Louis van Gaal has arrived at Old Trafford, Luis Suarez has left Anfield, and Manchester City and Chelsea have spent big again - so with the new Premier League season just days away from kick- off, here are my predictions for where each team will finish. The selection of Chelsea as champions is made with some conviction after manager Jose Mourinhos summer in the transfer market - but choosing who will fill the other Champions League places has never been more difficult. So much so that the eventual finishing positions of those in contention - assuming champions Manchester City finish in the top two - may well come down to the deals done by Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal before the transfer window closes at the end of August. At this stage you would hesitate to risk a penny with any confidence on who will finish third, fourth or fifth. The fight for survival will be a scrap as well. The Premier League will be more competitive than ever. The new top-flight season will be discussed throughout Wednesday in Sportsday. Use the hashtag #plpredictions to discuss where you think teams will finish and look out for a series of votes about the Premier League. CHELSEA (Champions) Chelsea bought Spain team-mates Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas this summer for a combined £62m I tipped them for the title last year when Mourinho returned but the lack of a goalscorer - and narrow defeats at places such as Aston Villa and Crystal Palace - ended their hopes. Now that Diego Costa has arrived from Atletico Madrid and Cesc Fabregas is back in the Premier League I believe they will put that right and Mourinho will be a Premier League champion once more. Last season: Third MANCHESTER CITY (Runners-up) Deserved champions last season despite not being at their superlative best for all of the campaign - an indicator of just how much quality is in manager Manuel Pellegrinis squad. Yaya Toure seems to have got over his hissy fit about his lack of a birthday cake and Eliaquim Mangala has arrived from Porto in a £32m deal, as well as Bacary Sagna on a free from Arsenal, to strengthen their defence. It will be interesting to see whether Willy Caballero emerges as a serious challenger to Joe Hart in goal and how much Frank Lampard figures. City will be in the top two once more - but they will face a fierce challenge from Chelsea to hold on to their title. Last season: Champions MANCHESTER UNITED (Third) New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal made former caretaker boss Ryan Giggs his assistant The David Moyes experiment was a dismal failure so United have gone for vast experience and a proven track record in Louis van Gaal, fresh from taking the Netherlands to the World Cup semi-final. Do not expect United to be on the outside looking in at the top-four fight again this season - but it will still be intriguing to see what Van Gaal can get out of a squad that looked in serious need of renewal last season. Ander Herrera will provide class in midfield and Luke Shaw youthful quality at left-back, but United need to add authority in central defence (would you trust Chris Smalling and Phil Jones against opposition of the highest calibre?) and in central midfield. Van Gaal must also get the attacking partnership of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie moving smoothly. Not title contenders just yet - there may yet be world-class additions before the transfer deadline that could change that, of course - but do not expect any repeat of the misery Old Trafford suffered under Moyes. Last season: Seventh LIVERPOOL (Fourth) The start of a wonderful new Anfield era or the great missed opportunity? Time will tell how Liverpools fatal faltering with the Premier League in their own hands last season will eventually be viewed. There will be no more Luis Suarez, who has taken his magnificent talent but desperately flawed personality to Barcelona, but manager Brendan Rodgers has been investing heavily to ensure a 31-goal void is filled. This will mean more responsibility for Daniel Sturridge but Rickie Lambert will hope to weigh in with his share of goals if he gets the chance, while another Southampton import Adam Lallana will be a creator when fit, along with £20m winger Lazar Markovic from Benfica. Liverpool under Brendan Rogers In Rodgerss first season in charge, Liverpool finished seventh with 61 points, winning 16 league matches, losing nine and scoring 71 goals. Last season they finished second, with 23 points mor
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 13:23:39 +0000