Jack Wright’s 2024/25 Season Predictions

There are so many uncertainties in this market this season. New managers at both Liverpool and Chelsea, arguably more surprisingly not one at Manchester United. The biggest uncertainty though is with the title favourites Manchester City who if it wasn’t hard enough to win a record fifth successive Premier League must during the campaign defend 115 charges of alleged financial irregularity. So, after finishing as runners-up in the last two seasons I am taking Arsenal to go one better and claim their first EPL crown in 20 years.

Since taking over at the Emirates in 2019 Mikel Arteta has guided the club on an upwards trajectory. Built on the foundations of a rock-solid defence the Gunners have further strengthened in that department this term despite keeping a league high 18 clean sheets. An array of attacking talent will ensure the goals will flow freely at the other end and that looks like being a recipe for success to me. Finally.

I can’t be backing Erling Haaland in this market. Yes of course, he is a worthy favourite and could easily be the first man since Thierry Henry in 2006 to win three successive Golden Boots. Haaland did have a nine goal fall off last term from his debut campaign in England and in four less appearances, he is certainly not immune to injury.

Which brings me to Alexander Isak who I think offers tremendous value. Only Haaland averaged more than his 0.8 goals per 90 in the English topflight last term and was one of only two players to score more than the Newcastle man’s 21 goals. The Toon have no European commitments this time around and neither did Isak over the summer after Sweden failed to qualify for the European Championship. Now established as the main striker for his club the 24-year-old hitman will also be on penalty taking duty as he looks to fire Eddie Howe’s men back into the top four.

The last two winners of the famous trophy are the clear market leaders for the 2024/25 renewal. My preference is for the defending champions Real Madrid ahead of favourites Manchester City. Los Blancos have of course added Kylian Mbappé this summer to complement the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham.

If anyone can lift the French superstar’s game to another level it is surely Carlo Ancelotti who will have his eyes on winning a sixth Champions League as a manager.

Having snubbed the blue half of Manchester with my Premier League and Champions League predictions I am finally siding with them here. The temptation is to look for an outsider to lift the famous old trophy given “anything can happen” in knockout competition. However, the FA Cup has been won by one of the “Big Six” in 10 of the last 11 seasons with only Leicester interrupting the dominance.

Pep’s men will be keen to avenge the shock defeat by their city neighbours in the Wembley final last term and I am taking them to get their hands back on the trophy they lifted in 2022/23. Their squad depth is second to none and with everything I have mentioned before they look a safer bet to back them in this competition than in the league.

With more questions than answers surrounding most of the sides aiming for a top four finish I like the look of Newcastle’s prospects of booking a return to the Champions League.

The Toon boast stability many of their rivals cannot with manager Eddie Howe still holding much respect at St James Park. They can improve on the 7th placed finish of last campaign which they achieved despite being ravaged by injury for much of it. With no European football they can have laser focus on their domestic performances and if they can keep him fit, have a striker that can fire them towards the top of the table.

It seems a safe pick to go for one of the promoted sides to be relegated but I am surprised Southampton are the outsider of the three to make an immediate return to the Championship and at odds against. Russell Martin is a very stubborn manager who is wedded loyally to his heavy possession-based style of play which makes me think immediately of Vincent Kompany and Burnley last season.

I simply feel Saints won’t be good enough to do that but instead of adapting they will continue to try and play “the right way”. That generally leads to mistakes being made in their defensive third which get punished ruthlessly in the Premier League. Their recruitment at the time of writing doesn’t change that opinion and I feel their squad is no stronger than the one which saw them finish bottom of this division with 25 points in 2022/23.