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By Martin Graham | 4th Aug 2023
The 2023/24 Premier League season gets underway on August 11 with 20 teams dreaming of enjoying productive seasons.
Success means different things for clubs in the modern era, with silverware not necessarily the be-all and end-all for all of them.
The race to finish in the top six is one of the key battles, with European football up for grabs to the clubs who finish above the line.
With that in mind, we offer our thoughts on which teams will finish in the top six this season, starting with the reigning champions.
1. Manchester City
Fans will be clamouring to find reliable live streaming sites when Manchester City kick off their Premier League campaign at newly promoted Burnley.
Pep Guardiola’s side outgunned Arsenal in last season’s title race,
and it would be a brave move to back against them claiming top spot for the fourth successive year.
While the loss of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is a blow, the impending arrival of centre-back Josko Gvardiol probably makes City’s squad better.
They finished five points ahead of the Gunners last season and are strongly fancied to ease to another title success this time around.
2. Manchester United
The appointment of Erik ten Hag last summer ensure Manchester United went into the new campaign with a manager familiar with winning.
The former Ajax boss improved United’s fortunes, guiding them up to third place in the table and success in the Carabao Cup.
The Red Devils were beaten by Man City in the final of the FA Cup, but can reflect on a largely positive first season under the Dutchman.
Having added to their squad this summer, and with the promise of more new arrivals, United look a good bet to be the nearest challengers to Man City.
3. Chelsea
The 2022/23 campaign was a dismal one for Chelsea, with their new owners’ scattergun approach to running the club causing mayhem.
Having ended the season in 12th place and with a ridiculously bloated squad, the Blues went into the summer in need of a major reset.
Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as manager should be a step in the right direction, particularly as he has been given the green light to clear out the deadwood.
With no European football to distract them and several excellent additions to the squad, Chelsea could force their way into the top three this season.
4. Liverpool
Liverpool also underperformed last season before a late rally saw them climb up to fifth in the standings to secure a Europa League spot.
The Reds have undergone a midfield overhaul this summer, but still look to be two or three players short of having a squad capable of challenging for the title.
They will need to see more from striker Darwin Nunez after he struggled to get to grips with the demands of the Premier League last term.
A top four finish should be achievable for Jurgen Klopp’s side but they are unlikely to mount a title challenge.
6. Aston Villa
Aston Villa looked to be heading towards the Championship before the club’s owners wised up and sacked Steven Gerrard as manager last November.
The Spaniard guided Villa out of trouble and up to seventh in the table to secure an unlikely spot in this season’s Europa Conference League.
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