in Opinion/Features

Our writers’ Premier League predictions for 2022/23

The Premier League is back and ahead of the new season, our writers have made their best efforts to boldly predict the course of the 2022/23 campaign.

Each season our team of writers make (and often regret) their predictions for the Premier League campaign, with last season’s predictions containing the usual mixed bag of success stories and wildly wrong picks.

Romelu Lukaku was heavily fancied to make an impact at Chelsea, though there was significantly more accuracy in predicting Watford’s Xisco to be the first manager sacked and Burnley, Watford and Norwich to suffer the dreaded drop.

 

At the risk of making complete and utter fools of ourselves once again, we are back with our predictions for the 2022/23 campaign.

Premier League predictions for the 2022/23 season:

Player of the Season:

Peter Henry: Kevin de Bruyne. If he stays fit he smashes the record for assists in a Premier League season and further cements his place in the pantheon of greats.

Ben Guest: It’s hard to look past a Liverpool or City player, so I’ll plump for Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian looked sharp and raring to go in the Community Shield final and he’ll no doubt enjoy another 20+ goal season.

Harry Diamond: Kevin de Bruyne. I backed him last year and it’s the same again. For me, he’s the best player in the division. Even in a City side packed full of stars, De Bruyne’s best raises the champions to new levels.

Ste Tudor: Jack Grealish – Optimism on my part for sure as a City fan because he did disappoint last season. But a year of tuition at Pep University will see Jack strike the right balance between playing it safe and reintroducing some individuality to his game. He’s had a really good pre-season and will relish playing alongside Haaland.

Vishnu Anandraj: Luis Diaz – As the heir apparent to Mane, I think Diaz will light up the league. He’ll also benefit from not having the fatigue of a World Cup in the middle of the season.

Best transfer signing: 

Peter: I fancy Gabriel Jesus to thrive being the main man at Arsenal. Although he was really good for City I don’t think he ever fulfilled the kind of potential he showed when he first rocked up to the Premier League.

Ben: While it’s easy to be drawn towards the high-profile signings, I really like the look of Aston Villa’s capture of Boubacar Kamara – who joins the club on a free transfer no less. The 22-year-old ranked highly for tackles, interceptions, clearances and aerial duals in Ligue 1 last season, and will likely form a key part of Steven Gerrard’s side.

Harry: Haaland’s arrival is hard to overlook and if he maintains the levels of recent seasons then City will be a daunting prospect. However, I think Gabriel Jesus’ work-rate and goal threat could prove the difference for Arsenal this season. After coming close last time around, his arrival could be the catalyst for a long-awaited Champions League return.

Ste: Darwin Nunez – Assuming he starts well and shakes off the pressure then Liverpool will have done well to secure Nunez and resolve a messy situation up front in a single summer. At one stage, it looked like Mane and Salah’s contract disputes might have a serious impact on Klopp’s aspirations for 2022/23.

Vishnu: Erling Haaland – A boring pick, but it’s hard to make a case for a different player. They paid a relatively minimal fee for a generational talent who is still yet to enter his peak. Haaland to City is the best move of the window by far.

Biggest transfer flop:

Peter: The Dildo Brothers’ woeful record of signing strikers and the dodgy record of Italian frontmen in English football makes the signing of Gianluca Scamacca a marriage made in flop heaven.

Ben: Even though I really like the player, I’ve gone for Kalvin Phillips’ £45m move to Man City, just for the reason that I can’t see him dislodging Rodri from Pep Guardiola’s side.

Harry: In search of goals, Everton have spent £20m on Dwight McNeil, a winger who failed to score and provided just one assist in 38 league appearances for Burnley last season. The 22-year-old has talent, but if those numbers don’t improve the Toffees will be in trouble.

Ste: Luis Sinisterra – All of Leeds’ signings are coin-flips. Let’s go with the Colombian winger.

Vishnu: Kalvin Phillips – Coming back from a long-term injury and adjusting from Bielsa’s man-marking system to Guardiola’s tactics will be a lot for Phillips to handle within a season. He may be great for City in future years, but I think he may have an underwhelming first year.

Embed from Getty Images

Golden Boot winner:

Peter: It’s a coin toss between Salah and Haaland isn’t it? I’ll go with Harry Kane then.

Ben: I’d imagine it will be a close-fought contest between Salah, Haaland, Son and Kane, and I’ll take a stab in the dark and go for Salah.

Harry: Harry Kane. Settled and sharp in pre-season, the England captain will have the bit between his teeth following the arrivals of Haaland and Nunez. Shearer’s record isn’t as safe as it once appeared.

Ste: Erling Haaland – Despite out-scoring the rest of the Premier League last season, City still missed plenty of chances. The Nordic Meat Shield will put them away.

Vishnu: Heung Min-Son – He thrived when Conte arrived last year, and I think with the Italian there for a full year, he’ll definitely be among the goals again.

Best Young Player:

Peter: Harvey Elliot is going to rip it up as much as it pains me to admit it.

Ben: I like the look of Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, and if he settles into English football quickly, he could be set for plenty of opportunities. Seems to have a real eye for goal and looks suited to City’s style of play.

Harry: I think Harvey Elliott could really breakthrough at Liverpool this season. He began last season in the side before a horror injury and has looked impressive in pre-season for the Reds. There’s an opening in Klopp’s midfield for his ingenuity.

Ste: Emile Smith Rowe – With a World Cup place up for grabs I’m anticipating an impressive opening few months from the ‘Croydon De Bruyne’. After that, the sky is the limit because this lad is decent.

Vishnu: There are obviously more established talents at bigger clubs, but Michael Olise started to grow into his own at Palace last year and it was special to watch. Viera also relies on young players as his core, unlike most top teams, so I think he could be a breakout star this year.

Biggest fall from grace:

Peter: I have a feeling De Gea may be exposed being asked to play out from the back and act as a bit more of a sweeper keeper in Ten Hag’s system. A world-class shot stopper, but certain parts of his game are laughably weak for one of the Premier League’s highest-paid players.

Ben: Of course [disclaimer alert], these predictions are written before the end of the transfer window, but for some reason, I think Chelsea could struggle to make the top four this season. Tuchel has sounded frustrated during pre-season and the Blues have missed out on a number of their first targets-choice targets. An Eriksen-less Brentford could also struggle following a decent first season in the Premier League.

Harry: Wolves challenged for a top four finish before a late slump last season, doing so despite their leading scorer managing just six goals for the campaign. A lack of goals has failed to be addressed this summer and a combination of Jose Sa’s heroics and good fortune doesn’t appear sustainable.

Ste: Brendan Rodgers – Unless Patson Daka starts firing or Vardy holds off the ravages of time for another year, it’s hard to see where Leicester’s goals are coming from. The Foxes could struggle this term and Rodgers doesn’t tend to handle turmoil very well.

Vishnu: Conor Gallagher – He was a breakout star in the league last year for Crystal Palace. This year, it’s unlikely he’ll get much game time at all if he stays at Chelsea. At any rate, he’s not going to have the team built around him in the same way and don’t think he’ll be anywhere near as outstanding.

One to watch:

Peter: I reckon Harvey Elliot will really show his class this season, the little shit.

Ben: Alejandro Garnacho – The young Manchester United starlet looks a real talent, and with Erik ten Hag’s side going into the campaign light up front, the Madrid-born Argentina international could be set for increased minutes.

Harry: Eberechi Eze will represent a new signing for Crystal Palace and has looked brilliant in pre-season. Hugely entertaining to watch, he’ll fill the Conor Gallagher-shaped hole in the Eagles’ midfield and do so in impressive fashion.

Ste: Brennan Johnson – The 21-year-old scored 19 and created nine assists last season in the Championship. If he comes anywhere close to that in the year to come expect the big clubs to start circling.

Vishnu: Gianluca Scamacca – Other than Haaland and Nunez, Scamacca was probably the best young striker on the market. He’s rugged, aggressive, physical, but also surprisingly skilful. West Ham is an ideal fit for him, and he’ll be a fascinating watch all year.

Champions:

Peter: Man City, and it won’t even be close this year.

Ben: With Raheem Sterling and Sadio Mane leaving their respective clubs, the title could be decided by whose new big signings up front settle the quickest, and I fancy an Erling Haaland-powered Man City to edge Darwin Nunez’s Liverpool when it comes to the final reckoning – but only just.

Harry: Manchester City. The division’s dominant force + Erling Haaland spells trouble for the rest of the Premier League.

Ste: Manchester City – Two predictions in one. That City make it five from six and that certain journalists will cry likes babies and say it’s really, really unfair simply because their team – United or Liverpool – are not dominating the English landscape.

Vishnu: Manchester City – With the World Cup in the middle of the season, City’s depth and experience will be more valuable than ever. I trust their squad depth more than Liverpool’s.

Top Four:

Peter: City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs.

Ben: City, Liverpool, Spurs and Man Utd – Spurs finished well last season, while Erik ten Hag is seemingly imposing his ways on United. An improving Arsenal will be there or there abouts come next May.

Harry: City, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal – Chelsea’s late transfer business could change this, but the momentum appears with their London rivals in chasing down the top two.

Ste: City, Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal

Vishnu: City, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea

Bottom Three:

Peter: Bournemouth, Brentford, and Leeds.

Ben: Bournemouth, Brentford and Southampton – I was close to sticking Everton in the bottom three, but Southampton have shown spells of being absolutely woeful at times in recent years, including finishing last season with just five points from their last 12 Premier League games. Maybe the trap door finally beckons?

Harry: Bournemouth, Southampton, Brentford – I’m predicting struggles on the South Coast with Bournemouth’s business having been minimal and a stagnating Southampton flirting with the bottom for one too many seasons. I’m admittedly torn between Brentford and Everton for who will join them, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness – or lack of – perhaps key to the latter’s fortunes.

Ste: Bournemouth, Fulham and Everton – A new investor and a productive January transfer window are the Toffees only hope at this point

Vishnu: Leeds United, Everton and Bournemouth – Everton and Leeds both just lost their best players and have managers with lots of question marks about their ability to transition their squads to their preferred style. Bournemouth’s squad just doesn’t look especially convincing physically or technically.

The club most likely to spring a surprise in the table:

Peter: I’m going to keep saying Aston Villa until it actually happens. To be fair though they’ve made some cracking signings and with Coutinho pulling the strings they should at the very worst be good to watch.

Ben: They’ve been one of the Premier League’s yo-yo sides over the years, but Fulham could spring a surprise by not dropping straight back down to the Championship for once.

Harry: Nottingham Forest. Steve Cooper has worked miracles so far and a raucous City Ground celebrating a Premier League return will not be an easy trip for any side.

Ste: Aston Villa – The law of averages suggest I have to correctly tip a surprise package at some point. This year I’m cursing Aston Villa.

Vishnu: Southampton – Under Hasenhuttl, Southampton usually start the season excellently and then fall off later on. With the World Cup giving a break in the middle of the season for a squad with few if any international players, maybe they’ll be able to sustain that form for a longer duration.

Manager of the Season:

Peter: Conte. He’ll win a trophy and have Spurs involved in the title race for a decent bit of time before they ultimately fail.

Ben: The last five awards have been split between Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, so it’s hard to see one of these pair not winning it again.

Harry: Pep Guardiola. I think this could be the year City crack Europe.

Ste: Steve Cooper – If Forest keep well away from the relegation fight, and if there is any sort of continuation from last season, then Cooper could be lauded.

Vishnu: Graham Potter – Brighton may be challenging for European places this year, and that is only possible because of Potter. A truly sensational coach.

First manager to get the sack:

Peter: Jesse Marsch. If I’m sick of hearing him talk bollocks after a few interviews it surely can’t be long before the Leeds squad get the hump and down tools.

Ben: Ralph Hasenhuttl has skirted close to the edge on a number of occasions and a poor start may see Austrian up for the chop.

Harry: Bruno Lage. Brought in to improve Wolves’ football, that brief has so far been failed. More uninspiring football and a poor start could lead to his early exit from Molineux.

Ste: Eddie Howe – Plenty of caveats to this. I’m expecting Wolves to dip so Bruno Lage is in the running, while the World Cup complicates matters because some seriously good managers will be available after it. If Newcastle aren’t challenging for the top six by the autumn however, Howe’s job security will be shaky to say the least.

Vishnu: Frank Lampard – Just watch Everton last year, and picture that without Richarlison. Best of luck to Super Frank.

Champions League winner:

Peter: I think this is the year PSG do it and then Messi heads home to Barca next season with mission accomplished.

Ben: Manchester City

Harry: Manchester City – Liverpool and a Bayern side with a more mobile frontline are likely to provide the sternest challenge, but City will crack the Champions League at some point. This could be the season.

Ste: Manchester City – We return to those law of averages.

Vishnu: Manchester City – With the World Cup in the winter, I think the teams that manage their squad the best will win. City can do that better than anyone, so this finally may be their year.

And that concludes our wide ranging set of predictions for the 2022/23 campaign? Got your thoughts and predictions on the season ahead? Drop us a comment below.

Read – Fantasy Premier League: 40 of the best team names for the 2022/23 season

Read Also – Premier League season preview part two: Leicester-Wolves

Subscribe to our social channels:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

ArsenalAston VillaBournemouthBrentfordBrightonBurnleyChelseaCrystal PalaceFulhamLeeds UnitedLeicester CityLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedNottingham ForestSouthamptonTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedWolves