Arsenal are preparing for their first game of the season, which comes on Sunday afternoon against rivals Manchester United.
The Gunners face United, whereas title rivals, and last year’s champions Liverpool will open the fixtures with a tie against Bournemouth on Friday night at Anfield.
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Arne Slot will be hoping that his new summer signings such as Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike will be able to make an instant impact. Meanwhile, Man City face a game against Wolves on Sunday, and the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, Man United and Newcastle will also be hopeful of a Champions League finish this season.
But who is predicted to do the best, the worst, overperform and underperform? Here is Opta Analyst‘s final Premier League table prediction…
Opta’s Premier League top four prediction
1. Liverpool – 73 points
2. Arsenal – 72 points
3. Manchester City – 70 points
4. Chelsea – 64 points
The simulation believes we will see the same top four this season that we saw last year, however, it will be much closer. The prediction is that Liverpool will once again win the league title, but by a narrow margin of just one point to Arsenal.
Manchester City in third place will also be embroiled in the title fight, just two points behind Arsenal and three behind Liverpool. If this is the case, then the games between the trio will be crucial to the league title fight.
It says Chelsea will be fourth, in another good season of growth under Enzo Maresca, with a potential view to battle for the league title next season.
Other European places and the rest of the top half
5. Aston Villa – 61 points
6. Newcastle United – 61 points
7. Crystal Palace – 57 points
8. Brighton – 55 points
9. Bournemouth – 51 points
10. Nottingham Forest – 51 points
For the rest of the European places, Opta predict that Villa could claim a Champions League spot in fifth, which would see Newcastle and Crystal Palace claim the other spots; A very impressive season from Oliver Glanser’s side – permitting that they don’t lose Eze and Guehi this summer.
Brighton, Bournemouth and Forest make out the rest of the top five, in somewhat of a surprising prediction, which means that Opta believe Man United and Spurs will finish in the bottom half again.
Bottom half of the Premier League table
11. Brentford – 50 points
12. Manchester United – 49 points
13. Everton – 48 points
14. Tottenham Hotspur – 48 points
15. Fulham – 47 points
16. West Ham – 44 points
17. Wolves – 42 points
18. Leeds United – 37 points
19. Burnley – 37 points
20. Sunderland – 31 points
With the second half of the table, Man United are expected to miss out on the top half, which would put Ruben Amorim under some serious pressure. Whereas Tottenham are expected to finish 14th, a lack of improvement for the two underperforming sides last year.
West Ham and Wolves are expected to narrowly escape relegation, with the three promoted teams going back down to the Championship. Opta does think that Leeds will have the best chance to stay up however.
Click here to see Arsenal’s first team squad ahead of the first game of the season.