The new Premier League season: Player predictions
The world’s most well-known football league, the English Premier League, opened the new season last weekend, so it’s only fair to rub the crystal ball and predict which players would shine the most this term.
Best goal scorer
At this point, of course, all eyes turn towards Erling Braut Haaland. The Norwegian striker tallied an impressive 36 goals in the previous league season. He began the new season on a high note, finding the net just 4 minutes into the match against Burnley and adding another goal 32 minutes later.
It seems very likely that the Manchester City star will not be matched by anyone in the top scorer table this season. This is particularly true given the absence of Harry Kane, who was a consistent performer for Tottenham Hotspur over numerous years but has now transferred to Bayern Munich in Germany.
It will certainly be interesting to watch how Newcastle United’s center-forward Alexander Isak’s season unfolds. The Swede joined the Saudi Arabian-owned club midway through last season and scored a whopping 10 goals in 22 Premier League appearances. Like Haaland, Isak commenced the weekend by netting two goals, leaving Aston Villa in a state of frustration.
Best playmaker
The midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne formed a remarkable partnership with Haaland in the previous season. The Belgian playmaker notched up 16 assists in the Premier League, surpassing the 12 assists achieved by Liverpool’s hero Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard.
Undoubtedly, De Bruyne retains the top spot as the favorite in this ranking for the current season. However, even one of the world’s finest midfielders was left without a contribution against Burnley. It’s worth noting that the Central European player had to be substituted in the 23rd minute due to an injury.
Simultaneously, it’s evident that forecasting the leader of the assists table is notably trickier compared to predicting top goal scorers. Frequently, the margins are narrower, and numerous clubs have multiple players endowed with exceptional passing vision and precision.
However, should we delve into other notable names alongside De Bruyne, we find figures like Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison, Mohamed Salah, and perhaps even someone like Liverpool’s versatile player, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Best goalkeepers
In the previous season, Manchester United’s goalkeeper David de Gea displayed brilliance in the Premier League, with opponents failing to breach his defense in a remarkable 17 matches. Given the season’s span of 38 matches, the Spanish goalkeeper’s performance was truly praiseworthy! Following De Gea were Alisson (14, Liverpool), Nick Pope (13, Newcastle), and Aaron Ramsdale (13, Arsenal).
It’s evident that the goalkeeper of the top club often accumulates the highest number of clean sheets. This implies that Ederson, City’s primary goalkeeper, has already secured a one-game advantage over his rivals. Of course, due credit to Bernd Leno (Fulham) and Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace) as well, both of whom also managed to maintain clean sheets over the weekend.
While it might sound unexciting, Ederson could very well be the frontrunner for clean sheets this season. The face of City has not changed between the two seasons, and their defensive lineup continues to stand strong. Moreover, Ederson Teps is by no means a bad goalkeeper.
The fact that City dominates ball possession also works in favor of the Brazilian goalkeeper, as it makes opponents less likely to pose a threat.
Considering last season, it’s worth noting Manchester United’s solid defense. However, with de Gea’s departure, the trio of Tom Heaton, André Onana, and Dean Henderson don’t quite evoke the same level of confidence as the Spaniard did.
Pope’s prospects shouldn’t be underestimated either. Both City and Newcastle were standout defensive teams in the previous season, conceding a mere 33 goals. Furthermore, the core of Newcastle’s defensive lineup remains intact this season.
