Who will be crowned Premier League champions this season? Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher disagree on who they think will lift the trophy come May next year.
Manchester City are aiming to continue their Premier League dominance with an unprecedented fifth consecutive title this season.
Arsenal, who have finished runners-up to City in the last two seasons, will be hoping to go one better to end City’s incredible title run, while the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea will all hope they can get in the mix too.
One the eve of the Premier League’s return with Manchester United vs Fulham, live on Friday Night Football on Sky Sports Premier League (kick-off 8pm), Neville and Carragher give their title verdicts.
Carra: City a tough nut to crack
When asked if he thinks Manchester City’s dominance will continue, Carragher told Sky News: “Unfortunately, yes.
“Arsenal will be the closest challengers but Pep Guardiola, it doesn’t matter what league he is in, more often than not he wins the league title.
“The only people that have managed to stop him are Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid one season and Jurgen Klopp with Liverpool a few seasons ago in the Premier League.
“That shows how tough it is and it has been tough on Arsenal with how close they have come in the last two season, but I know with Liverpool, Manchester City are a very difficult nut to crack.
“I think most neutrals will hope there’s a different winner this time around and I think I’d say the same because you don’t want the same team winning year after year, but you do have to take your hat off to City and Guardiola. With the job he has done and the team they have built, they are an extremely difficult team to beat.”
Carragher added: “Arsenal are extremely close to winning a major trophy.
“I have said I think Manchester City will win the league, but seeing what Arsenal have done over the last couple of seasons, it is a toss of a coin. Mikel Arteta’s side are that close and that good.
“The job he has done at the club has been fantastic and it’s been great to watch.”
‘Arsenal can go one better this season’
Neville is backing Arsenal to end Manchester City’s run of league titles but is quick to add you write Guardiola’s side off at your own peril.
Neville told Sky News: “I went with Arsenal to win the Premier League last year and I’m sticking with them this season.
“They are on an upward trajectory and they are getting better every single year.
“Obviously, they are up against of the great sides this league has ever produced in Manchester City under Pep Guardiola so it is always going to be tough.
“However, I feel like Arsenal have stability with the manager Mikel Arteta and they have stability in a team that is still improving.
“You cannot write of Manchester City, but I am going for Arsenal again. They were so close last year and I think they will be able to make that extra step this time.”
Neville and Carragher then went on to discuss the prospects of their former sides Manchester United and Liverpool ahead of the kick-off to the new season.
Neville on Man Utd: ‘I’m quietly optimistic’
Neville said: “I hope Erik ten Hag will still be the Manchester United manager come the end of the season.
“There’s no doubt that if United have a really poor start and the results are the same as last year that Ten Hag will come under massive pressure very quickly. But I am actually quietly optimistic about Manchester United.
“I just think the signings that they are brining in are of a different profile from what they have bought in the past.
“The group of people they have now at the club, from owner down to sporting director, will not make the same mistakes the club have made in the last three or four seasons. They have wasted money and made signings that you knew would bring pressure to them at some point.
“The profile of the players they are bringing in now is right. They need a younger, quicker, athletic and more energetic football team, and I think that is what you are going to see from Manchester United this year.
“There is still an imbalance in some parts of the team where they need to get better. There are worries about Luke Shaw, who is now injured again, at left-back. Who is going to play there now? There’s also potentially issues up front if Rasmus Hojlund’s injury issues continue. Manchester United are obviously short up there.
“But just generally, I do think they are in a better situation than they were last year, and hopefully the change at the very top of the club with INEOS, which everyone has wanted for years, can bring more sensible decision-making.”
Carra on Liverpool: ‘Not impossible job for Slot’
Carragher said: “I don’t think replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool is the impossible job for Arne Slot.
“It was a great time for the club under Klopp but they didn’t win everything.
“They were very successful at one stage where they did hold every trophy under Klopp, but it wasn’t a case of them winning every year. Most times they were a very close second to Manchester City.
“There is scope to improve for Slot. He can certainly improve the way they play slightly and also get better defensively. They will also want to avoid the number of injuries they had last season this time around.
“There are areas for the new manager to target.”
Opta: Man City to win fifth PL title in a row
Manchester City have an 82.2 per cent chance of claiming an unprecedented fifth Premier League crown on the bounce, according to data provider Opta.
Arsenal’s chances remain slim at just 12.2 per cent, with Liverpool predicted to shore up third spot with only a 5.1 per cent chance of winning the title in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
Chelsea are projected to claim fourth spot under Enzo Maresca.
At the wrong end of the table, newly-promoted Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester are predicted to face immediate returns to the Championship.
Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Bournemouth also register double-digit chances of suffering relegation.