The 2023-24 English Premier League season gets underway this weekend. While we anticipate the thrill, let’s take a look at the sides who should finish inside the top four.

1. Manchester City

Who’s going to bet against the Blue side of Manchester?

Man City have won the league title thrice on the bounce and it’s easy to see them going all the way again this season.

They claimed the much-coveted Treble last season and have shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, club boss Pep Guardiola has reinforced his defense, bringing in 21-year-old Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.
Although they are now without players like Riyad Mahrez and Gundogan, they still possess the incisive brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne and raw goal-striking ability of Erling Haaland.

By and large, they have the array of attacking talent and incredible squad depth. They are still the team to beat and it’s hard not seeing them clinch a fourth.

2. Arsenal

Arsenal beat Manchester City last weekend to lift the Community Shield. If that’s anything to go by – and I believe it is – we should expect a strong showing from the London club this season – stronger than what they put up last season.

For much of the previous season, Arsenal very much looked like they were going to end their 20-year wait for a league title. But they crumbled towards the end, winning only three of their last nine games.

However, they have clearly put that disappointment behind them, given their solid Community Shield display against City. To boot, they have added Kai Havertz and Declan Rice to their ranks.

Arsenal are very likely to build on last season’s momentum. Bank on them to make a title challenge this season and finish inside the top four.

3. Liverpool

Last season, Jurgen Klopp and his men produced a disappointing campaign, judging by their lofty standards.

Two season ago, they finished one point shy off the winners but last season they ended fifth – some 20 points off the first place. You can’t call Liverpool a hot and cold team. They have the talent – in defense, midfield and in attack – coached by one of the best in the world.

You never can rule them out. We can blame a dip in form and injuries for their below par performances last season but all that should change now.

They have had a good preseason filled with goals (18 in 5 games). Understandably it’s preseason and relatively non-competitive but you will agree that other teams of similar pedigree have struggled with theirs.

Liverpool have finished inside the top four in six of the last seven seasons. I am not betting against that this term.

4. Newcastle

We all enjoyed what we saw from Newcastle last season. I do not know if Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham supporters will agree, seeing as they finished below the Magpies, who only two seasons ago were battling relegation.

Now, they’ve got Saudi money and an excellent manager in Eddie Howe.

Only Man City and Arsenal performed better than them last season. Man United finished a spot above them in third but weren’t far ahead on points (just four).

The Magpies also posted the third-best goal difference in the league – bettered only by City and Arsenal.

The squad is disciplined and the football is free-flowing. What or who then is going to stop them from replicating what they did last season and even with a little bit more?