After The Transfers Are Complete, Who Will Win The League This Year?

The 2011/12 Premier League season is almost upon us, and the usual questions are already being asked; who will win this season’s Premier League title?

The usual suspects will be among the front runners for top spot come next spring, with any one of five clubs in with a legitimate chance of landing the silverware. We look at each potential champion as well as some of their key fixtures during the opening month of the new campaign.

Many fans and punters alike will look no further than reigning champions, Manchester United, who are bidding to add to their record haul of 19 titles; last season’s triumph lifting them above rivals Liverpool in top division titles. They have yet to replace legendary midfield stalwart Paul Scholes, who retired from football at the end of last season, but have added extra pace to their artillery in Ashley Young, and have signed promising Spanish keeper David De Gea from Athletico Madrid to help fill the vacant number one jersey left by retired Edwin Van Der Sar.

Add to that the signature of England U-21 captain Phil Jones, and the future looks very bright for Sir Alex’s Red Devils. The manager has also publicly shown interest in Dutch maestro Wesley Sneidjer. Were he to pull that signature off, then United really would be in the driving seat for the coming season. The players there know what it takes to see out challenging seasons and domestically at least, they will be hard to topple.

Two clubs hot on the heels of United will perhaps be Chelsea and Man City. Both have began throwing their financial weight around in the transfer market again this summer, bidding for a string of top players, but as of yet, both have failed to land any major signings. Chelsea have brought in Lucas Piazon, dubbed the “New Kaka”, although he is likely to set the world alight in his first full season at Stamford Bridge. The Londoners do have a wealth of experience in every area of the pitch though, and if they can get the under-firing Fernando Torres, back amongst the goals, they will be right up there on the final day.

Manchester City have also brought in one or two signings, in the shape of Gael Clichy and Montonegro defender Stefan Savic, but again, they are yet to bring any “superstars” in. With Carlos Tevez set to walk in the other direction away from Eastlands, they will surely have to splash the cash if they are to make a serious assault on the Premier League this term.

Perhaps the hardest team to assess are Arsenal. The simple dilemma Arsene Wenger faces is that he doesn’t know who will still be at the club come the opening game. Fabregas has long been linked with a move to Champions’ League winners Barcelona, and Samir Nasri’s future is very much in the balance with a host of clubs fighting for his services. If the boss can hold on to his key assets then the Gunners have a chance of competing at the top of the league, with the acquisition of winger Gervinho from Lille. However, the Emirate’s faithful have been left constantly frustrated with their team, who play such attractive football, but fall short when the going gets tougher later on in the season.

Liverpool are another team who will be hard to predict this season. If recent years are anything to go by, the Scousers will be a long way off the pace, but then again, they didn’t have King Kenny, Mr. Dalglish, in charge. Since his return to Liverpool towards the end of last season, Liverpool are beginning to play the kind of football the Kop have grown accustomed to over the years. With a new mixture of youth from the club’s academy, along with the purchases of Luis Suarez, Andy Caroll, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam, the team are on the up. Put that with Captain Steven Gerrard, and the ever-present Jamie Carragher, and there really could be a few surprises sprung at Anfield this season.

The chasing pack, including the likes of Spurs and Everton, aren’t likely to compete for the title anytime soon, but any team can really beat any other team in the division on their day at the moment, and that can only make for exciting viewing this coming season.

Let the games begin.

Submitted by Football Friends