Big-spending United to push City?

A new season of Premier League begins on Friday with Man City favourites to retain the crown

“Last season was more than acceptable in terms of on the journey but this year they’ve got to get nearer,” said former United captain and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who called Varane “the last piece in the jigsaw”.

“They’ve got to get close to challenging for the title and that’s going to be really tough.”

United, however, will not just face competition from City.

Chelsea threat

Chelsea will pose a serious threat in their first full season under Thomas Tuchel, who transformed a team short on ideas under Frank Lampard into Champions League winners in only four months in charge.

The German proved a wily tactician and turned a team with a soft centre into an ultracompetitive side who conceded only two goals in their first 14 games in all competitions.

He has also solved a problem of striking firepower by signing Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, who scored 64 goals in all competitions in two season with Inter Milan, for 97.5 million pounds.

Liverpool’s bid

Liverpool should also be a force to be reckoned with again after last season’s limp title defence.

They have their defensive leader Virgil van Dijk back as well as Joe Gomez and the Merseysiders will hope for better luck with injuries in this campaign. Juergen Klopp has further boosted his team’s back line with French centre back Ibrahima Konate in a bid to improve on the 42 goals they shipped last season, their worst defensive record in four years.

Leicester City, meanwhile, will make a third bid to gatecrash the top four after agonisingly missing out on a Champions League berth in the last two seasons while north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham will also be desperate to return to Europe’s elite competition.