Football: Chelsea picked as team to beat

The English Premier League season has rolled around again, and the usual intoxicating mix of drama, scandal, sackings, transfers and glorious goals will keep all football fans entertained for the next eight months. We asked some of those fans to predict how the season might unfold.

Nigel Benson
Arsenal fan
Champion: Arsenal.
Best of the rest: Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham.
Dark horse: Fulham.
Relegated: Cardiff, Hull, West Brom.
Star players: Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Liverpool or Arsenal), Juan Mata (Chelsea).
First manager sacked: Paolo Di Canio (Sunderland).

Carl Wright
Aston Villa fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal.
Dark horse: Everton.
Relegated: Hull, Crystal Palace, Fulham.
Star players: Christian Benteke (Aston Villa), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Stevan Jovetic (Manchester City).
First manager sacked: Martin Jol (Fulham).

Dave Tackney
Crystal Palace fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton.
Dark horse: Everton.
Relegated: Hull, Stoke, Cardiff.
Star players: Robin van Persie (Manchester United), Gareth Bale (Tottenham).
First manager sacked: Steve Bruce (Hull).

Paul Le Comte
Everton fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Manchester United, Tottenham, Everton, Manchester City.
Dark horse: Cardiff.
Relegated: Liverpool, Norwich, Stoke.
Star players: John Stones (Everton), David Luiz (Chelsea), Winston Reid (West Ham).
First manager sacked: David Moyes (Manchester United).

Phil Cole
Fulham fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham.
Dark horse: Liverpool.
Relegated: Crystal Palace, Hull, Southampton.
Star players: Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham), Juan Mata (Chelsea), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).
First manager sacked: Alan Pardew (Newcastle).

Hayden Meikle
Liverpool fan
Champion: Manchester City.
Best of the rest: Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham.
Dark horse: Fulham.
Relegated: Hull, Crystal Palace, West Brom.
Star players: Stevan Jovetic (Manchester City), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Juan Mata (Chelsea).
First manager sacked: Paul Lambert (Aston Villa).

Alistair Banks
Manchester City fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal.
Dark horse: Swansea.
Relegated: Hull, Stoke, Crystal Palace.
Star players: Jesus Navas (Manchester City), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United or Chelsea).
First manager sacked: Alan Pardew (Newcastle).

Ferg Campbell
Manchester United fan
Champion: Manchester City.
Best of the rest: Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham.
Dark horse: Swansea.
Relegated: Hull, Crystal Palace, Newcastle.
Star players: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Roberto Soldado (Spurs), Gareth Bale (Tottenham).
First manager sacked: Alan Pardew (Newcastle).

Kelly Lindsay
Tottenham fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Tottenham, Manchester City, Arsenal.
Dark horse: Cardiff.
Relegated: Stoke, Crystal Palace, Norwich.
Star players: Roberto Soldado (Tottenham), Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City), Robin van Persie (Manchester United).
First manager sacked: Alan Pardew (Newcastle).

Tony Mole
West Brom fan
Champion: Manchester City.
Best of the rest: Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton.
Dark horse: Sunderland.
Relegated: Stoke, Crystal Palace, Cardiff.
Star players: Nicolas Anelka (West Brom), Wilfried Bony (Swansea), Nacer Chadli (Tottenham).
First manager sacked: Martin Jol (Fulham), closely followed by David Moyes (Manchester United).

Steven Wicks
West Ham fan
Champion: Chelsea.
Best of the rest: Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United.
Dark horse: West Ham.
Relegated: Hull, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa.
Star players: Juan Mata (Chelsea), Andy Carroll (West Ham), Robin van Persie (Manchester United).
First manager sacked: Paul Lambert (Aston Villa).

 

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