Predicting Premier League top 4, worst/best signings, surprises, and more for the 2023–2024 Premier League.

Predicting top for 4

We’re back with our thorough, if somewhat shaky, predictions for the 2023–24 Premier League season, which will begin in just a few days!

The season begins on Friday night at Turf Moor when newly promoted Burnley play host to Vincent Kompany’s former team, Man City.

We will be made to wait until Sunday to see the Reds back in action as they travel to Stamford Bridge for a tricky opener against Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea.

As always, there is plenty up for grabs in all parts of the table as clubs look to avoid the drop, challenge for Europe and make an assault on the title.

Here, the This Is Anfield writers attempt to not make fools of themselves with their Premier League predictions for the new season!

Matt Ladson

Top four:

1. Man City
2. Arsenal
3. Liverpool
4. Man United

Relegated: Crystal Palace, Sheff United, Luton

First manager to be sacked: Whoever Sheffield United‘s is!

Surprise team: Villa. If them doing well is surprising? Emery is a good manager.

Best new signing: Can I say Mac Allister for us? Rice will do well at Arsenal.

Worst new signing: Tonali at Newcastle, or Havertz at Arsenal.

Henry Jackson

Top four:

1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Man United

Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Bournemouth

First manager to be sacked: Julen Lopetegui

Surprise team: Newcastle will do worse than many think because of more pressure to do well, and Champions League minutes in the legs.

Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister

Worst new signing: Andre Onana, I hope!

Chris McLoughlin

Top four:

1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Manchester United

Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Wolves

First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper

Surprise team: Aston Villa. The momentum they built under Unai Emery last season reminded me of Leicseter in the half-season before they won the league. Pau Torres is a great signing and they’ve not lost any key players – I’m predicting a surprise top-four challenge that falls just short.

Best new signing: Difficult to say with the transfer window still being open but at the moment I’d say Alexis Mac Allister is a hugely significant signing for the Reds and Romeo Beckham will put Brentford in contention…for the front page of OK, Hello, Tatler…

Worst new signing: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle). Eddie Howe has already had to deny reports that the most expensive Italian of all didn’t want to join Newcastle. That’s a red flag and how many Italian central midfielders have been a success in the Premier League since Roberto di Matteo and that fella at Derby County anyway?

David Lynch

Top four:

1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea

Relegated: Sheffield United, Luton, Nottingham Forest

First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper

Surprise team: Burnley – they’re not like they used to be!

Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister. That fee is going to look utterly ludicrous by the end of his debut season at Anfield.

Worst new signing: Kai Havertz. I just really don’t see it and never have. If he shines at Arsenal, I’ll have to hold my hands up and say I’ve been proven completely wrong.

Joanna Durkan

Top four:

1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Man United

Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Forest

First manager to be sacked: Not short on options here but I’m going to say Andoni Iraola.

Surprise team: I think both Newcastle and Fulham will drop off considerably from their respective successes last season.

Best new signing: That honour I feel will go to Alexis Mac Allister

Worst new signing: I’m torn between Sandro Tonali and Andre Onana

Harry McMullen

Top four:
1. Arsenal
2. Manchester City
3. Liverpool
4. Manchester United

Relegated: Luton, Sheffield United, Wolves

First manager to be sacked: David Moyes. Should have left on a high note after the Europa Conference League.

Surprise team: Fulham. I was really impressed with how they overachieved last season, but they were due a dip unless they evolved. They look like they’ve actually regressed with the window they’ve had so far, and they’re more likely to stave off relegation than challenge for Europe again.

Best new signing: It really could be Mac Allister or Dominik Szoboszlai, but I’ll vary it up and say Declan Rice. It’s scary how much more he can improve given how good he already is, and he’s in the perfect place to develop his game. It takes a lot to beat this City team as we know, but with Rice on board Arsenal could do it.

Worst new signing: Sandro Tonali. I rate him and he’ll probably perform well himself, but I’m not convinced he makes Newcastle better. He’s an upgrade on what they have, but he doesn’t evolve their playstyle at all. In fact, signing him means Bruno Guimaraes will have to stay in his holding role for another season, so in a way it actually holds Newcastle back. 70m for such a player – who doesn’t look happy to be there at all – is an uncharacteristically short-sighted move for them.

Steven Scragg

Top four:

1. Liverpool
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal

Relegated: Luton, Nottingham Forest, and Fulham

First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper

Surprise team: Burnley to be this season’s Fulham

Best new signing: Alexis Mac Allister

Worst new signing: Andre Onana

Aaron Cutler

Top four:

1. Manchester City
2. Chelsea
3. Arsenal
4. Man United

Relegated: Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Luton

First manager to be sacked: Steve Cooper

Surprise team: I think a lot of people are underestimating Chelsea, or more to the point Pochettino. Without the distraction of European football I think they’ll have a solid season and be the closet challengers to City, albeit second by a distance.

Best new signing: Christopher Nkunku

Worst new signing: Sandro Tonali