Premier League 2019/20: Predicting the league standings

Disclaimer: The views of the author do not necessarily represent that of Sportskeeda

The new Premier League season kickstarted with Liverpool routing the newly-promoted Norwich City 4-1 at Anfield. The goal-fest can be seen as the precursor for the rest of the season, and rest assured, the season is set to hog the limelight over the next few months. Teams have been splurging money on players, and quite a few high-quality players have been roped in from other countries.

Harry Maguire became the most expensive defender in the history of football after he was bought for £80 million by Manchester United. In the process, he also became the most expensive English player. Eden Hazard earned a move to Real Madrid in a deal worth more than £100 million.

Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham broke their club record transfer fees after buying Nicolas Pepe, Rodri and Tanguy Ndombele, respectively. All teams are stronger than ever before and hence, the competition will also be stronger than ever before. The new season will also mark the introduction of VAR in the Premier League.

Here, we shall have a look at the predicted final standings for the new season.

#20 Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton and Hove Albion managed to escape relegation by the finest of margins as they finished just 2 points above the relegation zone last season. The club managed to score just 35 goals, highlighting the lack of creativity and finishing skills.

Glenn Murray was their top scorer with 13 goals, and he was the only one who showed some sort of goal-scoring threat. Brighton needed to buy at least 3-4 forwards, but they have bought just 2. Leandro Trossard and Neal Maupay have been bought by the club for a combined £35 million. The club would be hoping that Trossard's arrival would inject creativity. Maupay could take over from Murray as the lead striker.

They also signed defender Adam Webster for a club-record fee of £20 million from Bristol City. Taylor Richards also joined the club from Manchester City. They have also signed Romaric Yapi and Aaron Mooy. Their manager, Graham Potter has no experience of having managed a Premier League team previously and has spent most of his time in Sweden.

With a weak squad, The Seagulls could be set for a return to the Championship.

#19 Sheffield United

Sheffield United have a comeback to the Premier League after a 12-year gap, and they have made their best efforts to announce their arrival by breaking their transfer record on 4 occasions.

They have signed the likes of Ben Osborn, Callum Robinson, Lys Mousset, Luke Freeman and Phil Jagielka in the transfer market. Their best buy of the window has been undoubtedly that of Oli McBurnie, who was bought for a club-record fee of £20 million. The Blades have also re-signed Dean Henderson on a loan deal. Mohamed Besic has signed for Sheffield on a loan deal from Everton.

Chris Wilder's side had the best defense in the Championship last season. However, the club seems to lack the X-Factor in the forward line as none of their forwards boast of substantial Premier League experience.

The likes of Billy Sharp and Oli McBurnie were impressive in the Championship last season, but whether they have the ability to score goals in the Premier League, will decide the way their season progresses.

#18 Newcastle United

Newcastle United had a poor start to the transfer window as they lost 2 of their top scorers from last season. While Ayoze Perez moved to Leicester City for £30 million, Salomon Rondon moved to Dalian Yifang. Manager, Rafael Benitez left the club after the expiry of his contract.

Their new manager, Steve Bruce is by no means as good a manager as Rafael Benitez. Even their own supporters aren't behind the club due to the appointment of Steve Bruce, who had previously managed fierce rivals, Sunderland.

Joelinton is their only noteworthy signing after he was bought from Hoffenheim for a club-record fee of £40 million. Their other important signings include left-back, Jetro Willems and winger, Allan Saint-Maximin. They have also signed a right-back, Emil Krafth. Andy Carroll has come back to Newcastle on a free transfer.

It doesn't look like the club has strengthened its squad over the summer. Newcastle has a very inexperienced forward line, and the club has taken a massive risk by not having a forward with Premier League experience. The Magpies don't have a potent squad by any stretch of imagination, and a poor start to the season will be the final in the coffin.

#17 Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have done nothing to suggest that they will stay up in the Premier League for another season. Roy Hodgson's team looks like a very weak unit and don't have a lot of quality barring the likes of Luka Milivojevic and Wilfried Zaha. Their defense has been weakened severely because of Aaron Wan-Bissaka's transfer to Manchester United.

Wilfried Zaha is the only attacking threat they have, and he isn't happy with the club because of their reluctance to sell him. If he isn't in the right space of mind, suffers an injury or a loss of form, they could be in serious trouble. The Eagles haven't even tried to strengthen their squad in this transfer market and haven't bought forwards, a decision that is unexplainable.

They have only confirmed Jordan Ayew's signing on a permanent basis and have bought Stephen Henderson as a 3rd or 4th choice goalkeeper. They have also signed former Chelsea star, Gary Cahill on a free transfer. Victor Camarasa and James McCarthy have also been signed by the club in a bid to strengthen their midfield.

They will rely heavily on their defense and will hope that their forwards can contribute when needed. Crystal Palace will have a very difficult start to the season and a bad start could see them being involved in an intense dogfight with Newcastle and Sheffield to avoid relegation.

#16 Norwich City

Norwich City has made its way back into the Premier League after a successful campaign in the Championship, where they won the title. They will grace the Premier League for the first time in 3 years. Daniel Farke's men played an attacking brand of football and scored 93 goals in 46 games last season.

Their strength lies in their forward line with the likes of Teemu Pukki, Emiliano Buendia and Marco Stiepermann present as key contributors. The likes of Max Aarons and Ben Godfrey were good enough at the back to ensure that they didn't concede too many goals.

While they have hardly invested this summer, the players they have signed are good enough to plug the holes in the squad.

They have signed Josip Drmic on a free transfer, and he will add a new dimension to their attack. Patrick Robert and Ralf Fahrmann have been hired on loan deals. Sam Bryam could also prove to be a good defensive addition. The Canaries have also signed Ibrahim Amadou from Sevilla. On the whole, their squad doesn't look quite bad and in all probability, they will avoid relegation.

#15 Southampton

Southampton finished 16th on the league table last season. They were in dire straits before the appointment of Ralph Hasenhuttl as their manager. Under Mark Hughes, they won just 1 of their first 13 games and were in the relegation zone. However, Hassenhuttl brought about a massive change as he led them to 8 wins and 8 draws in the next 25 games.

Under him, the team looked a lot more positive and they even defeated Arsenal and Tottenham. They have lost left-back, Matt Targett to Aston Villa, but that won't worry them a lot. The Saints have bought Che Adams and Moussa Djenepo to bolster their options in the forward line.

Adams scored 22 goals in the Championship for Birmingham and is a talented youngster. Even Djenepo had a decent season as he scored 11 and assisted 6 in all competitions for the Belgian team, Standard Liege.

If Danny Ings can stay fit throughout the season, they could even earn a 14th or 13th place finish. They have a good enough team to ensure they won't be a part of the fight for safety.

#14 Bournemouth

Bournemouth are a fascinating side to watch for neutrals as they possess really good attacking players. They like to attack and score goals, but they often find themselves over-attacking. They had the 3rd worst defense in the Premier League last season and conceded 70 goals. All the good work done by Ryan Fraser, David Brooks, Joshua King and Callum Wilson was undone by their defenders.

They finished 14th on the table last season, and it could turn out to be similar this season. They have a very long injury list, which includes David Brooks, Simon Francis, and 4 others. The Cherries' have signed 5 players in the transfer window so far. Arnaut Danjuma is arguably the best one as his presence will reduce the impact of Brooks' absence. Liverpool youngster, Harry Wilson has been signed on a loan as well.

Philip Billing, Lloyd Kelly, and Jack Stacey have also been signed by the club. Eddie Howe hasn't lost any of his key players and that augurs well for him. Bournemouth hasn't strengthened their team a whole lot and hence, they shouldn't be expecting a better finish than 14th place.

#13 Burnley

Burnley had a rather poor outing last season as they slipped from a 7th place finish in 2018 to a 15th place finish. However, this season should better than the last one. The return of goalkeeper, Nick Pope from injury is a huge boost for the club as he was one of the driving forces behind their success in 2017/18.

They have re-signed Jay Rodriguez after he had an impressive season with West Brom in the Championship, where he scored 22 goals and assisted 6 in 47 games. The club has also signed Erik Pieters and Ryan Cooney, who will add muscle to an already solid defense. Danny Drinkwater has joined on a temporary deal till January. Tom Heaton's departure won't affect them as they have Joe Hart as backup.

They have talented forwards like Dwight McNeil, Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood, who can score goals when needed. Sean Dyche's men won't an easy team to score against, and they will make teams work hard for their goals. Burnley will be reasonably happy with 13th place.

#12 Watford

Watford finished 11th last season, and their activity during the off-season gives one the impression that they are happy with that and don't want a substantial improvement. They only signed 2 players in the transfer window in the form of winger Ismaila Sarr and centre-back, Craig Dawson. Watford has also signed Danny Welbeck on a free transfer, and it could turn out to be an excellent signing if he stays fit.

They will have the same core group as none of their key players have left the club. Danny Welbeck, Troy Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu will be tasked with the responsibility of scoring the bulk of the goals. New boy, Sarr will have to play a key role in the team. The Hornets' defence isn't the strongest and they should have bought at least 2-3 defenders.

Manager, Javi Gracia has a tough season ahead of him and if they start off poorly, they will be regretting the fact that they had hardly invested during the transfer market. If Watford manages a 12th place finish, they will not be quite upset.

#11 Aston Villa

Aston Villa has returned to the Premier League after a 3-year absence and the way they have spent money in the transfer market shows that they are aiming for big things. The club wants to prove a point and they have signed 12 players for more than £100 million.

Dean Smith had a terrific campaign with the team last season and hence, it isn't surprising that he is being backed by the club officials. While Aston Villa will miss Axel Tuanzebe and Tammy Abraham, who have returned to their parent clubs, the players they have signed will definitely fill the void left by them.

Marvelous Nakamba and Douglas Luiz will be great additions as defensive midfielders, while Bjorn Engels will replace Axel Tuanzebe. Jota, Wesley and Trezeguet will add more attacking might, and this team looks very strong on paper. Additionally, they have also bought Burnley keeper, Tom Heaton in a bid to strengthen their goalkeeping resources.

In addition to the new signings, players like Tyrone Mings and Anwar El Ghazi have been bought on a permanent basis. The midfield trio of Jack Grealish, John McGinn and Conor Hourihane could cause problems for opposition defenders with their passing and shooting skills.

The Lions could turn out to be the surprise package this season and they will be quite happy with an 11th place finish.

#10 West Ham United

West Ham United have underachieved in recent times and simply haven't put in performances that their fans can be impressed with. They always have some of the most talented players at their disposal, but still can't deliver on a consistent basis as a unit. Even for the upcoming season, they have a highly talented bunch of players that can beat any team on their day.

They might have lost Marko Arnautovic to the Chinese Super League, but they have ensured that the deal won't affect them a lot thanks to Sebastian Haller's arrival. They have also secured the services of Spanish youngster, Pablo Fornals. They have also signed Basel striker, Albian Ajeti.

The newly signed duo of Haller and Fornals were impressive in their pre-season outings for the club and could be lethal in the Premier League. The Hammers have become a stronger unit and along with Leicester City, Everton and Wolves, they will be strong contenders for a 7th place finish.

#9 Leicester City

Leicester City became a part of one of football's most memorable stories after they had lifted the Premier League trophy in the 2015/16 season. However, they have failed to live up to the huge expectations after that victorious season and haven't broken into the top 6 since then. They have had a great pre-season campaign and were unbeaten in all their games. They also defeated Atalanta, who will be a part of the Champions League this season.

The club has backed Brendan Rodgers in the transfer window and has bought Ayoze Perez and Youri Tielemans for fees in excess of £30 million each. They have also bought right-back, James Justin from Luton Town and he could be one for the future. Leicester have signed Dennis Praet as well.

While Harry Maguire's departure isn't something that Leicester would have wanted, they have other centre-backs in the form of Filip Benkovic, Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu.

With their free-flowing style of football, The Foxes could entertain fans and will certainly cause some upsets.

#8 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolverhampton Wanders were outstanding last season as they finished 7th on the table and won the 'best of the rest' race. They have made some smart investments in the transfer window and have been helped by super-agent, Jorge Mendes, who has helped them secure some of the best Portuguese talents.

Due to their stunning showing in the Premier League last season, they have also earned a place in the Europa League. They had a slow start to the transfer window as they only managed to finalize deals for Raul Jimenez and Leander Dendoncker.

However, they have gathered pace over the last week and have signed centre-forward, Patrick Cutrone and centre-back, Jesus Vallejo. The club has also signed Bruno Jordao and Pedro Neto. The Wanderers have also ensured that none of their star players have left the club after a successful season.

Nuno Espirito Santo's men have been highly impressive in pre-season and also defeated Manchester City to lift the Premier League Asia Trophy. Wolverhampton Wanderers have improved their squad, but their Europa League campaign could drain them out physically.

#7 Everton

Like West Ham, Everton have always been under-achievers in the Premier League. With the kind of squad, they have at their disposal and the money that they spend on the players, they would have hoped for a lot of success over the last decade or so.

They have a good manager in the form of Marco Silva, and he has taken some really good decisions this summer. They bought Andre Gomes from Barcelona on a permanent basis after his superb performances last season. They have also bought Fabian Delph from Manchester City. They have also secured the services of Jonas Lossl on a free transfer, and he will deputize for Jordan Pickford. Djibril Sidibe is set for a stint with the club on a loan deal.

While they have lost Idrissa Gueye, they have made up for it by signing Jean-Philippe Gbamin. The Toffees already have a great forward line, and it will be strengthened by the arrival of Moise Kean from Juventus. Everton has also bought Arsenal winger, Alex Iwobi and he could turn out to be a great addition.

They have a well-balanced squad and will be target a top 6 finish as they have a squad that has a lot of quality. They have a relatively easy start to the season and if they can capitalize on those games, the 'Big Six' will be under serious pressure.

#6 Chelsea

Like a few of the other clubs, Chelsea had a rough time in the transfer window as they lost their best player, Eden Hazard and also their manager, Maurizio Sarri. They have also been hit by a transfer ban and as a result, they can't sign new players. Fortunately, they signed Christian Pulisic in January itself and loaned him back to Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the season.

Had they not signed the US international in the winter transfer window; they could have been in a massive hole. Tammy Abraham's return from Aston Villa after a loan deal will be a welcome boost for new manager, Frank Lampard. The club also has a long injury list, and it includes key players like N'Golo Kante, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who could miss the initial part of the campaign.

They have lost their talisman, Eden Hazard and without him, it will be hard to imagine Chelsea securing a top 4 finish. If the likes of Tammy Abraham and Pulisic fail to adapt to the Premier League, it could be a lot worse than a 6th place finish for The Blues.

#5 Arsenal

Arsenal's activity in the transfer window has been quite intriguing. Their defenders were very poor last season and as a result, the club shipped a lot of goals. They needed to buy some high-quality defenders, but they have made just 2 defensive signings. William Saliba was also bought from Saint-Etienne but was again loaned back.

Their best centre-back, Rob Holding is still nursing an injury. Laurent Koscielny has been sold by the club and they need a new captain. Arsenal are desperate to sell under-performer, Shkrodan Mustafi as well. This has left them short on options in the centre-back department, and they have only signed David Luiz. He isn't the best possible solution for their problems as he every now and then, has a really poor game.

They have bought left-back, Kieran Tierney from Celtic and Unai Emery will be hoping that he can solidify their defence. Arsenal don't have a proper backup for Bernd Leno and that is an area of concern.

The Gunners needed reinforcements in the defence, but instead splashed the cash on forwards, and that left them with hardly any budget for defenders. Dani Ceballos' arrival on loan is a great deal as he could replace Aaron Ramsey. The club has also bought Nicolas Pepe for a club-record fee of £72 million.

While their front trio of Aubameyang, Pepe and Lacazette has the potential to wreak havoc, a poor showing from their back-line could lead to a poor season for them.

#4 Manchester United

Manchester United had a poor campaign the last time around and a squad revamp was highly necessary. They have done exactly that by addressing 3 of their main issues. They needed a new right-back, right-winger and a centre-back for the upcoming season. By splashing the money on Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Daniel James and Harry Maguire, Solskajer has certainly made some smart moves.

They have one of the best back-lines in the Premier League and with a good defence, David de Gea could also return to his best. Although Scott Mctominay has been highly impressive for United, they would have liked to have another defensive midfielder after seeing Nemanja Matic's poor performances in pre-season.

The Red Devils sold Romelu Lukaku to Inter Millan on deadline day. The club might not be worried about that as they have Rashford, Martial and Greenwood. Alexis Sanchez could also get a few games and if he can rediscover himself, they will be pushing for a top 3 finish.

They will face tough competition from Arsenal for the 4th spot, but United have an early advantage as they have strengthened their defence significantly.

#3 Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham signed a few players this summer after not signing a single player in the last 2 transfer windows. They bought Tanguy Ndombele for a club-record fee of £65 million and his arrival could strengthen their defence significantly. As a defensive midfielder, he could be a rock at the back.

They have also signed youngsters, Jack Clarke and Kion Etete. While Clarke has returned to Leeds on a loan deal, Etete might spend some time with the youth team before making the step up. Juan Foyth's injury has left them thin on options in the right-back department.

They have signed Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso as well. The players they have signed are outstanding and make them a very strong unit. The only high-profile departure has been that of Kieran Trippier, but it shouldn't affect them as he was quite poor last season.

They don't have a backup for Harry Kane. Their next best option is Troy Parrot, who is just 17 years old. However, he has raw talent and could create an impact. Mauricio Pochettino has a very strong squad and if they can start the season on a positive note, they could be strong title contenders as well.

#2 Liverpool

Liverpool missed out on the Premier League title last season by just 1 point and agonizingly missed out on an elusive Premier League title. However, it could be difficult for them to repeat those heroics as they haven't strengthened their squad this summer. They have had a quiet transfer window and it doesn't look like they will sign players before it closes on August 8th.

The only players they have signed are Adrian, Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliot. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Rhian Brewster could be like new signings as Jurgen Klopp has said. However, it still might not be enough for them as they had to bolster their options in certain specific areas.

After Alberto Moreno's departure, they don't have a proper backup for left-back, Andrew Robertson. They don't have another natural left-back, and the likes of Joe Gomez and James Milner will need to function as makeshift left-backs in the event Robertson is injured. They also needed a creative midfielder, but they have failed to buy anyone who can fill that void.

Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Alisson haven't had enough time off after their stints in the African Cup of Nations and Copa America, respectively. The Reds have been off-colour in pre-season and have lost quite a few of their games. With hardly any reinforcements for the new season, it looks like they might have handed a head-start to City.

#1 Manchester City

Manchester City could complete a hat-trick of Premier Leagues by winning it again this season. They won the title with 100 points in the 2017/18 season and then, defeated Liverpool to the title by 1 point last season. Pep Guardiola's outstanding management has been instrumental in their stupendous run over the last couple of seasons, and he even led them to the domestic treble last season.

They have a phenomenal squad and there are no apparent weaknesses. All they needed was a replacement for the ageing, Fernandinho and they bought Rodri for a club-record fee of €70 million. The Citizens also activated the buy-back clause for Angelino as a possible backup for Zinchenko at left-back. City are also close to completing a deal which will see Joao Cancelo move to England and Danilo move in the opposite direction.

They have depth in all departments and Leroy Shane's injury shouldn't affect them a lot as they still have Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus on the bench. Kevin De Bruyne's return from injury will be a huge boost for the club and with him back, they look like a much stronger unit.

With such a good squad, it just looks like they will run away with the league title again and it shouldn't surprise many.

Edited by Amar Anand