Time to make predictions for the 2015-16 Premier League season. I’m amazed by how many I got right last year, because this is definitely not an exact science. All predictions. not matter who makes them, should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Especially this season as we’ve seen an evening up in the top four. A few teams have closed the gap on Chelsea.
Last year I picked Chelsea to be champions, as did many of the pundits, and Manchester United to get back into the Champions League, with a 3rd place finish. I also said United would regain the upper hand in their rivalry with Liverpool, as Brendan Rodgers’ side would finish just outside the CL. Of course, then there are the individual award predictions I made; those were a total train wreck. The less said about that the better.
Before we get to the 2015-16 predictions, here are the 2014-15 Sports Bank Predictions:
Champions: Chelsea
2nd: Arsenal
3rd: Man United
4th: Man City
5th: Liverpool
6th: Tottenham
Actual Premier League results:
Champ: Chelsea
2. Man City
3. Arsenal
4. Man United
5. Tottenham
6. Liverpool
It would be a lot easier to make Premier League table predictions if the David de Gea situation was resolved, but it’s almost Thursday, and the season kicks off early on Saturday, so now is the time.
NBC Analyst Kyle Martino sized up the title race pretty well, asking all the important questions regarding the Premier League top four:
“Did Chelsea strengthen enough to stay champions? Will Manchester United’s spending spree return them to the top? After back-to-back FA Cup wins, is this current Arsenal team ready for a title fight? Can Raheem Sterling carry the huge weight of his price tag and be the youth to inject life into an aging Manchester City squad? Lots of questions, can’t wait for the answers.”
Bookmakers still see Chelsea as the favorite. One hard core Spurs fans told me last week he sees United, and only United challenging the Blues for the title. I wouldn’t agree with that, given the Red Devils central defender issues.
I’m predicting the top four will remain the same, but the order will be different. Not very bold I know.
Sports Bank 2015-16 Premier League predictions:
Champions: Chelsea
2nd: Man City
3rd: Man United
4th: Arsenal
5th: Liverpool
6th: Southampton
7th: Tottenham Hotspur
It’s kind of the same thing as last year, but this offseason/preseason has seen the more things change in the Premier League, the more they stay the same.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is part of the FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous talk radio stations all across the country.
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