Arsenal
Manager: Unai Emery
Star Player: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, ST
2017/18 finish: 6th
Sporting Index Projection: 6th, 71 pts.
Marquee signing: Sokratis, CB
Marquee departure: Jack Wilshere, CM
Headline entering the season: With Arsene Wenger gone and a busy summer full of new signings, the Gunners are entering a new era in 2018. Emery's ability to get the best out of his top players and manage the huge void left by Wenger will dictate their success, but their ceiling is high. Drama with Mesut Ozil following the World Cup and the signing of Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira makes Arsenal even more intriguing.
League ambition: Top 4
Prediction: In a league now with six elite clubs, the margin for error for Arsenal is microscopic. They will finish fourth, but not without the teams behind breathing down their neck. Aubameyang is set to light up the league and make a push for the golden boot. Even if the Gunners do not manage to reach the top 4, Arsenal fans should not hit the panic button.
Bournemouth
Manager: Eddie Howe
Star Player: Nathan Ake, CB
2017/18 finish: 12th
Sporting Index Projection: 15th, 42 pts.
Marquee signing: Jefferson Lerma, CM
Marquee departure: Lewis Grabban, ST
Headline entering the season: Bournemouth has been the model of consistency since getting into the top flight in 2015, and they seem to be sticking with what they know for 2018. Retaining manager Eddie Howe for another season was huge. The addition of Lerma will get Cherries fans excited, but it could signal the departure of Lewis Cook.
League ambition: Staying clear of the relegation zone
Prediction: The three headed monster up front of Wilson, King, and Defoe and rising star Nathan Ake in the back will make them a tough side to beat, especially at Dean Court. They will flirt with the drop zone, but will finish around 16th.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Manager: Chris Hughton
Star Player: Pascal Gross, CM
2017/18 finish: 15th
Sporting Index Projection: 18th, 39 pts.
Marquee signing: Florin Andone, ST
Marquee departure: Tim Krul, GK
Headline entering the season: Brighton have been a busy bunch this summer, adding depth to a squad that marginally avoided the relegation zone last year. The odds of journeyman Glen Murray replicating his 2017/18 goal-scoring prowess is low, making the addition of Andone and Jahanbakhsh all the more important.
League ambition: Staying up
Prediction: Chris Hughton's experience and his squad's high workrate will make them competitive, but with so many good teams they may find themselves on the outside looking in. The amount of signings that Brighton has made tells a clear story: they know a relegation battle looms.
Burnley
Manager: Sean Dyche
Star Player: James Tarkowski, CB
2017/18 finish: 7th
Sporting Index Projection: 16th, 42 points
Marquee signing: Matej Vydra, ST
Marquee departure: Scott Arfield, AM
Headline entering the season: After leading Burnley to European football in 2017/18, Sean Dyche now has the difficult task of juggling Premier League play and Europa League fixures with few resources. Odds are, they will use the approach that got them there: defense, defense, and some more defense. Good ol' Joe Hart has joined the club and will slot in at goal while Tom Heaton and Nick Pope recover from injury.
League ambition: Top 10
Prediction: Even with the addition of the Europa League, Dyche and Burnley's primary focus will remain on the domestic league. Burnley will not be exciting to watch, but their stout defense and hard-working forwards will be enough to keep them safe.
Cardiff City
Manager: Neil Warnock
Star Player: Junior Hoilett, M
2017/18 finish: N/A
Sporting Index Projection: 20th, 34 pts.
Marquee signing: Josh Murphy, Winger
Marquee departure: N/A
Headline entering the season: Now the token Welsh team in the Premier League, Cardiff finished 2nd in the Championship last year, gaining their first top flight bid since 2012. The Bluebirds face an uphill battle, and their first three fixtures of Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Huddersfield will be crucial. Warnock has been relegated with every club he has managed in the Premier League, which does not bode well for Cardiff's return.
League ambition: Staying up
Prediction: Compared to fellow promotees Wolves and Fulham, Cardiff very much look a Championship side and will play in a traditional British style. Even with a talented defender such as Bruno Ecuele Manga, Cardiff will struggle to keep teams out of the net, and will comfortably go back down.
Chelsea
Manager: Maurizio Sarri
Key Player: Eden Hazard, LW
2017/18 finish: 5th
Sporing Index Projection: 4th, 74 pts.
Marquee signing: Jorginho, CM
Marquee departure: Thibaut Courtois, GK
Headline entering the season: Sarri's appointment was a much needed one, putting an end to the tumultuous Antonio Conte saga at Stamford Bridge. His style of play will bring a buzz back to Chelsea, but owner Roman Abramovich will have to remain patient. The Belgian duo of Hazard and Courtois both had excellent World Cups, yet Courtois is out the door to Real Madrid, and Hazard has done little to quell rumors of his exit as well.
League ambition: Top 4
Prediction: With limited time to get his ducks in a row, Sarri's Chelsea will get off to a sluggish start, but will hit the ground running by November. Quickly replacing Courtois with Kepa Arrizabalaga and adding Mateo Kovacic on loan from Read Madrid were good bits of business. Assuming they hold on to Hazard, Chelsea has the talent to challenge for the top four - but need an upgrade at center back. The Blues finish somewhere between 3rd and 5th in the first season of "Sarri-ball."
Crystal Palace
Manager: Roy Hodgson
Star Player: Wilfried Zaha
2017/18 finish: 11th
Sporting Index Projection: 11th, 45 pts.
Marquee signing: Max Meyer, CAM
Marquee departure: Ruben Loftus-Cheek, CAM
Headline entering the season: The feat that Hodgson pulled off the second part of last season was nothing short of miraculous, and Palace enters the new season with high expectations. By keeping Wilf Zaha and adding creative midfielder Meyer, Palace is aiming to solidify themselves as a Premier League mainstay. Hodgson's primary task will be deciding whether to start Zaha and Townsend at striker, or move them to their natural positions out wide.
League ambition: Top 10
Prediction: Under Hodgson's leadership and Zaha's talent, Palace will be a club that few will want to play. They won't seriously challenge the big boys, but their talent will take them to a top-10 finish, 12th at the lowest. However, their season is predicated on keeping Zaha.
Everton
Manager: Marco Silva
Key Player: Gylfi Sigurdsson, CM
2017/18 finish: 8th
Sporting Index Projection: 7th, 52 pts.
Marquee signing: Richarlison, LW
Marquee departure: Wayne Rooney, ST
Headline entering the season: Everton did not live up to the 2017 hype, finding themselves lucky to finish 8th after making a number of exciting signings the previous summer window. Hoping to flip the switch, they enter 2018 with a new manager in Silva and without their leading scorer Wayne Rooney. A new front line of Cenk Tosun, Richarlison, and Theo Walcott will give the Goodison faithful hope that this year will be different.
League ambition: Europa League spot
Prediction: Under an savvy manager like Silva and with the creative weapons in the squad, Everton are poised to improve in 2018. They gave up the sixth most goals and were horrid defensively under Big Sam and Koeman, so refining the back line will be pivotal. They finish 8th again, but it looks much prettier.
Fulham
Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic
Key Player: Ryan Sessegnon, LW/LB
2017/18 finish: N/A
Sporting Index Projection: 13th, 43 pts.
Marquee signing: Jean Michael Seri, CM
Marquee departure: Ryan Fredericks, D
Headline entering the season: Premier League football is back at Craven Cottage, and the ceiling is quite high following a smashing summer of signings to join star youngster Sessegnon. They've added the likes of Andre Schurrle, Alfie Mawson, Seri, and Alexsander Mitrovic, giving them an array of players with experience at the top levels of Europe. If you come across Fulham on the television, you're going to want to watch.
League ambition: Staying up and challenging for the top 10
Prediction: Snagging Seri was an impressive piece of business, and paired with Tom Cairney Fulham possess a very silky midfield. Making Mitrovic a permanent member of the club was a huge offseason goal, and his connection with Sessegnon will be enticing. Talented and deep, Fulham will do more than enough to stay up and will finish around 12th to 14th.
Huddersfield
Manager: David Wagner
Key Player: Christopher Schindler, CB
2017/18 finish: 16th
Sporting Index Projection: 19th, 35 pts.
Marquee signing: Adama Diakhaby, W
Marquee departure: Tom Ince, M
Headline entering the season: Huddersfield made the great escape in 2017, and 2018 looms as another tough season for the Terriers. David Wagner's managerial expertise will make them a hard egg to crack, but the strength of their centerbacks and goalkeeper Lossl may only take them so far. They scored the lowest amount of goals (28) last season, and cannot afford to repeat that type of goal production if they want to remain in the Premier League.
League ambition: Avoiding relegation
Prediction: Though they have made multiple signings, Huddersfield still lacks the high quality of players to retain their status in the league. Wagner's side will go down fighting, but will go down nonetheless.
Leicester City
Manager: Claude Puel
Key Player: Jamie Vardy, ST
2017/18 finish: 9th
Sporting Index Projection: 10th, 47 pts.
Marquee signing: James Maddison, CAM
Marquee departure: Riyad Mahrez, RW
Headline entering the season: Their title winning season now feels like ages ago, and Riyad Mahrez has finally departed the club to Manchester City, leaving the Foxes without a prolific playmaker. If World Cup standout Harry Maguire leaves as well, the thin ice on which Puel stands will become even thinner. New signings Maddison and Rachid Ghezzal will be forced to pick up the creation responsibilities going forward.
League ambition: Top 10
Prediction: Vardy's production will take a dip without the service of Mahrez, and as a result Leicester will drop points they otherwise would have earned. Watch for Leicester to flirt with relegation, but ultimately remain in the top flight. The Foxes will finish around mid-to-low table, however Puel will finish the season unemployed - if he manages to stay that long.
Liverpool
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Key Player: Mo Salah
2017/18 finish: 4th
Sporting Index Projection: 2nd, 81 pts.
Marquee signing: Alisson, GK
Marquee departure: Emre Can, CM
Headline entering the season: Though finishing 4th, Liverpool were the clear rival to champions Manchester City, and in spurts looked the most dangerous squad in the league. Alisson appears to be the answer to Liverpool's longtime goalkeeper dilemma, and they added two world-class midfielders in Fabinho and Naby Keita, making Klopp's men legitimate title contenders. Though unfair, Virgil van Dijk will still have to prove himself worthy of his massive pricetag in January.
League ambition: The title; top 4 at the lowest
Prediction: Every summer pickup has addressed a need for the Reds, and with Salah, Mane, and Firmino still up top, the possibilities are endless. Naby Keita in particular adds another element to the squad, and will establish himself as one of the world's top midfielders in 2018. Liverpool are not the favorites, but are certainly City's closest competitor.
Manchester City
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Key Player: Kevin De Bruyne
2017/18 finish: 1st
Sporting Index Projection: 1st, 88 pts.
Marquee signing: Riyad Mahrez, RM
Marquee departure: Yaya Toure, CM
Headline entering the season: City's hundred point 2017 is an achievement no other Premier League side has ever reached, etching City - and Pep - into the record books. Now Pep and co. enter 2018 looking to make more history: becoming repeat champions and bring the Champions League trophy to the blue of Manchester. Finding success in each simultaneously will be their biggest test yet.
League ambition: Winning the title
Prediction: Expecting this side to repeat their superb 2017 form is a bit unrealistic, yet they are still the clear favorites to win the Premier League again. With such a young, deep, and talented squad, City are positioned better than most clubs to win multiple pieces of silverware. Bernardo Silva's preseason form indicates that a Silva-to-Silva passing of the torch is beginning to develop.
Manchester United
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Key Player: Paul Pogba, CM
2017/18 finish: 2nd
Sporting Index Projection: 3rd, 76 pts.
Marquee signing: Fred, CM
Marquee departure: Daley Blind, CDM/LB
Headline entering the season: It has been all doom and gloom for Jose Mourinho, who has spent the latter part of the summer complaining about a lack of signings, taking shots at his players, and throwing his youth players under the bus. Going after Martial for being absent from training due to the birth of his child was particularly low for Jose. With World Cup champion Paul Pogba now being linked with a move away from the club, Mourinho's well-recorded third-season woes are coming to fruition.
League ambition: Top 4
Prediction: Mourinho's antics this summer are either signs that implosion is imminent, or just his classic mind games with the media. This time around it feels like the former, even if he is valid in his concerns regarding the strength of the squad. The talents of Lukaku, Pogba (assuming he stays), and Sanchez will make them dangerous, however United will finish outside the top four in Mourinho's final season in charge.
Newcastle United
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Key Player: Jamaal Lascelles, CB
2017/18 finish: 10th
Sporting Index Projection: 14th, 42 pts.
Marquee signing: Saloman Rondon, ST
Marquee departure: Chancel Mbemba, CB
Headline entering the season: Still under the calamitous ownership of Mike Ashley, Newcastle rolls into 2018 with one of the best managers in the League - and possibly the worst owner. The butting-of-heads between Rafa and Ashley bleeds into the upcoming Premier League season, yet the club has still managed to make positive signings and hold on to important players.
League ambition: Staying up
Prediction: Newcastle has a sneaky amount of talent in their squad, and the signing of Rondon gives them the proven targetman for which they have yearned for some time. Under Rafa's guidance on the sideline and Lascelles' growing leadership on the pitch, Newcastle will fight their way towards mid-table, and hope that new ownership arrives.
Southampton
Manager: Mark Hughes
Key Player: Charlie Austin, ST
2017/18 finish: 17th
Sporting Index Projection: 12th, 44 pts.
Marquee signing: Vestergaard, CB
Marquee departure: Dusan Tadic, AM
Headline entering the summer: Despite the fact that Hughes ushered Southampton to safety last campaign, he still does not feel like the right man for the job. The Saints have brought in some tidy summer signings to beef up the squad, making the club one of the more talented groups in the bottom half of the table. Mohamed Elyounoussi's arrival from Basel fills the hole that Dusan Tadic's departure created.
League ambition: Avoid relegation
Prediction: Southampton barely escaped the relegation zone in 2017, and the signings they have made this summer - especially an upgrade at center-back - indicate that this season may be different. Much of their success will depend on the health of striker Austin, who despite his injury woes bagged 7 goals last year. Expect the Saints to secure a safe position in the table and expect Hughes to be gone by the season's end.
Tottenham
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
Key Player: Harry Kane, ST
2017/18 finish: 3rd
Sporting Index Projection: 5th, 74 pts.
Marquee signing: None; linked with Jack Grealish and Lewis Cook
Marquee departure: None
Headline entering the season: While other top clubs have been busy purchasing new players, Spurs and Poch have stayed deafeningly quiet. A core of Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Vertonghen, and Lloris remains one of the strongest in the top flight, yet many in the media believe that Spurs have already reached their ceiling. Filled with World Cup stars, Spurs will be aiming to prove everyone wrong and finish in the top four yet again.
League ambition: Top 4; possible title contenders
Prediction: Led by the attacking combination of Kane and Eriksen, Spurs will have the personnel to make the top teams sweat. However, with only Dier, Wanyama, and Dembele as their options at center midfielder, they will regret not investing in an upgrade at the position to connect with the attack. Spurs will be competing with Chelsea, Arsenal, and United in the table, not Liverpool or City. It could honestly go either way.
Watford
Manager: Javi Gracia
Key Player: Abdoulaye Doucoure, CM
2017/18 finish: 14th
Sporing Index Projection: 17th, 40 pts.
Marquee signing: Gerard Deulofeu, L/RW
Marquee departure: Richarlison, LW
Headline entering the season: Javi Gracia took the reigns from Marco Silva in January, leading the club to a mid-table finish. Other than tying up Deulofeu to a permanent deal, Watford has only made minor moves during the summer. With Brazilian youngster Richarlison now at Everton, Watford has additional funds and also a big gap to fill.
League ambition: Mid-table finish
Prediction: Troy Deeney is not the player he once was, which will make goals hard to come by for Watford. With an average defense and lacking a stand-out star, this could be the year that the club of Sir Elton John find their way back to the Football League. They should prepare for a relegation battle.
West Ham
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
Key Player: Marko Arnautovic, F
2017/18 finish: 13th
Sporting Index Projection: 8th, 49 pts.
Marquee signing: Felipe Anderson, LW
Marquee departure: Cheikhou Kouyate, CM
Headline entering the season: The Hammers reached a low as a club in 2017, climaxing in a 3-0 March loss to Burnley, during which fans ran on the pitch and threw coins at the owner. Enter Manuel Pellegrini, a seasoned manager with plenty of Premier League experience and success. Forward Marko Arnautovic operated on all cylinders last season, and will be hoping to replicate his form that brought 11 goals to the London Stadium. Felipe Anderson, Yarmolenko, and Jack Wilshere all joined the fray over the summer, an improvement to their previous attacking options.
League ambition: Top 10; Europa League spot
Prediction: Pellegrini's West Ham will be much more stimulating than Moyes' iteration, especially given the exciting signings during the summer. With so many attacking options at their disposal, the squad will not struggle to score, although keeping the opposition out of the net could be the thorn in their side. Lukasz Fabianski was quietly an excellent pickup in goal. Eighth seems a fair spot for the Hammers.
Wolverhampton
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
Key Player: Ruben Neves, CM
2017/18 finish: N/A
Sporting Index Projection: 9th, 48 pts.
Marquee signing: Joao Moutinho, CM
Marquee departure: Afobe, ST
Headline entering the season: A Portuguese side stuck in England, Wolves are one of the more interesting sides to feature in the Premier League in recent memory. Wolves were above and beyond the best team in the EFL Championship, largely due an influx of talented Portuguese players compliments of agent Jorge Mendes. Owned by a Chinese conglomerate group and with a squad featuring Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho, and Ruben Neves, Wolves are a club that could make a run at the top ten - if all goes to plan.
League ambition: Mid-table; eyes on top-10
Prediction: Expectations are very high within Wolves, and many believed that they possessed the quality of a Premier League club last season. Wolves are all-in on competing immediately in the top flight, and will fight to a comfortable mid-table position, and challenge the top ten. If they do experience turbulence and fall towards the bottom, all hell will break loose.
Week 1
Man United vs. Leicester - 8/10 3pm
Newcastle vs. Tottenham - 8/11 7:30am
Huddersfield vs. Chelsea - 8/11 10am
Bournemouth vs. Cardiff - 8/11 10am
Watford vs. Brighton - 8/11 10am
Fulham vs. Crystal Palace - 8/11 10am
Wolves vs. Everton - 8/11 12:30pm
Southampton vs. Burnley - 8/12 8:30am
Liverpool vs. West Ham - 8/12 8:30am
Arsenal vs. Man City - 8/12 11am
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