Goalline Clearance: Kyle Walker saves Manchester City by millimeters from a loss in the Community Shield against Liverpool. (Source: Twitter)After seemingly never-ending two-and-a-half months, Premier League is finally back. As soon as the whistle blows at Anfield on Friday night, to start the proceedings between Liverpool and Norwich, normalcy would be restored, along with conversations about transfer requests, rule changes and ambitions for the season.
Be it the defending champions led by the Spanish mastermind, Pep Guardiola, from the front, or the newly promoted Sheffield United, it’s cosmic law that every team strives to be better with each season. Although the jury is out on whether Manchester City can ever trump their record 100-points tally of 2017/18, it’s for sure that the men clad in their sky-blue armour are the ones to beat.
Their show of mental strength against the inspired Liverpool side in the Community Shield last Sunday exemplified how much chemistry exists amongst the players, with Kyle Walker’s injury-time acrobatic goalline clearance being on the mantelpiece of it all.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Manchester City have already lifted their first piece of silverware of the season. (Source: Twitter/@LeroySane19)Manchester City would look to retain their title and lift the coveted trophy for the third time in a row. Even with the departure of their captain Vincent Kompany, who had led the team through their renaissance in the post-2010 years, City would not be demoralised under the shared leadership of David Silva, Fernandinho and Sergio Agüero.
Boasting a monstrous depth in all departments, City have added vital players to their squad, bringing in La Pausa connoisseur Rodri from Atletico Madrid for a club-record £62.6 million. Fitting well in Pep Guardiola’s passing regime, Rodri, over the course of the season, would even replace the ageing legs of Fernandinho. Making their ranks even stronger, João Cancelo has joined the treble-winners from Juventus in a £60 million deal, and also left-back Angeliño, to provide cover for the perennially injured Benjamin Mendy.
Challenging their claim to the throne, Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur have been gearing themselves for the season. Liverpool, albeit without a major signing, have had an extensive pre-season campaign which provided the German to amalgamate the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joe Gomez, Adam Lallana and also youth defenders like Ki-Jana Hoever and Yasser Larouci, into the team. With arguably the best attacking trio in the league, and the best goalkeeper-defender pair in Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool would certainly fancy their chances to better their 97-points tally from last season.
Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, erupted after staying dormant for over 500 days in the transfer market, acquiring the services of Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon. Aiming to better their Champions League runners-up season, Pochettino has got in two midfielders who fit perfectly in his midfield-oriented pressing system. Even though they had fallen 27 points short of the league winners last season, this season might see a three-horse race in the league.
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THE JACKS ON THE DECK
Harry Maguire became the world’s most expensive defender for £80 million, overtaking the previous record-holder, Virgil van Dijk. (Source: Twitter/@HarryMaguire93)Spending the most in the league, a whopping £148 million, Manchester United would look to break through their wall of mediocrity to qualify for the Champions League this season, whilst managing the Thursday night games in Europa League. Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has brought in the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Daniel James and the world’s most expensive defender, Harry Maguire, to aid their hopes.
Chelsea have had a quiet summer by their standards, considering they are serving a transfer ban, but even then, Frank Lampard has made the deal for Mateo Kovačić permanent by paying £40.2 million to Real Madrid.
On the other hand, Arsenal can hope to put up a title challenge after a surprise transfer window, bringing in Nicolas Pépé, Kieran Tierney, Dani Ceballos and David Luiz for a total of £138 million, whereas they have offloaded Alex Iwobi and club captain Laurent Koscielny. With a razor-sharp attack at their disposal, Unai Emery would hope to go toe-to-toe with the three top horses this season.
Apart from the top six, Leicester City, West Ham United and Everton look favourites to break the chain of hierarchy by qualifying for Europa League at the least this season, after spending big bucks. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ would look to consolidate their position this season too. They will be competing at the European level for the first time in their history. Wolves have made the deal of Raúl Jiménez permanent for a club-record £30 million.
THE FRESH CROP OF STARS
Nicolas Pépé scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists for Lille last season. (Source: Twitter/@premierleague)With more than a billion pounds being spent this season, the league has seen a massive influx of talents from all over the world coming through the revolving door of the transfer market.
Vying for a European spot with their respective clubs, Leicester’s Dennis Praet, West Ham United’s Pablo Fornals and Sébastien Haller, Everton’s Moise Kean would look to impress this season. Tottenham Hotspur’s fresh recruits from deadline day would also look to get things going, with Giovani Lo Celso having the potential to be the centre-piece in Pochettino’s midfield. But the one on whom all eyes would be set on in the next ten months, is Arsenal’s £72 million forward Nicolas Pépé, who became the Premier League’s most expensive African signing.
Apart from the incoming transfers, promoted players like Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendía, Aston Villa’s John McGinn and Jack Grealish, Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp and Dean Henderson would be hoping to make their mark in the big league.
Amongst the youth, Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster, Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood, Chelsea’s Reece James can have their breakthrough seasons just like Manchester City’s Phil Foden had his in 2018/19.
READ | João Cancelo to Nicolas Pépé, the new faces in Premier League
THE LAWS OF THE LAND
Premier League clubs like Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have already had a taste of VAR in the Champions League last season. (Source: Twitter)Making things even more interesting, nine new rule changes have been introduced in the Premier League this season, apart from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). The Premier League has stated that VAR will be used for “clear and obvious errors” and “serious missed incidents” in four types of match-changing incidents: goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity.
The rule changes are as follows:
1. For substitutions, players will have to leave the pitch at the nearest point to them to curb time-wasting.
2. The attackers are not allowed within a yard of the wall when there are three or more defenders in a defensive wall.
3. In case, play is stopped, it will be resumed with the ball at the feet of the team that last had possession; no more drop balls.
4. When a penalty is being taken, goalkeepers can neither touch the goal frame nor move from the goal-line.
5. A goal-kick is in play from the moment the ball is kicked, with players now able to receive the ball inside the box.
6. If a goal is scored directly from the hand/arm, even if accidental, or if a goalscoring opportunity is created directly from same, the goal will be disallowed.
7. A player can be booked for their celebration even if the goal is disallowed.
8. If two teams are tied on points, goal difference, goals for, and goals against, then to determine their place in the league, the head-to-head record will be taken into consideration.
9. If the ball goes into the opposition goal directly from a goalkeeper’s throw, a goal-kick will be awarded.
THE QUEST FOR EUROPEAN GLORY
Liverpool lifted their sixth Champions League last season after defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final. (Source: Twitter)With Arsenal missing out on the qualification for Champions League last season after losing the Europa League final to Chelsea, only four English teams will be in Europe’s top tier competition this season, namely reigning champions Liverpool, finalists Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Europa League winners, Chelsea.
Liverpool would look for their seventh opportunity to lift the Big Ears, while Manchester City would again embark on the elusive quest to win their first one, while retaining the domestic treble. Facing competition from European heavyweights like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich, even Tottenham Hotspur would want to make sure that last season’s dream run wasn’t a one-off.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are in contention for competing in the Europa League. The draws for the UEFA competitions will take place in late August.
