Lerte Tellah – Nairobi
It is just few days now before the start of the new Premier League season and people are looking forward to the first match.
Manchester United will seek to recover from a loss to Manchester City in the recently concluded Community Shield by playing against Fulham in the introductory match of the 2024/25 season on Friday night.
The champions City have been drawn to start their title defence on the road against a revamped Chelsea side at the Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
After them Arsenal the runners-up of the last season face Wolves at the Emirate on Saturday and Liverpool face newly promoted team Ipswich Town at Anfield on the same day morning.
City are predictably the seasonal favourites with the bookmakers to clinch the league title for the fifth successive season.
Data specialists Opta have also favoured Pep Guardiola’s team for the title. They have been predicting these three teams as the ones that should retain the same positions as they attained the previous season, Arsenal as the second place and Liverpool on the third place.
A score of 82 has been assigned to City. Only Spurs are given a 2 per cent likelihood of winning the league, with Arsenal rated (12. 2) as the only other serious contenders alongside Liverpool (5. 1).
There is, however, a relative upset with the fourth Champions League place, with Chelsea now expected to occupy this place under new management of Enzo Maresca.
Stiles’ men had been far from impressive during pre-season matches and had been able to manage only a draw against Wrexham, in addition to been thumped by both Celtic and City.
At the same time, Newcastle are predicted to finish the season at the 5th place, having a better result than newly-acquitted Manchester United.
United have already made couple of signings in this summer transfer window by completing the signings of Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee and are closing in on the signings of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to Erik Ten Hag’s team.
But Opta has given them zero opportunity to win the league, and just a 1. Of all the teams, an average of only gave itself a 2 per cent possibility of qualifying for the twice annuallyheld championship playoffs.
At the other end of the table, it is the promoted sides of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton being rated as sure bets to return to the Championship – Nottingham Forest following closely behind.
