As Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland prepare for their Premier League return, can any of them break a worrying trend in the top flight?
In the last two seasons, the three promoted teams have gone straight back down to the Championship, with the gulf in quality never greater.
Here’s how fans of Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland are assessing the upcoming campaign.
Leeds
Farke Leeds PA
Last season: Championship winners
TIA predicted finish: 18th
Best XI: We still need a few more signings in attack before the deadline, but for now…
Perri, Bogle, Rodon, Bijol, Gudmundsson, Tanaka, Stach, Longstaff, Gnonto, Piroe, James.
The view from Leeds
Leeds PA
Charlie Smith (@CharlieSmith118)
Where will Leeds finish? Being optimistic, I’ll say 16th!
Where will Liverpool finish? Champions.
And if not Liverpool? I’ll say a new-look Man City.
One player you wish Leeds would sign, realistically: Leeds have been heavily linked with Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham, who could potentially fire us to safety.
How’s your optimism for the season ahead? Despite some shrewd-looking signings, it still appears to be a tough ask to buck the recent trend and remain in the division.
Advice for visiting fans: Brace yourself for a loud Elland Road and especially the South Stand next to the away supporters.
Burnley
Burnley manager Scott Parker has guided the club back to the Premier League (Nick Potts/PA)
Last season: 2nd in the Championship.
TIA predicted finish: 20th
Best XI: Weiss, Walker, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Hartman, Cullen, Hannibal, Edwards, Larsen, Anthony, Flemming.
The view from Burnley
Burnley’s Josh Brownhill, left, and Connor Roberts celebrate securing promotion to the Premier League (Nick Potts/PA)
Matt Moss (@NoNayNever)
Where will Burnley finish? My heart says 16th or 17th, but my head says it could easily be 18th or 19th.
I think we will be harder to beat than the Vincent Kompany season, but until we get a few matches under our belt, it’s hard to predict whether the gap between 17th and 18th will be closer this year.
There has been enough disruption at a few clubs to hopefully make it a bottom-six battle rather than the three promoted teams propping up the rest again.
Where will Liverpool finish? With strong recruitment, it would be daft to predict anything other than a top-two finish.
Who will win the league, if not Liverpool? Pep Guardiola and Man City will be hurting enough from last season’s collapse and want to regain the title.
Arsenal may have found the missing piece of their jigsaw in Viktor Gyokeres, but it remains to be seen if they can go the distance this time.
One player you wish Burnley would sign, realistically: We are in desperate need of a proper No. 9.
There will be no repeat of the defensive records we saw last season, and even if we shut teams out, you need goals to survive this league.
While attacking midfielders and wide men may chip in with a few each, they haven’t proven themselves against Premier League defences yet.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Tuesday, May 16, 2023: Manchester City's Kyle Walker during a press conference at the Etihad Campus ahead of the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg game between Manchester City FC and Real Madrid CF. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)
How’s your optimism for the season ahead? Cautious! The board seem to be slowly learning from their mistakes two years ago, making sure the loans we had that helped us get promoted were automatically made permanent.
Scott Parker doesn’t seem to be dismantling his entire starting XI if he can help it, with the departures of James Trafford, Josh Brownhill and CJ Egan-Riley the only changes to the 100-point team.
The addition of Kyle Walker and Axel Tuanzebe brings Premier League experience, while the return of Jacob Bruun Larsen – arguably the brightest point of a poor season under Kompany – shows some shrewd recruitment.
Everything is being kept crossed for a few more additions before the window closes.
Advice for visiting fans: There are plans to improve the Cricket Field Stand during the season, which will see away fans swap sides with the home fans.
This will provide a better experience for visiting fans utilising the cricket club and other areas, but it won’t be complete by the time Liverpool visit in September.
You’ll have to wait until next season…hopefully!
Sunderland
Regis Le Bris led Sunderland to a top-flight return after eight years away (Nick Potts/PA)
Last season: Championship playoff winners
TIA predicted finish: 19th
Best XI: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkin, Xhaka, Diarra, Le Fee, Roberts, Adingra, Mayenda.
The view from Sunderland
Graham Falk (@WTFSunlunPod)
Where will Sunderland finish? I’d snap your hands off for 17th, but I don’t see it going that way at all, to be honest.
This will either be a team that defies expectations and finishes 13th, or one that struggles.
But positivity is flowing through my veins after that unbelievable playoff campaign and the summer we’ve had in the transfer window, so I’ll go 15th.
Where will Liverpool finish? Comfortably top.
Liverpool are already miles ahead of the other teams aiming to win the title, and you’ve now added Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, and hopefully Alexander Isak, too.
I can understand wanting to switch Newcastle for the Reds, so get that one done and you’re winning the league by six points, in my opinion.
That squad is just so strong.
Sunderland players celebrate after their play-off win (Steve Welsh/PA)
One player you wish Sunderland would sign, realistically: Amad Diallo. We worshipped him here, and he’s the dream signing for almost every Sunderland fan.
Is it realistic? Probably not, but I didn’t think Granit Xhaka was, and here we are.
In truth, we need an experienced centre-back. A few of us on the podcast have mentioned Joe Gomez before.
If not Amad, I’d love someone like James Tarkowski. A wily, experienced pro who knows what it takes to stay in the division.
How’s your optimism for the season ahead? It’s good, but there’s room for realism – this is going to be extremely tough.
We’ve signed really well. Enzo Le Fee was with us last season and is every inch a Premier League footballer. He just drove the standards to another level.
Jobe Bellingham is a massive miss – I thought he was our best midfielder, but we’ve replaced him with £75 million’s worth of talent in Xhaka, Habib Diara and Noah Sadiki, so we’ve more than covered it.
Switzerland's Granit Xhaka - Picture by: John Walton / EMPICS Sport
That said, I’d love a top-class centre-back, or two. I’m worried our defence could get torn apart without additions.
But in general, I’m feeling optimistic. This is where a club of our size belongs, historically.
I felt 10 feet tall when those last-minute playoff goals went in – I still do, even two months on.
Advice for visiting fans: Those stairs are no good if you’re not fit. Do at least a half-marathon before you venture up those stairs and take an inhaler!
Venture into the nearby Sheepfolds Stables, too. Loads of great new bars have opened.
It’s a cracking atmosphere and I’m sure you’ll be welcome with open arms. Bring Isak with you, if you want!