 million.
Season outlook: Expectations are as high as they've been, even after missing out on the Champions League. They really hit their stride in the second half of the season despite caving in the end, losing games to Tottenham and Newcastle that they just couldn't afford. But this was all done without a star striker, and they have one now in . They have what it takes to get into the top four and potentially win Europa League as well, as long as they can grind out results on the road. Anything short of the top four would be a failure, especially with such an encouraging start to the preseason where they easily put and away. Results there don't matter, but performances do, and they've been sharp.
Best case scenario: 3rd place
Worst case scenario 8th place
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Last year's finish:'14th place
Biggest offseason move:'Landing midfielder from Marseille on a free transfer.
Season outlook:'They've kept Phillipe Coutinho on a full transfer, after loaning him in last season, and they will be looking for progression to get into the top half of the table. They haven't done a whole lot of business over the summer, but they've got some great pieces to work around. The defense must improve in front of Emiliano Martinez as they conceded 54 goals last season in the league. If they can improve in that department, they can finish mid table.
Best case scenario:'10th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'2nd place in the Championship
Biggest offseason move:'Signing defense from West Ham on a free transfer.
Season outlook:'The Cherries are back in the top flight and looking to enjoy an even longer stay than the first time around. Their defense is what led them back into the Premier League, conceding just 39 goals in 46 matches. But they've yet to really do much in terms of signings, so that is a reason to be concerned about a potentially slow start out of the gates. They are going to aim to make it sloppy and ugly to pick up those scrappy points on the road. If they can do that, they'll stay up. But don't be surprised if they are back down quickly without proper acquisitions.
Best case scenario:'14th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'13th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing striker Kean Lewis-Potter from Hull for £20 million.
Season outlook:'They paid a lot for Lewis-Potter, but he has the potential to really be a fine forward in the Premier League. Not having anymore will hurt in terms of possession and creativity, and finding the player to properly replace him won't be easy. But even without the Danish star, they have more than enough to stay up and will be aiming to finish in the top half of the table. You have to spend to compete, and they've done that with Lewis-Potter and from . They have a belief, an admiration for one another, and that can go a long way to survival.
Best case scenario:'10th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Brighton
Last year's finish:'9th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing Paraguayan striker from Libertad for £9.5 million.'
Season outlook:'I'm not overly thrilled with the moves they have made. Enciso is a player, but he's more of a prospect for down the road than an immediate contributor. Losing to Tottenham will hurt the team's stability in the middle, and if moves to Chelsea that will hurt their back line too, but like Brentford, they have an identity that can help them overcome a lack of talent in some spots. They should be more than fine to finish near mid-table and potentially higher once again.
Best case scenario:'8th place
Worst case scenario:'16th place
Chelsea
Last year's finish:'3rd place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing center back from .
Season outlook:'The Blues are all in with the acquisitions of Koulibaly and Manchester City's , and moving on from last year's failed acquisition of by lending him back to , but that likely isn't enough to truly compete for the league title with City and Liverpool. They are still building a formidable squad, and don't seem to be done exploring moves yet as they look to compete in each cup competition, and if it clicks early, maybe they can snag second. The bad news for USMNT fans is that figures to play even less with Sterling in the squad especially as other outgoing moves for the likes of and have yet to come to fruition
Best case scenario:'2nd place
Wost case scenario:'6th place
Crystal Palace
Last year's finish:'12th place
Biggest offseason move: Signing Cheick Doucoure from for £21 million.
Season outlook:'Looking to take a step forward in season two under , they played some end-to-end soccer that can be wildly entertaining. But Vieira will want a more balanced approach with Doucoure coming in to start at defensive midfielder. They will continue to focus on wing play in attack, and a bit more precision in the final third could see them finish mid table again. But replacing , whose loan from Chelsea ended, is easier said than done.
Best case scenario:'10th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'16th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing center back from on a free transfer.
Season outlook:'They sold their best player, to Tottenham and added from Burnley. That doesn't feel like a recipe to avoid the relegation discussion. They'll likely be right back in it unless they boost a squad that really needs depth and some attacking creativity. Preseason performances have depicted a defense that lacks awareness and reaction, especially on set pieces. There's plenty of work today for is a season that could be even more challenging than the last. But entering with an offseason should help.
Best case scenario:'12th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'1st place in the Championship
Biggest offseason move:'Signing midfielder Andreas Pereira from Manchester United for £10 million.
Season outlook:'The second division champions are looking to become Premier League mainstays, hoping that Pereira can come in and replace what they lost in selling to Liverpool. Certainly players with different styles, Pereira impressed on loan at Flamengo and has a lot of untapped potential. But it will likely all come down to whether can perform in attack. His last season in the Premier League with Fulham saw him score three goals in 27 games. He scored 43 goals in 44 games last season for the club though.
Best case scenario:'14th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'17th place
Biggest offseason move: Signing forward Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord for £25.4 million.'
Season outlook:'They've been fully Americanized under head coach Jesse Marsch by landing and , but they lost their two best players in () and Kalvin Phillips (Man City). They have not addressed the center back position like they should have. They will be one of the more entertaining teams to watch, as usual, but that is still partially due to their backline being so weak. from Bayern Munich is a savvy move in the midfield that could limit Adams' minutes.
Best case scenario:'10th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'8th place
Biggest offseason move: They have yet to sign anybody.
Season outlook:'They've got a strong base but have done nothing to improve it. That familiarity should result in them potentially pushing European places again though. The same faces are there like , and (who Arsenal tried to sign), and having (who Chelsea is trying to sign) back healthy is massive. Meanwhile they've let long time keeper leave for Nice in Ligue 1. While Champions League might be out of reach, Europa League certainly is not, especially when not playing in Europe this season.
Best case scenario:'6th place
Worst case scenario:'14th place
Liverpool
Last year's finish:'2nd place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing striker Darwin Nunez from for £85 million.
Season outlook:'Title contenders and strong everywhere on the pitch, this really comes down to how Darwin Nunez does to replace Sadio Mane's production, after the longtime Liverpool attacker was sold to Bayer Munich. The fans will hope that he's the second coming of , and if he is, the title is theirs. But if he takes a while to get going, I wouldn't be shocked if they are quite a ways back in the title race come December. This team has everything it takes, but Nunez will need to deliver 20-plus goals in the league for them to win it.
Best case scenario:'1st place
Worst case scenario:'3rd place
Manchester City
Last year's finish:'1st place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing from for £51 million.
Season outlook:'The clear-cut favorites to win the league, adding the guy I think is the best young striker in the entire world in Haaland, it could be more unfair than it has been in the past. I'm not going to be surprised if he scores over 40 goals in his first season. Yes, 40. Without Sterling and Jesus, I think they will play even more direct than they already do, sending him over the top plenty. Injuries were an issue at the end of last season, but when healthy, few can truly compete with them. And I haven't even mentioned adding Kalvin Phillips in midfield.
Best case scenario:'1st place
Worst case scenario:'2nd place
Manchester United
Last year's finish:'6th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing Christian Eriksen on a free transfer from Brentford.
Season outlook:'They've been slow in the transfer market, but adding Lisandro Martinez from Ajaxin defense should be a big help. Eriksen is an interesting move with little risk, but they still don't feel like true top four contenders without knowing whether is going to be there or not. They still need more in attack, they need to step up, and Erik ten Hag is a proven manager who should get the time he needs to turn the project in the right direction. But without more signings in midfield, where Barcelona's still lingers as a possible acquisition, the lack of depth could be their downfall.
Best case scenario:'4th place
Worst case scenario:'10th place
Newcastle
Last year's finish:'11th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing center back from for £35 million.
Season outlook:'A team that is certainly on the upswing due to their financial ability, they haven't really made a bunch of big moves that would lead you to think they could finish any higher than, say, seventh place, but they have helped improve the defense by landing Botman and signing stellar goalkeeper from Burnley. The expectation is for their cohesion to lead to an improvement in performance, but they likely won't be pushing European places until they start landing top talent. It's been a summer that raises Newcastle's floor, after spending the first half of last season in a relegation battle, that's welcome, but they still not to do work to raise the ceiling on where they'll finish.
Best case scenario:'8th place
Worst case scenario:'16th place
Last year's finish:'4th place in Championship and won promotion playoffs
Biggest offseason move:'Signing striker from Berlin for £17.5 million.
Season outlook:'A fun, energetic team that can have a Brentford-like campaign. Landing Awoniyi, on paper, could be a great move with his speed and technical ability. There will be plenty of growing pains, especially after losing starting goalkeeper to Lens, but should be able to get the job done. It's early, but it does feel like they have the right mix of chemistry to earn safety, but it's easier said than done. They scored 73 goals in 46 matches last season.
Best case scenario:'13th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Last year's finish:'15th place
Biggest offseason move: Signing midfielder Joe Aribo from for £10 million.
Season outlook:'This is a team that is really hard to read. Aribo is a smart signing in the middle, but they have to get more production from the attack. After scoring 43 goals in 38 games, they have done nothing to address the front line. They also haven't lost anybody, and that firmly puts them probably in the relegation discussion based on how they performed last season. If they can add some size and depth at striker, they'll be better suited to take on what could be a challenging campaign.
Best case scenario:'10th place
Worst case scenario:'Relegation
Tottenham
Last year's finish:'4th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing forward Richarlison from Everton for £60 million.
Season outlook:'Spurs are trending in the right direction under Antonio Conte, and they've done some smart business this summer. In Richarlison, Bissouma, and Clement Lenglet, all of whom figure to play prominent roles. With a fantastic base of players already, they should fully expect a top-four finish once again and perhaps to even get to a cup final domestically. This Tottenham team, on paper, has the chance to be one of the most talented in their history, but they must have a trophy to for it. Expect a ton of pressure, but if they click like they did at the end of last season, it could be a very special campaign.'
Best case scenario:'3rd place
Worst case scenario:'8th place
West Ham
Last year's finish:'7th place
Biggest offseason move:'Signing from for £30 million.
Season outlook:'The Hammers are loving this top-half stability, not having to worry about the relegation battles anymore. Then they went and added not only Aguerd but also from at striker, a move which could push their ceiling even higher. can't always do it all at the No. 9, and Scamacca adds depth and potential to an attacking line where there are already stellar pieces in this side like Jarron Bowen. The expectation this season is probably sixth or seventh place, but a bigger run might be possible if Scamacca is the deal deal.
Best case scenario:'5th place
Worst case scenario:'12th place
Last year's finish:'10th place
Biggest offseason move: Signing center back from Burnley for £20.5 million.
Season outlook:'You know what you are getting with Wolves, a team that doesn't score or concede much. But if they can just produce a bit more in attack with Jimenez, they have the foundation needed to push European places. returns from his loan to Barcelona, and he'll be needed after not doing all that much in the transfer window. They are technically sound, they manage to create opportunities, but a bit more sharpness is needed in every facet to make that jump.'
Best case scenario:'8th place
Worst case scenario:'14th place
