2017-18 English Premier League Season Preview with Betting Tips

The following is a team-by-team preview with futures betting tips for the 2017-18 English Premier League season. This article will be updated to incorporate the latest news as we approach the start of the season on August 12.

EPL Betting Resources

View our line-up of English Premier League betting resources

Futures Betting Tips

Relegation

LAY Bournemouth to be relegated at 8.60 (Betfair). Note that this is a bet on Bournemouth to NOT be relegated.

Back Brighton to be relegated at 2.44 (Betfair).

Back Huddersfield to finish rock bottom at 3.25 (Sportsbet).

Title winner

Back Manchester United to win the title at 5.00 (Betfair) with a view to hedge after Round 7. Man Utd have on paper the easiest opening schedule.

Back Tottenham to win the title at 11.00 (Betfair) with a view to hedge after Round 8.

Other markets

Back Leicester to finish in the top 10 at 2.00 (Sportsbet).

Back Harry Kane at 4.60 (Betfair) and Gabriel Jesus at 9.80 (Betfair) to be the top goalscorer. Kane finished 2nd in the standings in 2014/15 and 1st in both 2015/16 and 2016/17. Jesus scored 7 goals in 10 league games for Man City after joining in January.

Back Hughes at 7.00 (Sportsbet) and Silva at 15.00 (Sportsbet) to be the first manager to be sacked.

 

Team Previews

The following previews provide transfer news, perceived positives & negatives, notable stats and table predictions for each team.

Arsenal

• Last season placing: 5th with 75 points and a 23-6-9 record (14-3-2 at home and 9-3-7 away)
• Last season offence: 77 goals scored (39 at home and 38 on the road) – league rank: 5
• Last season defence: 44 goals conceded (16 at home and 28 on the road) – league rank: 6
• Last 5 season finishes: 4, 4, 3, 2, 5
• Manager: Arsène Wenger
• Key arrivals: Alexandre Lacazette (£52.7m, Lyon), Sead Kolasinac (free, Schalke)
• Key departures: Wojciech Szczesny (£10m-£13.5m, Juventus), Yaya Sanogo (free, Toulouse), Chris Willock (free, Benfica)
• Notable stats from last season: Last season they finished outside the top four for the first time since 1995-96.
• The good news:
  • Have made a promising signing in French striker Alexandre Lacazette (£52.7m from Lyon) to add to an already strong stock of attacking players.
  • Arsenal plan to continue with the 3-4-3 formation that improved their balance and defensive resilience towards the end of last season.
• The bad news:
  • Haven”t been as active in the transfer markets as you feel they need to be to challenge for a top four spot. A fair bit of transfer activity is still unresolved.
  • Alexis Sanchez”s future at the club is uncertain.
  • If Arsenal get off to a slow start you can be guaranteed the distraction of a “Wenger out” campaign will rear its head quickly.
  • Arsenal have a genuine chance of going deep in the Europa League, which may distract effort away from their EPL campaign.
  • Arsenal”s midfield has looked weaker since playmaker Santi Cazorla got injured in October last year. Cazorla has since undergone eight separate surgeries on his right Achilles tendon. His return date is uncertain.
• Table predictions: 4th, 5th^1,2, 6th³, 6th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 12.00, Top 4: 1.90, Relegated: 1001.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Bournemouth

• Last season placing: 9th with 46 points and a 12-10-16 record (9-4-6 at home and 3-6-10 away)
• Last season offence: 55 goals scored (35 at home and 20 on the road) – league rank: 7
• Last season defence: 67 goals conceded (29 at home and 38 on the road) – league rank: 16
• Last 5 season finishes: 2 (L1), 10 (C), 1 (C), 16, 9
• Manager: Eddie Howe
• Key arrivals: Asmir Begovic (£10m, Chelsea), Jermain Defoe (free, Sunderland), Nathan Ake (£20m, Chelsea), Connor Mahoney (free, Blackburn)
• Key departures: Lewis Grabban (Sunderland, loan)
• Notable stats from last season: Scored 55 goals last season, which was the 7th most in the league and 1 more than Manchester United managed.
• The good news:
  • Have upgraded their defence by signing defender Nathan Ake and goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Chelsea.
  • Have signed striker Jermain Defoe from Sunderland, who has scored 15 league goals in each of his last two EPL seasons.
  • Looks like the have managed to keep hold of Josh King, who scored 13 goals in his last 16 matches
  • The financial disadvantage of their small 11,464 capacity stadium is offset by the huge TV rights deal.
  • Finished last season with only 2 defeats in their last 12 matches.
  • Have enjoyed relatively good managerial continuity in Eddie Howe and have finished higher in the league standings each successive year since his return in October 2012.
• The bad news:
  • Striker Callum Wilson has suffered two ACL ruptures over the last two seasons.
  • Defence has been an issue, with 67 goals conceded last season.
  • Successful loan signing Jack Wilshere has returned to Arsenal.
• Table predictions: 10th, 11th^1,2, 15th³, 11th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 751.00, Top 4: 81.00, Relegated: 7.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Brighton and Hove Albion

• Last season placing: 2nd in the Championship with 93 points and a 28-9-9 record (17-3-3 at home and 11-6-6 away)
• Last season offence: 72 goals scored (46 at home and 26 on the road)
• Last season defence: 40 goals conceded (14 at home and 26 on the road)
• Last 5 season finishes: 4 (C), 6 (C), 20 (C), 3 (C), 2 (C)
• Manager: Chris Hughton
• Key arrivals: Mathew Ryan (Valencia, £5m-£6m), Pascal Gross (Ingolstadt, £2.55m), Josh Kerr (Celtic, tribunal), Markus Suttner (FC Ingolstadt, £3.6m), Mathias Normann (FK Bodo/Glimt), Izzy Brown (Chelsea, loan), Jose Izquierdo (Club Brugge, £13.5m)
• Key departures: David Stockdale (Birmingham, free), Chris O’Grady (Chesterfield, free) Elvis Manu (Genclerbirligi, free), Oliver Norwood (Fulham, loan)
• Notable stats from last season: Only lost 11 games last season but 8 of those defeats came in pairs.
• The good news:
  • Fans have realistic expectations so the mood won”t sour if they struggle initially.
  • Good morale in the squad last season.
  • Winger Anthony Knockaert was EFL”s Championship Player of the Year last season. Brighton have done well to keep hold of him.
• The bad news:
  • Squad lacks depth, they will rely heavily on a few key performers.
  • A number of attempted pre-season signings fell through or Brighton lost out to other clubs.
  • Stumbled at the end of last season to finish 2nd in the Championship.
  • Star player Anthony Knockaert has missed pre-season with injury and may also miss the start of the season.
  • Goalkeeper David Stockdale has departed.
  • Striker Glenn Murray scored 14 goals in 22 appearances in the Championship last season, but only managed 3 goals in 22 appearances for Bournemouth in the Premier League the season before.
• Table predictions: 19th, 20th^1,2, 19th³, 20th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 1501.00, Top 4: 201.00, Relegated: 2.20 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Burnley

• Last season placing: 16th with 40 points and a 11-7-20 record (10-3-6 at home and 1-4-14 away)
• Last season offence: 39 goals scored (26 at home and 13 on the road) – league rank: 17
• Last season defence: 55 goals conceded (20 at home and 35 on the road) – league rank: 11
• Last 5 season finishes: 11 (C), 2 (C), 19, 1 (C), 16
• Manager: Sean Dyche
• Key arrivals: Charlie Taylor (Compensation, Leeds), Jon Walters (£3m, Stoke), Jack Cork (£10m, Swansea), Phil Bardsley (£1.5m, Stoke)
• Key departures: Michael Keane (£25m-£30m, Everton), George Boyd (free, Sheffield Wednesday), Michael Kightly (free, Southend), Joey Barton (released), Paul Robinson (retired)
• Notable stats from last season: Only won 1 away game. The other two teams who did that last season were relegated. Burnley picked up 26 more points at home than away, which was the biggest points differential in the league.
• The good news:
  • Will be playing their first back-to-back top flight campaign since the 1970s. Have a season up their sleeve with newcomers Brighton and Huddersfield Town looking vulnerable to relegation.
  • Have strived to improve squad depth this season with a number of signings with good EPL experience.
  • Have a tight-knit squad.
  • Have enjoyed good managerial continuity with Sean Dyche at the helm since 2012.
  • Their home form last season was ranked 9th in the league.
  • Have done well to secure Jonathan Walters for just £3m.
• The bad news:
  • Have a relatively modest budget.
  • Always a risk that manager Sean Dyche will be lured away to a bigger club.
  • Defender Michael Keane has departed for Everton.
  • Ended last season weaker than they started, particularly at home. They only took 11 points from their last 15 matches.
  • Only picked up 7 points away from home last season, with just 1 away win.
  • Only scored 39 goals last season (the fewest of any team to survive relegation) and have yet to sign anyone to strengthen their attack.
• Table predictions: 15th, 18th^1,2, 16th³, 18th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 1001.00, Top 4: 251.00, Relegated: 2.25 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Chelsea

• Last season placing: 1st with 93 points and a 30-3-5 record (17-0-2 at home and 13-3-3 away)
• Last season offence: 85 goals scored (55 at home and 30 on the road) – league rank: 2
• Last season defence: 33 goals conceded (17 at home and 16 on the road) – league rank: 3
• Last 5 season finishes: 3, 3, 1, 10, 1
• Manager: Antonio Conte
• Key arrivals: Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid, £58m-£70m), Tiemoue Bakayoko (Monaco, £39.7m), Antonio Rudiger (Roma, £33.3m), Willy Caballero (Manchester City, free), Ethan Ampadu (Exeter City, tribunal)
• Key departures: Nemanja Matic (Man Utd, £40m), Nathan Ake (Bournemouth, £20m), Juan Cuadrado (Juventus, £17m), Christian Atsu (Newcastle, £6.2m), Asmir Begovic (Bournemouth, £10m), Bertrand Traore (Lyon, £8.8m), Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford, £5m), Dominic Solanke (Liverpool, tribunal), John Terry (Aston Villa, free), Tammy Abraham (Swansea City, loan), Kasey Palmer (Huddersfield Town, loan), Todd Kane (Groningen, loan), Ola Aia (Hull City, loan), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace, loan), Lucas Piazon (Fulham, loan), Marco van Ginkel (PSV, loan), Ike Ugbo (Barnsley, loan), Kurt Zouma (Stoke, loan), Mason Mount (Vitesse, loan), Izzy Brown (Brighton, loan), Tomas Kalas (Fulham, loan), Michael Hector (Hull City, loan) Jamal Blackman (Sheffield United, loan), Matt Miazga (Vitesse, loan), Jay Dasilva (Charlton, loan), Charlie Colkett (Vitesse, loan), Bradley Collins (Forest Green, loan)
• Notable stats from last season: Had the best away record in the league last season. Were only involved in three draws, the lowest figure in the competition. Chelsea were the only team in the league not to draw at home last season.
• The good news:
  • Have been prepared to spend big, signing lvaro Morata (£70m), Tiemoue Bakayoko (£40m) and Antonio Rudiger (£34m).
• The bad news:
  • Have a longer fixture list to contend with this season now that they”ve qualified for the Champions League, which might be the priority for them this season.
  • There has been a large amount of player turnover during the off-season.
  • The previous eight EPL title winners have all failed to defend their title.
  • Eden Hazard has been out with an ankle injury since June.
  • There are rumours manager Antonio Conte has had a strained relationship with technical director Michael Emanalo during the off-season. For example Conte has suggested the club”s board went against his wishes by allowing Nemanja Matic to join Man Utd.
  • There are rumours Diego Costa will depart. He scores 20 goals for them last season.
• Table predictions: 2nd, 3rd^1,2, 2nd³, 2nd⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 4.50, Top 4: 1.36, Relegated: 2501.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Crystal Palace

• Last season placing: 14th with 41 points and a 12-5-21 record (6-2-11 at home and 6-3-10 away)
• Last season offence: 50 goals scored (24 at home and 26 on the road) – league rank: 9
• Last season defence: 63 goals conceded (25 at home and 38 on the road) – league rank: 13
• Last 5 season finishes: 5 (C), 11, 10, 15, 14
• Manager: Frank de Boer
• Key arrivals: Ruben Loftus-Cheek (loan, Chelsea), Jairo Riedewald (£8m, Ajax), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (loan, Man Utd)
• Key departures: Kwesi Appiah (free, Wimbledon), Ezekiel Fryers (free, Barnsley), Steve Mandanda (undisclosed, Marseille), Fraizer Campbell (free, Hull), Jonathan Benteke (released), Mathieu Flamini (released), Joe Ledley (released)
• Notable stats from last season: One of only two teams to pick up more points on the road than at home last season. Only drew 5 games, with only Chelsea (3) involved in fewer draws.
• The good news:
  • Have some high quality players in the squad, particularly up front.
  • This is Palace”s 5th consecutive year in the Premier League, which has deepened their pockets relative to other relegation rivals due to the ever growing Premier League TV rights deals.
  • The club has good upside potential under new manager Frank de Boer, who led Ajax to four successive league titles from 2010 to 2014.
  • Star winger Wilfried Zaha has chosen to stay with the club.
  • Defender Pape Souare is back to full training after recovering from a serious car accident last season.
• The bad news:
  • New manager Frank de Boer has no prior managerial experience in the EPL. This will be Palace”s 6th manager since they were promoted to the Premier League.
  • They may start slowly as they adapt to de Boer”s style of football , which is notably different to that of former manager Sam Allardyce.
  • Palace have (yet) been unable to secure key loaned defender Mamadou Sakho for another season.
  • Have been notoriously inconsistent in recent seasons, combining fantastic runs with long barren spells.
  • Palace have underachieved in the last few seasons given the quality within the squad.
  • Had the worst home record of any side to survive relegation last season, picking up just 20 points.
• Table predictions: 14th, 15th^1,2, 12th³, 14th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 501.00, Top 4: 67.00, Relegated: 6.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Everton

• Last season placing: 7th with 61 points and a 17-10-11 record (13-4-2 at home and 4-6-9 away)
• Last season offence: 62 goals scored (42 at home and 20 on the road) – league rank: 6
• Last season defence: 44 goals conceded (16 at home and 28 on the road) – league rank: 6
• Last 5 season finishes: 6, 5, 11, 11, 7
• Manager: Ronald Koeman
• Key arrivals: Jordan Pickford (Sunderland, £30m), Michael Keane (Burnley, £25m), Davy Klaassen (Ajax, £23.6m), Henry Onyekuru (Eupen, £7m), Sandro Ramirez (Malaga, £5m), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United, free), Anton Donkor (Wolfsburg, loan), Josh Bowler (QPR, £4m), Cuco Martina (Southampton, free), Lewis Gibson (Newcastle, £6m)
• Key departures: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United, £75m-£90m), Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona, £10.5m), Tom Cleverley (Watford, £8m), Henry Onyekuru (Anderlecht, loan), Tyias Browning (Sunderland, loan), Brendan Galloway (Sunderland, loan), Aiden McGeady (Sunderland, £250,000), Arouna Kone (Sivasspor, free), Matthew Pennington (Leeds United, loan)
• Notable stats from last season: Only won 4 away games compared to 13 home games. Only one other team had a greater points differential between home and away. Everton were in their own mini league last season, with 8 points separating them from the team above and 15 points between them and the team below.
• The good news:
  • Have been busy in the transfer market (over £100m spent) with a lot of their business completed early in the transfer window.
  • Rumoured that Gylfi Sigurdsson (rated at £50m) will be signed.
  • Have a lot of experienced campaigners and leaders within the squad.
  • Have a strong youth development program. Everton”s U23 side won the Premier League 2 Division 1 title last season.
• The bad news:
  • Top goal scorer Romelu Lukaku has departed. Lukaku accounted for 25 of Everton”s 58 league goals last season.
  • Have the distraction of European football again this season. If they get marooned in 7th place again they may be tempted to focus on the Europa League as a genuine chance of silverware.
  • Have a lot of new faces in the squad so they may start slowly, especially given their tough schedule in the first five games.
  • Nigerian striker Henry Onyekuru has been loaned out to Anderlecht until he can obtain a work permit next summer.
  • Ross Barkley looks to be departing after refusing to sign a new deal.
  • Yannick Bolasie is unlikely to return until midway through the season due to a knee injury.
• Table predictions: 7th, 7th^1,2, 7th³, 7th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 81.00, Top 4: 11.00, Relegated: 101.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Huddersfield Town

• Last season placing: 5th in the Championship with 81 points and a 25-6-15 record (15-2-6 at home and 10-4-9 away)
• Last season offence: 56 goals scored (34 at home and 22 on the road)
• Last season defence: 58 goals conceded (26 at home and 32 on the road)
• Last 5 season finishes: 19 (C), 17 (C), 16 (C), 19 (C), 5 ©
• Manager: David Wagner
• Key arrivals: Elias Kachunga (£1.1m, Ingolstadt), Laurent Depoitre (£3.5m, Porto), Aaron Mooy (£10m, Manchester City), Jonas Lossl (loan, Mainz), Tom Ince (Derby, £8.5m), Kasey Palmer (loan, Chelsea), Danny Williams (free, Reading), Steve Mounie (£11.5m, Montpellier), Scott Malone (£5m, Fulham), Mathias Jorgensen (£3.5m, FC Copenhagen)
• Key departures: Joe Murphy (free, Bury), Flo Bojaj (released), Tareiq Holmes-Dennis (loan, Portsmouth), Jack Payne (loan, Oxford)
• Notable stats from last season: Were the only side in the top 11 of the Championship to have a negative goal difference. Wigan, who were relegated from the Championship, conceded fewer goals than Huddersfield did. Of Huddersfield”s 25 wins, 22 were by one-goal margins.
• The good news:
  • Haven”t been afraid to spend in the transfer market.
  • Made business quickly in the transfer window, with 9 of the new signings joining the club before the start of pre-season training.
  • Manager David Wagner is well-regarded and is an aggressive manager. Huddersfield finished 5th in the Championship in his first season in charge, having previously finished 19th, 17th, 16th and 19th.
  • David Wagner and chairman Dean Hoyle have a great relationship. Hoyle has promised not to sack Wagner if Huddersfield are relegated.
  • Have a relatively easy schedule at the start of the season which should help them ease their way into the campaign.
• The bad news:
  • The last three sides who were promoted via the playoffs were all relegated after just one EPL season. Since 2002, 60% of the teams who earned promotion to the EPL via the playoffs went back down the following season.
  • Huddersfield Have shown little faith in the players that got them promoted by making 11 new signings so far, with many of those signings deemed a gamble by pundits. It may take a while for the new signings to gel and the shear quantity of signings may upset the close-knit side that won promotion against the odds last season.
  • The squad has virtually no EPL experience.
  • Conceded 58 goals in the Championship last season, which is almost 50% more than Brighton and Newcastle did.
  • Were only the 14th highest scorers in the Championship last season.
  • Have not managed to keep hold of goalkeeper Danny Ward, who was on loan from Liverpool last season, so they will be starting the campaign with a newly signed keeper.
• Table predictions: 17th, 20th^1,2, 20th³, 19th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 2001.00, Top 4: 501.00, Relegated: 1.66 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Leicester City

• Last season placing: 12th with 44 points and a 12-8-18 record (10-4-5 at home and 2-4-13 away)
• Last season offence: 48 goals scored (31 at home and 17 on the road) – league rank: 10
• Last season defence: 63 goals conceded (25 at home and 38 on the road) – league rank: 13
• Last 5 season finishes: 6 (C), 1 (C), 14, 1, 12
• Manager: Craig Shakespeare
• Key arrivals: Harry Maguire (Hull City, £17m), Vicente Iborra (Sevilla, £12m), Eldin Jakupovic (Hull City, £2m)
• Key departures: Ron-Robert Zieler (Stuttgart, £3m), Bartosz Kapustka (Freiburg, loan), Marcin Wasilewski (released)
• Notable stats from last season: Only won 2 away games compared to 10 at home. Only 2 other sides had a greater points differential between home and away.
• The good news:
  • Don”t have the distraction of European football like they did last season.
  • Their form picked up when Craig Shakespeare took over as manager.
  • Have made better signings than they did last summer.
• The bad news:
  • Riyad Mahrez is expected to leave.
  • Only scored 48 goals last season, which was the 16th most in the league.
  • Defender Robert Huth is out until October with an ankle injury.
  • Have been experimenting with formations and haven”t looked particularly good in pre-season.
• Table predictions: 8th, 12th^1,2, 9th³, 8th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 201.00, Top 4: 26.00, Relegated: 15.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Liverpool

• Last season placing: 4th with 76 points and a 22-10-6 record (12-5-2 at home and 10-5-4 away)
• Last season offence: 78 goals scored (45 at home and 33 on the road) – league rank: 4
• Last season defence: 42 goals conceded (18 at home and 24 on the road) – league rank: 5
• Last 5 season finishes: 7, 2, 6, 8, 4
• Manager: Jürgen Klopp
• Key arrivals: Mohamed Salah (Roma, £34.3m), Andrew Robertson (Hull City, £8m), Dominic Solanke (Chelsea, tribunal)
• Key departures: Kevin Stewart (Hull City, £8m), Lucas Leiva (Lazio, £5m), Andre Wisdom (Derby, £4.5m), Connor Randall (Hearts, loan), Pedro Chirivella (Willem II, loan)
• Notable stats from last season: Liverpool went unbeaten against other teams in the top seven last season, but lost 6 games against sides ranked 8th or below.
• The good news:
  • Winger Mohamed Salah looks to be a promising signing.
  • In recent years Liverpool have had a good track record of improving the players they already have in the squad, with Adam Lallana a good example.
  • Have retained the bulk of last season”s squad.
• The bad news:
  • Have had a frustrating summer in the transfer market. So far have failed to secure Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk might slip through their fingers too.
  • Have the added distraction of European football again this season and don”t appear to have the added squad depth to cope with it.
  • It”s rumoured that cash-rich Barcelona are chasing Philippe Coutinho.
• Table predictions: 5th, 6th^1,2, 5th³, 5th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 13.00, Top 4: 2.00, Relegated: 1001.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Manchester City

• Last season placing: 3rd with 78 points and a 23-9-6 record (11-7-1 at home and 12-2-5 away)
• Last season offence: 80 goals scored (37 at home and 43 on the road) – league rank: 3
• Last season defence: 39 goals conceded (17 at home and 22 on the road) – league rank: 4
• Last 5 season finishes: 2, 1, 2, 4, 3
• Manager: Pep Guardiola
• Key arrivals: Bernardo Silva (£43m, Monaco), Ederson (£34.9m, Benfica), Kyle Walker (£51m, Tottenham), Douglas Luiz (£10.7m, Vasco Da Gama), Danilo (£26.5m, Real Madrid), Benjamin Mendy (£52m, Monaco)
• Key departures: Pablo Zabaleta (free, West Ham), Aaron Mooy (£10m, Huddersfield), Willy Caballero (free, Chelsea), Bersant Celina (loan, Ipswich Town), Ruben Sobrino (£1.7m, Alaves), Bruno Zuculini (undisclosed, Verona), Olivier Ntcham (£4.5m, Celtic), Nolito (£7.9m, Sevilla), Joe Hart (loan, West Ham), Gael Clichy (free, Istanbul Basaksehir), Aleksandar Kolarov (£4.5m, Roma), Bacary Sagna, Jesus Navas (released)
• Notable stats from last season: Only picked up 2 more points at home than away last season. Only Chelsea picked up more points on the road but Man City only had the 6th highest points tally at home.
• The good news:
  • Have invested heavily in defence in the off-season. Boast an incredibly deep squad.
  • Are heading in the right direction. Finished with 78 points last season compared to 66 points the year before.
• The bad news:
  • Vincent Kompany has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, playing 28 league games in 2013/14, 25 in 2014/15, 14 in 2015/16 and just 11 in 2016/17.
  • The centre-back position is still an area pundits feel Man City need further improvements in.
  • Manager Pep Guardiola underwhelmed in his first season in English football last season. Having started 2016/17 as the firm title favourite, Man City finished 3rd.
• Table predictions: 1st, 1st^1,2, 1st³, 1st⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 2.80, Top 4: 1.18, Relegated: 2501.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Manchester United

• Last season placing: 6th with 69 points and a 18-15-5 record (8-10-1 at home and 10-5-4 away)
• Last season offence: 54 goals scored (26 at home and 28 on the road) – league rank: 8
• Last season defence: 29 goals conceded (12 at home and 17 on the road) – league rank: 2
• Last 5 season finishes: 1, 7, 4, 5, 6
• Manager: José Mourinho
• Key arrivals: Victor Lindelof (£30.75m, Benfica), Romelu Lukaku (£75m, Everton), Nemanja Matic (£40m, Chelsea)
• Key departures: Josh Harrop (free, Preston), Wayne Rooney (free, Everton), Adnan Januzaj (£8m, Real Sociedad), Sam Johnstone (loan, Aston Villa), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (released), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (loan, Crystal Palace)
• Notable stats from last season: One of only two teams to pick up more points on the road than at home. Were involved in 15 draws, which was by far the most in the league. The next highest were Stoke City with 11 draws.
• The good news:
  • Had the 2nd best defensive record in the league last season.
  • Have signed Romelu Lukaku to help address their lack of goals last season.
  • Have invested £294.75m in new players over the last two seasons.
• The bad news:
  • Only scored 54 goals last season, which is one fewer than Bournemouth managed.
  • Only won 8 home games in 2016/17. Swansea, Bournemouth, Burnley, Watford and West Brom either matched that or won more.
  • Have failed to finish higher than 4th in the league since Sir Alex Ferguson”s retirement.
• Table predictions: 2nd, 3rd^1,2, 4th³, 3rd⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 4.50, Top 4: 1.30, Relegated: 2501.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Newcastle United

• Last season placing: 1st in the Championship with 94 points and a 29-7-10 record (15-3-5 at home and 14-4-5 away)
• Last season offence: 85 goals scored (49 at home and 36 on the road)
• Last season defence: 40 goals conceded (23 at home and 17 on the road)
• Last 5 season finishes: 16, 10, 15, 18, 1 (C)
• Manager: Rafael Benítez
• Key arrivals: Jacob Murphy (Norwich, £12m), Christian Atsu (Chelsea, £6.2m), Florian Lejeune (Eibar, £8.7m), Javier Manquillo (Atletico Madrid, £4m), Mikel Merino (Borussia Dortmund, loan)
• Key departures: Daryl Murphy (Nottingham Forest, £2m), Lewis Gibson (Everton, £6m), Kevin Mbabu (Young Boys, undisclosed), Matz Sels (Anderlecht, loan), Vurnon Anita (Leeds, free), Yoan Gouffran (Goztepe, free), Adam Armstrong (Bolton, loan), Florian Thauvin (Marseille, £9.8m – was previously on loan to Marseille)
• Notable stats from last season: Much of their Championship title victory came down to their away form, which was the best in the league. Newcastle were joint top scorers in the Championship last season (85) and were also tied for fewest goals conceded (40).
• The good news:
  • Manager Rafael Benitez has a vast amount of experience, including prior EPL experience.
  • Unlike Brighton and Huddersfield, Newcastle management have recent EPL experience, having only spent one season in the Championship before immediate promotion back into the top flight.
• The bad news:
  • Manager Rafa Benitez has been unhappy about their lack of activity in the transfer market. Owner Mike Ashley has a reputation for not investing enough.
  • Have missed out on a number of targets in the transfer window, including Man City goalkeeper Willy Caballero (ended up at Chelsea) and Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham (ended up on loan to Swansea).
  • Striker Dwight Gayle scored 23 goals in the Championship last season, but in his three seasons in the EPL he scored 7, 5 and 3 goals.
• Table predictions: 14th, 18th^1,2, 17th³, 13th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 501.00, Top 4: 81.00, Relegated: 4.50 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Southampton

• Last season placing: 8th with 46 points and a 12-10-16 record (6-6-7 at home and 6-4-9 away)
• Last season offence: 41 goals scored (17 at home and 24 on the road) – league rank: 14
• Last season defence: 48 goals conceded (21 at home and 27 on the road) – league rank: 8
• Last 5 season finishes: 14, 8, 7, 6, 8
• Manager: Mauricio Pellegrino
• Key arrivals: Jan Bednarek (£5m, Lech Poznan), Mario Lemina (£18.1m, Juventus)
• Key departures: Jay Rodriguez (£12m, West Brom), Lloyd Isgrove (free, Barnsley), Harrison Reed (loan, Norwich), Cuco Martina (free, Everton), Martin Caceres (released)
• Notable stats from last season: Only scored 17 goals at home.
• The good news:
  • Don”t have the distraction of European football like they did last season.
  • Have retained the bulk of last season”s squad.
  • New manager Mauricio Pellegrino surpassed expectations in his previous role at Alaves. According to reports he is proving popular with players and staff at Southampton.
• The bad news:
  • Claude Puel departed in June and new manager Mauricio Pellegrino has no prior managerial experience in the EPL. Pellegrino is Southampton”s fourth manager in five seasons.
  • Captain Virgil van Dijk has been training alone since Liverpool expressed interest.
  • If van Dijk does depart Southampton will only have the tail end of the transfer window to do business with the injected funds.
  • Finished last season with just one win in their last eight games.
• Table predictions: 10th, 11th^1,2, 8th³, 9th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 251.00, Top 4: 23.00, Relegated: 26.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Stoke City

• Last season placing: 13th with 44 points and a 11-11-16 record (7-6-6 at home and 4-5-10 away)
• Last season offence: 41 goals scored (24 at home and 17 on the road) – league rank: 14
• Last season defence: 56 goals conceded (24 at home and 32 on the road) – league rank: 12
• Last 5 season finishes: 13, 9, 9, 9, 13
• Manager: Mark Hughes
• Key arrivals: Darren Fletcher (West Brom, free), Josh Tymon (Hull City, undisclosed), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea, loan)
• Key departures: Marko Arnautovic (West Ham, £20m), Jon Walters (Burnley, £3m), Glenn Whelan (Aston Villa, £1.3m), Phil Bardsley (Burnley, £700,000), Daniel Bachmann (Watford, free)
• Notable stats from last season: Spent 56 days in the relegation zone and 29 days at the bottom of the table.
• The good news:
  • Have enjoyed relatively good managerial continuity, with only two different managers since 2006.
  • After stagnating for a few seasons, Mark Hughes has refreshed the squad by shipping off older players to give new faces a chance.
• The bad news:
  • Rumours of disillusionment among key players.
  • One of their top players in Marko Arnautovic has also departed.
  • Sold Jon Walters cheaply to Burnley.
  • Arguably need more signings if they are to break out of their stagnant run.
  • Manager Mark Hughes” popularity with fans has waned.
  • Finished 13th last season having placed in the top half of the table the three previous seasons.
• Table predictions: 13th, 16th^1,2, 11th³, 16th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 751.00, Top 4: 81.00, Relegated: 7.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Swansea City

• Last season placing: 15th with 41 points and a 12-5-21 record (8-3-8 at home and 4-2-13 away)
• Last season offence: 45 goals scored (27 at home and 18 on the road) – league rank: 12
• Last season defence: 70 goals conceded (34 at home and 36 on the road) – league rank: 19
• Last 5 season finishes: 13, 12, 8, 12, 15
• Manager: Paul Clement
• Key arrivals: Erwin Mulder (free, Heerenveen), Tammy Abraham (loan, Chelsea), Roque Mesa (£11m, Las Palmas)
• Key departures: Bafetimbi Gomis (£2.1m, Galatasaray), Borja Baston (loan, Malaga), Jordi Amat (loan, Real Betis), Jack Cork (£10m, Burnley), Gerhard Tremmel (released), Marvin Emnes (released), Owain Jones (released)
• Notable stats from last season: Only drew 5 games. Only Chelsea (3) were involved in fewer draws. Spent 128 days in the relegation zone before rebounding upon Paul Clement”s appointment as manager.
• The good news:
  • Won 9 out of their 19 games following Paul Clement”s appointment as manager in January and finished the season on a five-game unbeaten streak. Had the league started on the day that Clement was appointed, Swansea would have finished 8th.
  • Loaned teenage striker Tammy Abraham scored 23 goals in 41 appearances for Championship side Bristol City last season.
• The bad news:
  • Conceded 70 league goals last season, which was the 2nd most behind relegated Hull.
  • Good chance Gylfi Sigurdsson, one of their best players, will be departing.
  • Striker Fernando Llorente missed pre-season training due to a broken arm. He will miss the start of the season. There are also rumours he could be lured away to Chelsea before the transfer window closes.
• Table predictions: 17th, 19th^1,2, 14th³, 17th⁴
• bet365 odds: Winner: 751.00, Top 4: 251.00, Relegated: 3.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Tottenham Hotspur

• Last season placing: 2nd with 86 points and a 26-8-4 record (17-2-0 at home and 9-6-4 away)
• Last season offence: 86 goals scored (47 at home and 39 on the road) – league rank: 1
• Last season defence: 26 goals conceded (9 at home and 17 on the road) – league rank: 1
• Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
• Key arrivals: None yet
• Key departures: Kyle Walker (Manchester City, £51m), Federico Fazio (Roma, £2.6m), Clinton N’Jie (Marseille, £6m), Luke McGee (Portsmouth, undisclosed), Filip Lesniak (Aalborg, free)
• Notable stats from last season: The only side to go unbeaten at home last season. Their 53 point haul at home was the best in the league. Tottenham”s 86 point haul was the highest ever EPL total by a team that did not win the league.
• The good news:
  • Competitive squad.
  • Had a fantastic 2016/17 campaign, scoring more goals than any other team and going undefeated at home.
• The bad news:
  • Have been quiet in the transfer market.
  • Will be playing at Wembley this season and playing at a different venue can be detrimental to home form. West Ham only picked up 25 points at home (ranked 16th in the league) after moving to from Boleyn Ground (Upton Park) to London Stadium last year.
  • Defender Kyle Walker has departed for Man City.
• Table predictions: 4th, 6th^1,2, 3rd³
• bet365 odds: Winner: 11.00, Top 4: 1.72, Relegated: 1001.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Watford

• Last season placing: 17th with 40 points and a 11-7-20 record (8-4-7 at home and 3-3-13 away)
• Last season offence: 40 goals scored (25 at home and 15 on the road) – league rank: 16
• Last season defence: 68 goals conceded (29 at home and 39 on the road) – league rank: 17
• Manager: Marco Silva
• Key arrivals: Tom Cleverley (£8m, Everton), Will Hughes (£8m, Derby), Daniel Bachmann (free, Stoke), Kiko Femenia (free, Alaves), Harvey Bradbury (free, Portsmouth), Sam Howes (free, West Ham), Nathaniel Chalobah (£5m, Chelsea), Richarlison (£11m, Fluminense)
• Key departures: Rene Gilmartin (free, Colchester), Mario Suarez (undisclosed, Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng), Steven Berghuis (£5m, Feyenoord), Ogo Obi, Juanfran (released)
• Notable stats from last season: Picked up just 3 wins in their final 15 fixtures. Lost their last 6 straight games.
• The good news:
  • Have been active in the transfer market.
  • Roberto Pereyra is fit again after a season-ending knee injury last December.
• The bad news:
  • Have parted ways with manager Walter Mazzarri, replacing him with Marco Silva. Watford have had a habit in recent years of turning over managers quickly.
  • Only scored 40 goals last season.
  • Finished last season in terrible form, losing their last six straight games and failing to find the back of the net in five of them.
• Table predictions: 9th, 16th^1,2, 18th³
• bet365 odds: Winner: 1001.00, Top 4: 201.00, Relegated: 2.75 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

West Bromwich Albion

• Last season placing: 10th with 45 points and a 12-9-17 record (9-2-8 at home and 3-7-9 away)
• Last season offence: 43 goals scored (27 at home and 16 on the road) – league rank: 13
• Last season defence: 51 goals conceded (22 at home and 29 on the road) – league rank: 9
• Manager: Tony Pulis
• Key arrivals: Jay Rodriguez (Southampton, £12m), Ahmed Hegazi (Al Ahly, loan), Yuning Zhang (Vitesse, undisclosed)
• Key departures: Craig Gardner (Birmingham City, £1m), Darren Fletcher (Stoke City, free), Yuning Zhang (Werder Bremen, loan)
• Notable stats from last season: 7 of their 9 draws came on the road, where they try to be difficult to break down.
• The good news:
  • In Tony Pulis they have an experienced manager with a knack for keeping teams in the Premier League.
  • Have a tight-knit squad.
  • Are entering their 8th consecutive season in the Premier League, so the side boasts more EPL experience than most of their rivals.
  • Last year was their best EPL finish in 4 years.
• The bad news:
  • Have been quiet in the transfer market, with the new owner appearing unwilling to splash money around.
  • The squad looks a bit thin.
  • Captain Darren Fletcher has departed to Stoke City.
  • Ended last season on a whimper. Having reached the coveted 40-point mark in late February, West Brom only took 5 points from 12 matches and lost 5 of their 6 home games without scoring. They went 0-1-7 in their last 8 games. Should West Brom start slowly then Tony Pulis” job could be in jeopardy.
• Table predictions: 13th, 13th^1,2, 13th³
• bet365 odds: Winner: 501.00, Top 4: 67.00, Relegated: 7.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

West Ham United

• Last season placing: 11th with 45 points and a 12-9-17 record (7-4-8 at home and 5-5-9 away)
• Last season offence: 47 goals scored (19 at home and 28 on the road) – league rank: 11
• Last season defence: 64 goals conceded (31 at home and 33 on the road) – league rank: 15
• Manager: Slaven Bilić
• Key arrivals: Pablo Zabaleta (free, Manchester City), Joe Hart (loan, Manchester City), Marko Arnautovic (£20m, Stoke City), Javier Hernandez (£16m, Bayer Leverkusen)
• Key departures: Stephen Hendrie (free, Southend), Reece Oxford (loan, Borussia Monchengladbach), Alvaro Arbeloa (retired), Sam Howes (free, Watford), Enner Valencia (£5m, Tigres), George Dobson (undisclosed, Sparta Rotterdam), Darren Randolph (£5m, Middlesbrough), Ashley Fletcher (£6.5m, Middlesbrough)
• Notable stats from last season: Had the 16th best home record in their first season at London Stadium. The season before West Ham had the 7th best home record in the league when playing at Upton Park.
• The good news:
  • Have been proactive in the transfer market.
  • Don”t have the distraction of European football like they did last season.
• The bad news:
  • Andy Carroll”s fitness is always a question mark. Has played 15, 14, 27 and 18 league games over the last 4 seasons.
  • Only picked up 25 points at home (ranked 16th in the league) after moving to from Boleyn Ground (Upton Park) to London Stadium last year.
  • Rumours circled as to whether Slaven Bilic would lose his job during the summer, so he will be under pressure to get their campaign off to a good start.
• Table predictions: 8th, 9th^1,2, 10th³
• bet365 odds: Winner: 351.00, Top 4: 51.00, Relegated: 10.00 (Compare EPL futures odds)

 

Table Prediction Sources

• ^1,2 – http://www.football365.com and http://thesetpieces.com
• ³ – http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15205/10973956/paul-mersons-season-predictions-man-city-for-the-title-arsenal-to-miss-out-on-top-four
• ⁴ – https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/premier-league-2017-18-previews