STAR TURNS
could be Manchester United again, despite Jose Mourinho’s dissatisfaction with his club’s pre-season.
You write off proven-winner Mourinho and United at your peril and when they are at full strength they can beat anyone.
Once again one of the biggest battles will be for Premier League survival. At least half the division could be involved in that scrap.
Promoted clubs Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham will be among them, along with Leicester, Bournemouth, Watford, Brighton, Huddersfield and Southampton.
This could be the season when Huddersfield’s admirable boss David Wagner runs out of miracles and there could be a shock relegation for Leicester, unlikely champions just two years ago.
The break-up of that side is well and truly under way.
One club that should not be in trouble is West Ham under new boss Manuel Pellegrini.
The Hammers now look strong enough to challenge for a place in Europe under the former Manchester City manager.
HETHO’S PICKS
Prem winners: Man City
Top four: Man City, Man United,
Liverpool, Tottenham Chasing Europe: Chelsea,
Arsenal, West Ham Relegated: Cardiff, Huddersfield,
Leicester
FA Cup winners: Man United League Cup winners: Tottenham Champions League winners:
Man City
THE Premier League is back this week with its reputation in tact.
It is rightly regarded as the best league in the world – and is certainly the richest. That reputation is based on the competitive nature of the league, attendances, passion and entertainment value.
But despite all that, it is a league which does have the best players in the world.
Where’s Cristiano Ronaldo? In Italy. Where’s Lionel Messi? In Spain. Where’s Neymar? In France.
The list does not end there, either. France have just played Croatia in the World Cup Final and only five of the 22 players who started the match are based in England.
Four were in the French team – Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Paul Pogba (Manchester United) and Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud.
Croatia’s one Premier League representative was Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren. It could also be argued that the Premier League is a star factory, producing players for clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Ronaldo made his name at Manchester United, before becoming an even bigger star at Real.
And when he finally moved on this summer, it was to Juventus and Italy, not England. United fans have been dreaming for years about a Ronaldo return to Old Trafford. It was never going to happen. His attitude is: “Been there, done that.”
Tottenham lost Gareth Bale and Luka Modric to glamour club Madrid. Liverpool have seen Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho get moves they wanted to Barcelona. Will Chelsea be able to hang on to Eden Hazard? The brilliant Belgian is regularly linked with Real.
The Premier League has pulling power but does it have as much as Spain’s two biggest clubs?
There are, of course, plenty