It’s that time of year again folks where I go out on the proverbial limb and make my predictions for the Premiership season.

Regular readers will know that my football radar has been known to throw up a few false readings over the years, but this time I believe that a football-free summer has enabled me to fine tune it quite nicely.

You might not like my thoughts. You might not agree with them. But I genuinely believe they will turn out to be spot on come next May. Well, almost spot on.

So, without any further ado, here they are.

Arsenal

Maybe I am an old fool, but somehow I just can’t shake this nagging feeling that Arsene Wenger has another trick up his sleeve. The departure of Henry has been seen by many as a major blow. However, I think it might be just what Wenger’s wonder kids need to allow them to fully come out of their shells. As good as the Frenchman was, there was always a feeling that he stole the limelight. Now they can all flourish and I have a sneaky suspicion this will be their year. Nobody else seems to give them a chance. And I think that lack of pressure will be the key to their triumph.

Key Man: Robin van Persie

Final Position: Champions

Aston Villa

When Randy Learner bought the club, the world very much appeared to be their oyster. With Martin O’Neill in charge and a few billion pounds in the bank, Villa fans must have thought it would be the dawn of a beautiful new era in the club’s history. Sadly, Randy has proved tighter than a seal’s bottom in terms of splashing the cash. Don’t get me wrong, they have spent. But at nowhere near the levels the fans expected. Having said that, the second half of last season they showed some promise and a place in Europe might not be out of reach.

Key Man: Stiliyan Petrov

Final Position: 8th

Birmingham

Bouncing back to the Premiership at the first attempt is never an easy job, but Steve Bruce proved he has got plenty of managerial talent by doing just that. Staying there may prove to be an entirely trickier proposition though. Their situation will not be helped by the club’s new owner who already looks like he fancies interfering in team selection, prompting Bruce to threaten to leave if that happens. A difficult season in store for Birmingham – one that I believe will end in failure.

Key Man: Gary McSheffrey

Final Position: 18th

Blackburn

I have no doubt that Mark Hughes is destined for bigger and better things. Over the last few seasons he has built a Blackburn side that are hard to beat, determined of character and often a pleasure to watch. And he has gone about it the job quietly and with little fuss. They will probably be in the shake-up for European places again this year. But, sadly for the Ewood Park faithful, that success will cost them dear with Hughes leaving for a more glamorous job.

Key Man: David Bentley

Final Position: 7th

Bolton

There can be no doubt that Bolton have over-achieved over the past few years thanks, in no small way, to Sam Allardyce’s magnificent management skills. But Big Sam has gone and while Little Sammy Lee will try to emulate his predecessor’s success, I just can’t see them being the force they have been in recent years. They have, however, kept some key players like Nolan, Diouf and Anelka so they shouldn’t really struggle to stay afloat.

Key Man: Nicolas Anelka

Final Position: 12th

Chelsea

Now here is a club with a point to prove. Losing out on the title last season must have stung like hell and even the two cups they did win will have been scant consolation for being dethroned as champions. Whether or not they can win it back depends very much on whether or not players like Ballack and Schevchenko can find the form we all know they are capable of. Starting the season with so many injuries will not help but this is a club that has nothing if it doesn’t have strength in depth. Expect the new, improved, mellow Jose Mourinho to revert to the old irritating, opinionated, arrogant version by a week today. Ultimately, I think their brand of functional football will be left wanting.

Key Man: Frank Lampard

Final Position: 3rd

Derby

Billy Davies has performed miracles over at Pride Park. He took over a team that narrowly avoided relegation to League One the season before and guided them to the promised land of the Premiership. But, I am afraid, that is where the miracles will end. I just can’t see anything other than the Rams bringing up the rear this season in a Watford-like plunge back to the Championship. Survival is not impossible, just highly improbable.

Key Man: Robert Earnshaw

Final Position: 20th

Everton

The best thing David Moyes did this summer was sell James Beattie to Sheffield United. We needed him. But otherwise Everton’s summer transfer activity has been unremarkable. Leighton Baines will fill the troublesome left-back slot nicely while Steven Pienaar could be the bargain signing of the season if he regains his old form. A lot will depend on Andy Johnson continuing to shine up front but I genuinely believe any team which insists on playing a lone striker will never really hit great heights.

Key Man: Andy Johnson

Final Position: 6th

Fulham

All Fulham need to do now is change their kit to green and play their home matches in Belfast. New manager Lawrie Sanchez has shown that he has plenty of faith in the Northern Ireland team he used to coach by buying most of it. For the first time in many years, owner Mohammed Al Fayed has put his money where his not inconsiderable mouth is and backed his manager in the transfer market. It won’t be enough to see them flying high, but it should be sufficient to ensure safety somewhat earlier than last season.

Key Man: Jimmy Bullard

Final Position:15th

Liverpool

There is something about the current Liverpool side that makes me uneasy. There is no doubt they have plenty of quality players and Rafa Benitez has added to the squad very nicely during the close season. But any manager that makes someone of Steven Gerrard’s talent play out of position, no matter how infrequently, is not getting the best out of his players. A lot of people believe this could be Liverpool’s season to finally regain the title. I believe it won’t. Cup success maybe, but sadly no more than also-rans in terms of the Premiership.

Key Man: Fernando Torres

Final Position: 4th

Man City

The odds on Manchester City winning the title this year are 1,000-1. And I think that has got to be worth a tenner of anyone’s money. Sven may be the least appealing international manager it has ever been my misfortune to see in charge of England. But he is also one of the most successful managers ever in domestic terms. He has spent big and well on a whole new team at Eastlands and I have a sneaky feeling they could be this season’s surprise package. If not, then top-half of the table at least.

Key Man: Rolando Bianchi

Final Position:9th

Man United

There’s a simple truth about last year’s champions that leads me to believe they won’t retain their title: defensive frailties. In midfield and attack United have the most awesome array of talent in England and, quite possibly, Europe. Ronaldo, Nani, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Hargreaves, Scholes, Saha. Truly awesome. But when it comes to defence they are a brittle as frozen glass. Vidic is quality but Rio is so wrapped up in his own ego he has forgotten too many of the basics. On top of that there is no strength in depth in the back four with the likes of O’Shea and Brown on the bench. Having said that, I do expect United to perhaps go all the way in the Champions League by way of consolation.

Key Man: Wayne Rooney

Final Position: 2nd

Middlesbrough

Here’s an idea. To celebrate keeping your team up in your first season in charge, go and sell the one man who is capable of helping you do the same next time round. Offloading Mark Viduka to Newcastle and replacing him with Jeremy Aliadiere could be Gareth Southgate’s downfall. A lot will depend on whether Woodgate stays fit long enough to take care of the defence. Which he probably won’t. They will survive but they won’t impress.

Key Man: Jonathan Woodgate

Final Position: 16th

Newcastle

The biggest question mark hanging over Sam Allardyce and his Newcastle side is how many players will they have fit at any one time. The St James injury curse has shown itself again this season before a competitive ball has been kicked. Owen, Given, Ameobi and Barton are all on the treatment table and Big Sam has not been given anything like the cash he was expecting to take Newcastle up the table. I sincerely believe Big Sam can make the Toon into a Champions League challenging side, but equally I doubt it will happen this season.

Key Man: Joey Barton

Final Position: 10th

Portsmouth

Harry Redknapp has exceeded himself in the transfer market this season with more wheeling and dealing than you normally find on the stock exchange. But the thing about Harry is he very rarely gets it wrong. Having said that, last season I think they over-achieved a bit and may find mid-table mediocrity a bit more realistic this season. They should be helped though, as any club would, by the departure of Andy Cole. Especially when he was replaced by a man who does know how to hit a barn door from two feet in David Nugent.

Key Man: Sol Campbell

Final Position: 11th

Reading

Another team that played above their status last season. Losing Steve Sidwell to Chelsea where he will be a key member of the reserves this year is a big blow to a Reading team that hasn’t really gone to town in the transfer market either. However, in Steve Coppell they have the most under-rated English manager of his generation and I very must doubt they will really struggle.

Key Man: Kevin Kyle

Final Position: 14th

Sunderland

What Roy has achieved at Sunderland is little short of stunning. He took over a side at the foot of the Championship and guided them to automatic promotion in his first season as a manager. However, a lot of that was down to his character – he drove an average bunch of players on and made them believe in themselves. Roy hasn’t added many real stars to his squad, although buying the country’s most expensive goalkeeper may prove a masterstroke. They should stay up despite having Kieran Richardson in the side.

Key Man: Craig Gordon

Final Position: 17th

Tottenham

Martin Jol is, according to reports, a hugely loved manager amongst football folk. He is, apparently, just an incredibly likeable, friendly and all round nice guy. But that doesn’t necessarily make you successful. In Bent, Berbatov, Keane and Defoe, Spurs have arguably got one of the top two or three strike forces in the league and that strength in depth will prove crucial over the course of a season. However, I still think they haven’t quite got enough about them to break into the top four. But it could be the season when they finally win some silverware in the form of a cup.

Key Man: Dimitar Berbatov

Final Position: 5th

West Ham

It’s very hard for me to write anything nice about the club that cheated their way to Premier League survival at the Blades’ expense. Having said that, as much as I dislike the Hammers I have a lot of time for Alan Curbishley and I think he has made some excellent signings since he has been in charge at Upton Park. Then again, by virtue of cheating relegation and having billionaire owners, he has had plenty of money to spend.

It could, however, take a while for all the new players to gel and this might not be a fantastic season for them although nothing like as bad as last year.

Key Man: Dean Ashton.

Final Position: 13th

Wigan

There are a few phrases which spring to mind when I think about Wigan’s prospects for this season. “Bye-bye”, “farewell” and “so long” are three of them. For the vast majority of last season Wigan were considerably worse than Sheffield United but managed to stay up due to a combination of Sheffield Untied imploding on the last day of the season and some clever management by Paul Jewell. But United have gone and so has Paul Jewell along with a number of their better players. It’s going to be Championship football for the JJB stadium in 2008.

Key Man: Emile Heskey

Final Position: 19th

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