The final instalment of my 5-part series Premier League Predictions 2023/24 is here. Read on to see which teams I have chosen in the top flight of English football to finish in the positions 4th to 1st this season. You can read parts one to four right here…
Premier League Predictions 2023/24 Part One (20th – 17th)
Premier League Predictions 2023/24 Part Two (16th – 13th)
Premier League Predictions 2023/24 Part Three (12th – 9th)
Premier League Predictions 2023/24 Part Four (8th – 5th)
Now, it’s time for the final four teams on the list. These four clubs will qualify for the Champions League with only one being crowned as the 2023/24 Premier League champions. Let’s take a look and see who my expert Premier League tips reveal to be the chosen ones to go all the way this season.
4th: Liverpool
Liverpool just pips Chelsea for 4th, for me. Liverpool was pretty dreadful by their standard last season and they still managed to qualify for European football. They also finished very well and won their last three back-to-back. Liverpool has bought in Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £40m and exciting prospect Dominik Szoboszlai from Red Bull Leipzig. Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Roberto Firminho and Fabinho have left. That makes me wonder how Liverpool will fare in the middle of the pitch but, on the whole, Liverpool looks like they’ve improved.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are scoring lots of goals in pre-season but they’re also conceding a lot and I think that could be the difference between them finishing 3rd/4th/5th, compared to Liverpool being genuine title contenders. They’ll also need a big season from Mohamed Salah. Darwin Nunez looks to be finding his feet in pre-season with multiple goals.
The Reds’ first 6 matches this season look tricky. They face Chelsea in game week 1 and then Newcastle and Aston Villa in game week 3 and game week 4 respectively. With that in mind, the first month of the new season could really shape Liverpool’s outcome. If they get through those 4 matches and they’ve got 7-9 points, then Liverpool could get into a good momentum but I just feel like the defence will let them down. They’ve got Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield now and although that brings them more goals with his creativity, it also takes away from that tracking-back defending. Whilst Virgil Van Dijk doesn’t seem like the animal of old.
Liverpool to Finish Top 4 @ 4/7 with Unibet
3rd: Arsenal
Controversial? Perhaps. I just think Arsenal will still have it in their minds about losing out last season. One thing that is most definitely on Arsenal’s side is their fixtures. They start the season with a beautiful set of fixtures; with Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Fulham as their first three encounters. However, I still don’t think that Arsenal has any competition for Gabriel Jesus up top and, at present, he’s going to miss the start of the season.
We’ve already seen Kai Havertz up top for Arsenal when they played Manchester City in the FA Community Shield and whilst he had plenty of chances, he spurned them all. Shades of Chelsea last season and the number of chances he had for the Blues. Other teams rely on a striker but I feel like Arsenal are the only one of the top 3/4 that truly needs that striker available to get success.
Arsenal spent £75m on Havertz and, for me, that’s just too much for a luxury player that nobody really knows his true position. He doesn’t score enough to be a striker and he doesn’t have the right qualities to be in the middle of the park. Arsenal also spent big on Declan Rice. Forking out £105m. As a West Ham fan, I know all about Rice and he’s a good signing for Arsenal. £105m though? I’m not so sure. I don’t think he will bring enough to Arsenal for that to be classed as a great signing. Arsenal also signed Jurrien Timber for £40m in defence.
I think Arsenal will start brightly and be top 2 for a big part of the season but I think, come the final day, they’ll get overtaken by my 2nd place team and ultimately go another year without the league title.
Premier League Top Scorer: Gabriel Jesus @ 40/1 with 888Sport (Paying top 4 places at 1/4 odds)
2nd: Manchester United
I think Manchester United will step things up this season and continue to improve. David De Gea has left the club and although that has to be seen as a negative for United, Andre Onana has come in and that probably means that Erik Ten Hag wants the Red Devils playing out from the back and he wants Onana getting involved, pushing up, and really playing to his strengths. If there was one weakness of De Gea, then it would have been that ball-playing aspect.
They’ve signed Mason Mount from Chelsea for around £60m. Mount will improve United’s final third and that penetration from midfield to attack. United has long been screaming out for a real ‘out-and-out’ forward that search was complete as they signed Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £75m. Hojlund is just 20 years old but has 6 goals from 4 games for Denmark and has scored 10 goals last season for Atalanta in Serie A.
I think a proper centre-forward is probably what Manchester United needed and this signing for them looks to be that. I think Marcus Rashford will really work well with Hojlund and we’ve already seen good things from the likes of Alejandro Garnacho too at just 19 years old. United have Spurs in their 2nd match and Arsenal in their 4th match and, so much like Liverpool, we may see in the first month what they’re capable of. I think they’ll be solid this season and, as long as Onana can play his own game and Hojlund can score goals in the Premier League, then I think United will be the biggest threat to Manchester City.
Manchester United to Finish Top 2 @ 9/4 with William Hill promo code
1st: Manchester City
So, in this ranking of the Premier League positions for the coming season, I’m picking what I think will happen and I think when all is said and done and the final ball is kicked that Manchester City will probably come out on top once again. That’s not to say that Manchester United are not value to win the title. As I’ve said, I think they will be the biggest threat and they could take the title. However, with a gun to my head, it’s City.
In my opinion, Pep Guardiola’s men have weakened with the loss of Ilkay Gundogan. I also feel like the desire may not be as strong this coming season. I get it, these players want to win everything, but you can’t tell me that after winning a treble and finally getting their hands on a Champions League title too that they’re roaring and ready to go again a few months later?
We’ve seen the Citizens play a few friendly matches and one thing that I’ve noticed in a couple of them and again, with the penalty loss to Arsenal in the FA Community Shield this past weekend, is that Erling Haaland is not the animal of last season. Now, I know you can’t say that after a few friendlies and don’t get me wrong, Haaland will score lots of goals again this coming season but, much like the title, I just think it’s hard to reset and go again after such success.
There are alternatives to the top goalscorer market with the likes of Hojlund, Kane (who scored 4 recently for Spurs), Watkins, Rashford and the new Chelsea boys. There are alternatives to the title with Manchester United (in my opinion) and maybe even Arsenal. One thing for sure is that it will be an open season and hopefully a very attacking one, full of excitement and goals.
Manchester City to Win the Premier League Title @ 8/11 with Bet365 bonus code
Don’t forget to also check out Terry Foord’s Premier League Outright Betting Tips 2023/24 where he picks out some value bets he feels you should back ahead of the upcoming top-flight campaign.
All odds are accurate at the time of writing.
