EPL preview: Who can catch Manchester City at the top?

Season outlook: The Arsene Wenger era is finally over in north London, and new manager Unai Emery is tasked with steering the club back into the top four and perhaps eventually to a title.

They bought well, solidifying every area of the squad, but the overall quality is just a little bit behind the teams that finished ahead of them last year.

Star man: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Prediction: Challenging for the Champions League.

Bournemouth

Last Season: 12th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $126 to finish top four, $5.50 to be relegated

Key Gains: Diego Rico (Defender, Leganes), David Brooks (Midfielder, Sheffield United)

Key Losses: Lewis Grabban (Nottingham Forest), Max Gradel (Toulouse)

Season outlook: Not a particularly enthralling transfer window for the south coast club, but a decent season last year meant that Eddie Howe didn't really need to make any drastic moves.

The Cherries have a good mix of youth, experience and players hitting their prime - and the likes of Nathan Ake, Lewis Cook and Callum Wilson could well be targets for the big boys at some point this year.

Star man: Lewis Cook

Prediction: Firmly in mid-table.

Brighton and Hove Albion

Last Season: 15th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $176 to finish top four, $2.75 to be relegated

Key Gains: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Midfielder, Ajax), Yves Bissouma (Midfielder, Lille), Bernardo (Defender, RB Leipzig)

Key Losses: None

Season outlook: The Seagulls enjoyed a positive first year in the Premier League, safely navigating their way clear of the drop zone. Expect more of the same this year, although Jahanbakhsh turned a few heads at the World Cup and looks an exciting player.

Expect Australian keeper Mat Ryan to have his hands full, as he did for most of last season.

Star man: Mat Ryan

Prediction: Fighting to stay up.

Burnley

Last Season: 7th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $126 to finish top four, $4.50 to be relegated

Key Gains: None

Key Losses: None

Season outlook: If it's not broke, why fix it? The Clarets have essentially stood pat during the summer, not making any notable changes to a team that enjoyed a brilliant campaign which saw many breakout stars, including goalkeeper Nick Pope and defender James Tarkowski - the former making the World Cup squad, and the latter on standby.

The club did brilliantly to secure manager Sean Dyche until the end of 2022, and it will be exciting to see if he can build on the foundations he has already laid.

Star man: James Tarkowski

Prediction: Firmly mid-table.

Cardiff City

Last Season: 2nd in the Championship

Odds: $501 to win the league, $301 to finish top four, $1.67 to be relegated

Key Gains: Josh Murphy (Midfielder, Norwich City), Bobby Reid (Forward, Bristol City)

Key Losses: None

Season outlook: Manager Neil Warnock is the master of getting teams from the second tier into the top flight, but it's generating success after that which has always been a problem. The master of making something out of very little, Warnock has masterminded a pretty average squad into the top tier.

Still, the squad hasn't really been upgraded all that much, and they will struggle against far bigger and more high quality sides - a trip straight back down seems the most likely outcome, but who knows?

Star man: Callum Paterson

Prediction: Relegated with a few games to spare.

Chelsea

Last Season: 5th

Odds: $13 to win the league, $1.67 to finish top four, $501 to be relegated

Key Gains: Jorginho (Midfielder, Napoli)

Key Losses: None

Season outlook: Antonio Conte parted ways with the club, allowing Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri to take over - and bring with him midfielder Jorginho at a hefty price tag.

The club is in something of a state of flux right now, with both goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and superstar winger Eden Hazard linked with moves away, but as of time of writing both are still in London. A demotivated and frustrated squad will require substantial management change to get back to the top, and Sarri could well be the man to take them there.

Star man: Eden Hazard

Prediction: Challenging for the Champions League.

Crystal Palace

Last Season: 11th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $91 to finish top four, $6.50 to be relegated

Key Gains: Max Meyer (Midfielder, Schalke)

Key Losses: Yohan Cabaye (Al-Nasr)

Season outlook: After a catastrophically bad start to last season, Roy Hodgson took over as manager and steadied the ship, steering Palace to a respectable mid-table finish.

Things look a bit harder this year - the squad hasn't improved bar the German midfielder Max Meyer, and they are still fighting to make sure their best player Wilfried Zaha isn't poached by a bigger club in the coming weeks.

Star man: Wilfried Zaha

Prediction: Fighting to stay up.

Everton

Last Season: 8th

Odds: $251 to win the league, $23 to finish top four, $31 to be relegated

Key Gains: Richarlison (Forward, Watford), Lucas Digne (Defender, Barcelona)

Key Losses: Davy Klaassen (Werder Bremen), Wayne Rooney (D.C United), Ramiro Funes Mori (Villareal)

Season outlook: A couple of big splashes in the transfer market, a new manager and the departure of Wayne Rooney has seen the Toffees completely overhaul the squad.

There isn't quite the sense of optimism that surrounded the start of last year, but fans are expecting big things from new coach Marco Silva, who brings his best player with him from Watford.

Star man: Gylfi Sigurdsson

Prediction: Pushing for a European place.

Fulham

Last Season: 3rd in the Championship

Odds: $501 to win the league, $176 to finish top four, $2.80 to be relegated

Key Gains: Jean Michael Seri (Midfielder, Nice), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Forward, Newcastle United), Fabri (Goalkeeper, Besiktas), Maxime Le Marchand (Defender, Nice), Andre Schurrle (Forward, Borussia Dortmund [loan]), Alfie Mawson (Defender, Swansea)

Key Losses: None

Star man: Aleksandar Mitrovic

Season outlook: Promoted through the play-offs, and played some beautiful football in the second tier. Getting last year's loan star Aleksandar Mitrovic in on a permanent deal was a key bit of business, and they've done well to bolster the squad in most areas.

Andre Schurrle is a World Cup winner, Alfie Mawson is a promising young defender and there's a sense of optimism around the team that they won't be dragged into a relegation battle.

Prediction: Bottom half of the table.

Huddersfield Town

Last Season: 16th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $226 to finish top four, $2.10 to be relegated

Key Gains: Terence Kongolo (Defender, Monaco), Adama Diakhaby (Forward, Monaco), Erik Durm (Defender, Borussia Dortmund)

Key Losses: Tom Ince (Stoke City)

Season outlook: Making Terence Kongolo a permanent member of the team was key after he was a rock for them in the second half of last season on loan - they too have nabbed a World Cup winner in Dortmund's Erik Durm, who spent most of last year injured.

Most Australian eyes will follow them with great interest of course, with Aaron Mooy pulling the strings in midfield.

Star man: Aaron Mooy

Prediction: Fighting to stay up.

Leicester City

Last Season: 9th

Odds: $301 to win the league, $41 to finish top four, $15 to be relegated

Key Gains: James Maddison (Midfielder, Norwich City), Ricardo Pereira (Defender, Porto), Danny Ward (Goalkeeper, Liverpool), Jonny Evans (Defender, West Bromwich Albion)

Key Losses: Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)

Season outlook: Things haven't been all that excited at Leicester since that historic fairytale run to the Premier League title in 2015-16 (and subsequent Champions League jaunt), but they have established themselves as top flight mainstays.

The loss of Riyad Mahrez is going to hurt, but they've added a couple of solid pieces to a squad that should have no troubles finishing around tenth once again.

Star man: Jamie Vardy

Prediction: Firmly mid-table.

Liverpool

Last Season: 4th

Odds: $5 to win the league, $1.14 to finish top four, $501 to be relegated

Key Gains: Alisson (Goalkeeper, Roma), Naby Keita (Midfielder, RB Leipzig), Fabinho (Midfielder, Monaco), Xherdan Shaqiri (Forward, Stoke)

Key Losses: Emre Can (Juventus)

Season outlook: Stop me if you've heard this one before - but it might be Liverpool's year. They broke the world record signing for a goalkeeper in Alisson from Roma, added a couple of excellent midfielders, and if anyone is going to get the best out of the enigmatic Xherdan Shaqiri, it's Jurgen Klopp.

With Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and this influx of new talent, they should go close to winning it all.

Star man: Mo Salah

Prediction: In the title race.

Manchester City

Last Season: 1st

Odds: $1.62 to win the league, $1.06 to finish top four, $501 to be relegated

Key Gains: Riyad Mahrez (Midfielder, Leicester City)

Key Losses: Yaya Toure (Unsigned)

Season outlook: What can you say at this point? Didn't lose anyone bar an aging Yaya Toure, who was on the outer at the club anyway, and dropped a lazy £60m ($106m AUD) on Leicester star Riyad Mahrez.

They won the league in a canter last year, and are odds on to do so again as Pep Guardiola sets about creating a dynasty in Manchester.

Star man: Kevin De Bruyne

Prediction: Winners - and perhaps by a fair distance.

Manchester United

Last Season: 2nd

Odds: $8.50 to win the league, $1.30 to finish top four, $501 to be relegated

Key Gains: Fred (Midfielder, Shakhtar Donetsk), Diogo Dalot (Defender, Porto)

Key Losses: Daley Blind (Ajax), Michael Carrick (Retired)

Season outlook: One big signing for the Red Devils in Fred, and minimal squad turnover - but most of the pre-season chatter has been directed at manager Jose Mourinho, who opens the season as the bookie's favourite to be the first coach sacked.

Never short of a quote, Mourinho has clashed publicly with ownership and has repeatedly called out his own players to do better. Now in his third year with the club and rarely does he last longer than that at any job.

Star man: Romelu Lukaku

Prediction: Challenging for the Champions League.

Newcastle United

Last Season: 10th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $126 to finish top four, $6.50 to be relegated

Key Gains: Fabian Schar (Defender, Deportivo La Coruna), Yoshinori Muto (Forward, Mainz)

Key Losses: Chancel Mbemba (Porto), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham)

Season outlook: Owner Mike Ashley's refusal to spend money has frustrated fans, who realise that there's now a big chance that coach Rafa Benitez will leave the club in the near future. An excellent first season back for the Geordies, who were well-drilled at the back and accumulated points mainly on the back of that.

The problem is up front, a late move for Japan's Yoshinori Muto the only attacking move they've made, and they allowed striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to leave for good after loaning him out last year.

Star man: Jamaal Lascelles

Prediction: Bottom half of the table.

Southampton

Last Season: 17th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $81 to finish top four, $8 to be relegated

Key Gains: Jannik Vestergaard (Defender, Borussia Moenchengladbach), Mohamed Elyounoussi (Forward, Basel), Angus Gunn (Goalkeeper, Manchester City), Stuart Armstrong (Midfielder, Celtic)

Key Losses: Dusan Tadic (Ajax)

Season outlook: A host of new players have come in, led by highly-rated Norweigian Mohamed Elyounoussi - the 23-year-old set the south coast club back 16 million pounds, and he will have to immediately fill the creative boots of Dusan Tadic, the club's best player over the past few years.

The Celtic to Southampton pipeline keeps delivering, with Scottish international Stuart Armstrong coming in to give their midfield some steel.

Star man: Mohamed Elyounoussi

Prediction: Firmly mid-table.

Tottenham Hotspur

Last Season: 3rd

Odds: $17 to win the league, $1.72 to finish top four, $501 to be relegated

Key Gains: None

Key Losses: None

Season outlook: Almost their entire first team reached the World Cup semi-finals across the French, Belgian and English teams, and after three top four finishes in a row, there is a new level of expectation at the club to press on to a higher level.

Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are world class talents, and are ably assisted by a very strong midfield and defence with World Cup winning captain Hugo Lloris in goals.

Star man: Harry Kane

Prediction: In the title race.

Watford

Last Season: 14th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $176 to finish top four, $2.80 to be relegated

Key Gains: Adam Masina (Defender, Bologna), Gerard Deulofeu (Forward, Barcelona)

Key Losses: Richarlison (Everton), Nordin Amrabat (Al-Nasr)

Season outlook: Did well to get Deulofeu in permanently after a great loan spell last year, but were made an offer they couldn't refuse from Everton for Brazilian star Richarlison, and have yet to re-invest in the squad after that sale.

Still a couple of weeks to get a deal done, but as it stands the squad looks a bit thin to finish anywhere beyond the bottom few places on the table.

Star man: Gerard Deulofeu

Prediction: Fighting to stay up.

West Ham United

Last Season: 13th

Odds: $501 to win the league, $51 to finish top four, $8 to be relegated

Key Gains: Felipe Anderson (Forward, Lazio), Issa Diop (Defender, Toulouse), Andriy Yarmolenko (Forward, Borussia Dortmund), Lukasz Fabianski (Goalkeeper, Fulham), Jack Wilshere (Midfielder, Arsenal), Jordan Hugill (Forward, Preston North End)

Key Losses: Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace), Patrice Evra (Released)

Season outlook: A disappointing and at times absurd season prompted a massive influx of signings, with the London club splashing the cash on a few big names - chiefly Lazio's Felipe Anderson, a crafty attacking midfielder with brilliant technique.

There's a sense of optimism around the club with Premier League-winning manager Manuel Pellegrini taking over, and fans are once again starting to believe.

Star man:  Felipe Anderson

Prediction: Bottom half of the table.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Last Season: 1st in the Championship

Odds: $251 to win the league, $41 to finish top four, $8.50 to be relegated

Key Gains: Diogo Jota (Forward, Atletico Madrid), Willy Boly (Defender, Porto), Joao Moutinho (Midfielder, Monaco), Leo Bonatini (Forward, Al-Hilal), Rui Patricio (Goalkeeper, Sporting Lisbon), Jonny Castro (Defender, Atletico Madrid [loan])

Key Losses: Barry Douglas (Leeds)

Season outlook: Probably the most interesting team in the league - backed by player agent Jorge Mendes and an influx of cash last year, they breezed through the Championship with several star loan players from European giants, most of whom they have now inked on permanent deals.

On top of that, they've added Portuguese keeper Rui Patricio and star midfielder Joao Moutinho and look more than equipped for this division.

Star man: Diogo Jota

Prediction: Firmly mid-table.