Every Premier League season throw up a shock or five, outcomes nobody could have possibly predicted.
Indeed, it would be utter insanity to try and forecast such unlikely events. Let’s do precisely that then…
Aston Villa To Finish Top Four
Villa are widely tipped to have an outstanding campaign after dramatically turning their fortunes around under Unai Emery.
Prior to the Spaniard’s appointment, the Villans were in the doldrums last season, staring a relegation fight square in the face.
From November onwards however, they picked up 49 points from a possible 75, ultimately finishing seventh, their best league placing since 2010. Pertinently, they only failed to score in two of Emery’s 27 games in charge.
Following a productive summer that has seen all three departments of the team upgraded, further improvement cannot be ruled out. Nor can a Champions League spot.
Overall Card-Count To Dramatically Rise
Each and every August sees a raft of new PGMOL directives come into effect, with match officials instructed to clampdown on misdemeanours such as grappling at corners – to use a recent example – and book players accordingly.
Nearly always, these directives fizzle out come the autumn, with referees taking a more considered approach, therefore.
Will their latest bee in their bonnet regarding time wasting be disregarded anytime soon? Perhaps not, and if so we can expect cautions to become even more commonplace.
The overall card-count for the Premier League was steadily declining up to 2021 but shot up last term to 1378, largely due to VAR being implemented far too often.
Might the final tally next August break the 1500 barrier?
Leandro Trossard In Contention For Player Of The Season
Joining Arsenal last January from high-flying Brighton, the Belgian winger wasted little time in showing his immense quality, putting in a series of brilliant displays as the Gunners rode their title challenge.
Despite so many of his minutes consisting of cameo appearances remarkably Trossard carved out an assist every 78 minutes between late-February and late-May.
Still viewed as a back up to Saka and Martinelli, it can only be a question of when Mikel Arteta selects the 28-year-old on a weekly basis. And when he does, watch him steal the show.
Eddie Howe Sacked By Christmas
Howe rightfully received all manner of praise last season for elevating an admittedly minted Newcastle to fourth. Our Premier League predictions are tipping similar excellence this time out, too.
Should they fail to match such heightened expectations, however, don’t be surprised if Howe is dispensed with before we reach the halfway mark.
It would be a mistake to underestimate the ruthlessness and ambition of Newcastle’s owners. The same applies to the allure of bringing in a ‘marquee’ manager.
Wolves To Do A Leicester
According to the sports betting, Wolves are outsiders for the drop with a handful of teams more fancied to struggle in the months ahead.
That assessment though doesn’t account for the awful summer the Midlands side have endured, with FFP restrictions having a severe impact on the club’s transfer budget and necessitating an exodus of first-team players.
With reports suggesting that manager Julen Lopetegui is on the point of leaving, where will that leave them? Entrenched in the bottom three is a reasonable guess.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
