The 2017-2018 Premier League season kicks off on Friday, August 11, 2017, but you knew that already. If you are like me, you have been anticipating the new season from the final whistle in May. Soon the weekends will be great again! If you haven’t already, you can download the 2017-2018 Premier League Fixtures here. For me, last season didn’t live up to expectations, as Chelsea lead the league from mid-November and never looked troubled until they were crowned champions. One can only hope that it is a lot more competitive this time around. After all, that’s what the Premier League is known and loved for.

This season Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are favorites after spending close to a quarter of a billion dollars on new signings and is expected to eclipse that mark before the transfer window closes. Pep might be playing with house money, but he is on borrowed time. If he doesn’t win a major trophy this season, his time in England will be shorter than Leicester City’s reign on the top.

Mourinho’s Manchester United also splashed the cash and is expected to challenge for the title. The addition of Romelu Lukaku gives them a proven goalscorer, but Goodison Park is no Old Trafford, and it will be interesting to see how Lukaku handles the spotlight.

Twice nearly-men Tottenham, however, didn’t add a single player to their squad while simultaneously losing one of their better defenders in Kyle Walker. Spurs are also faced with a few injuries to important players and now discontent (Danny Rose), heading into the opening weekend. It will be interesting to see where they finish come May.

Conte’s Chelsea was brimming with confidence going into the Community Shield against Arsenal, so much so that they didn’t play their new striker and allowed their goal keeper to take a kick (which he missed) in the early round of a penalty shootout. Chelsea is known for doing astute business in the transfer market, but time will tell if their decision to let Diego Costa leave was a wise one. They did strengthen their squad in other areas, but one wonders if it will be enough to defend their title.

The upcoming Premier League season might be one of the most difficult to call in recent years. I can’t remember the last time, so many teams were in limbo going into a new season. Liverpool (Coutinho), Arsenal (Sanchez), Southampton (Van Dijk) and Tottenham (Danny Rose) are trying their utmost to hang on to key players.

Liverpool’s transfer market dealings have been nothing short of a soap opera. Their pursuit of Van Dijk and Keita was encouraging on the one hand, but when the deals fell through it showed the incompetence of their scouts/broad. Finally getting Salah and adding Solanke from Chelsea for free were some good bit of business, but will that be enough to improve on last season?

Arsenal, Arsenal, what can I say about Arsenal? Well, they did win the Community Shield. Many rational thinking people thought Wenger was done at Arsenal after last season, but he won the FA Cup and was rewarded with a new two-year contract. The Gunners signed a new striker in Lacazette and a new defender, and that was the end of their transfer dealings. Two of their more talented players – Sanchez and Ozil are unhappy and injured. Like their North London neighbors – Tottenham, The Gunners basically decided that last season’s team was good enough.

Some notable transfers this offseason are Lacazette, Kolasinac – Arsenal. Morata, Bakayoko, Rudiger – Chelsea. Rooney, Keane – Everton. Iheanacho – Leicester City. Salah, Solanke – Liverpool. Silva, Mendy, Danilo, Walker, Ederson – Manchester City. Lukaku, Matic, Lindelof – Manchester United. Hernandez, Hart, Zabaleta, Arnautovic – West Ham. If I was a betting man, and I am, I would wager there will be more movement before the transfer window closes on August 31, 2017.  List of 2017 Premier League transfers.

Predicting the Premier League will always be hit and miss, but it’s fun and challenging, and it gives me something to look back on after the season is over. I have come to look forward to PL forecasts and Fantasy Football. My Twitter Fantasy Premier League is in its third year running, and it’s bigger and better.  You can sign up here.

Premier League Predictions

Some of my 2016-2017 Premier League predictions were spot on, others not so much.  However, I did correctly predict the Top Goal Scorer, Manager of The Season and two out of the three Relegated Teams.

Top Eight Teams

1. Manchester City {Champions}
2. Manchester United
3. Liverpool
4. Chelsea
5. Tottenham
6. Arsenal
7. Everton
8. Southampton

Bottom Three Teams

1. Huddersfield
2. Brighton
3. Burnley

Top Goal Scorer

• Harry Kane

Player of The Season

•  Gabriel Jesus

Manager of The Season

• Pep Guardiola