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Predicted Final EPL Table: Liverpool Top And Spurs To Finish Above Chelsea And Arsenal

The 2022/23 Premier League season is just days away and we have now had a look at all 20 teams in their friendly games.

It is that time of year when predictions are made that will more than likely make us look silly at the end of May.

Anyway, here goes...

Predicted EPL 2022/23 Final Table

20. Brentford

Brentford were sinking fast before Christian Eriksen arrived to rescue them last season.

Prior to Eriksen's first start for the Bees in February, Thomas Frank's side had lost eight of their last nine games.

Of the 10 matches Eriksen started, Brentford won seven. Now that he has left, expect their slide to resume.

Christian Eriksen pictured playing for Brentford in May 2022

We expect Brentford to struggle following the departure of Christian Eriksen

19. Fulham

The ultimate yoyo club are back in the Premier League but get your tickets fast because they probably won't be here for long.

Fulham are an excellent team in the Championship but they are not quite good enough to play the same free-flowing brand of soccer in the EPL.

Teams will relish the chance to take on Fulham in open and entertaining games. A third relegation in five seasons looks very likely.

18. Bournemouth

Bournemouth have similar DNA to Fulham. They are managed by Scott Parker, who was in charge of Fulham when they were relegated in 2021.

The Cherries also fall into that limbo category of 'too good for the EFL but not good enough for the EPL'.

Without significant investment in the coming weeks, it is hard to make a case for Bournemouth to stay up.

17. Everton

Everton came scarily close to suffering their first relegation since 1951 last season but a run of three wins in five games in May saw them survive.

Richarlison scored three goals and provided one assist during that five-game spurt. Without him, the Toffees would have been goners for sure.

The Brazilian has since left to join Spurs and it looks highly unlikely that Everton will be able to sign a replacement of equal ability.

Everton, who lost 4-0 to Minnesota United in their second pre-season friendly, are in for another tough year.

Frank Lampard looks dejected while watching Everton's 3-2 loss at Burnley in April 2022

It could be a difficult season for Everton manager Frank Lampard

16. Leeds

Like Everton, Leeds have lost some serious star power. Kalvin Phillips has gone to Manchester City, while Raphinha is now a Barcelona player.

But Jesse Marsch has made some smart signings this summer and is steadily building a team that is truly his.

Leeds should pick up enough points from the teams around them to stay up.

15. Nottingham Forest

Forest have not been a Premier League team since 1999 and they could well struggle in the first half of the season as their current squad is among the weakest in the league on paper.

But owner Evangelos Marinakis is not going to let his team go down quietly. Marinakis recently agreed to pay Jesse Lingard a reported weekly wage of close to £200,000 per week.

If Forest appear to be in trouble in January, don't be surprised to see Marinakis make another statement signing that could be enough to save them.

14. Southampton

Southampton are a team that on their day can beat anyone in the Premier League.

But they are horribly inconsistent and recent history tells us that they are also the EPL side most likely to lose 9-0 - having done so twice under current manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

A lack of squad depth is a big issue for the Saints, who are only a couple of big injuries away from being relegation contenders.

13. Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have been one of the most consistent Premier League teams over the last decade.

This will be Palace's 10th straight season in the EPL and they have ended each of the last nine with between 41 and 49 points.

Palace's average league finish during that time has been 13th. As long as Wilfried Zaha does not leave in August, they should end up in that ballpark again.

Wilfried Zaha scores from the penalty spot for Crystal Palace in a 3-0 win over Arsenal in April 2022

Wilfried Zaha is Crystal Palace's main man

12. Brighton

Brighton ended 2021/22 as the ninth best team in England following the best season in the club's history.

One suspects that from ninth the only way will be down for Brighton, especially after selling key man Yves Bissouma, while Marc Cucurella also looks likely to leave.

But Graham Potter is a good enough manager to keep the Seagulls out of trouble.

11. Wolves

Wolves are a well-drilled outfit that can be very hard to beat and should be competitive in enough games to stay well clear of the drop zone.

But don't expect any fireworks from this team.

No Wolves player has scored more than six goals in all competitions in either of the last two seasons.

10. Aston Villa

Aston Villa will be dangerous opponents for anyone this season.

Steven Gerrard's team is packed full of attacking talent, from full-backs Matty Cash and Lucas Digne, to creators like Emiliano Buendia, Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey, to goal-getters in Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins.

A finish among the European places is certainly possible if perhaps not necessarily likely.

Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring for Aston Villa against Leeds

Philippe Coutinho is just one of many exciting attacking players at Aston Villa

9. West Ham

West Ham may have lost talismanic captain Mark Noble to retirement but no player from their strongest XI has departed this summer.

Meanwhile, the Hammers have bolstered their attacking ranks with the signing of Italy striker Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo.

On their day, West Ham are arguably the seventh best team in England, but another European campaign could hamper their league form and see them fall just short of that place.

8. Newcastle

It has perhaps been a quieter summer than many expected from Newcastle, considering the club's spending potential.

But though the new owners have invested modestly, Newcastle appear to have made well-considered additions by bringing in Matt Targett, Sven Botman and Nick Pope.

Newcastle had already made major improvements in January, which saw them win 12 of their last 18 EPL games last season, after winning just one of their first 20.

The new owners have made it clear that they have big ambitions but intend to grow step by step. After ending last season in 11th, an eighth-place finish should be enough to keep fans on board... for now.

7. Leicester

With four weeks to go in the window, Leicester have yet to make a single signing.

But the Foxes still look well placed to improve on last season's EPL campaign, which was negatively impacted by their continental exertions in the Europa League and Europa Conference League.

A note of caution though: James Maddison needs to stay at the King Power Stadium all season. If he is sold, Leicester could easily finish in the bottom half.

Brendan Rodgers watches on as his Leicester City side beat Randers in the 2021/22 Europa Conference League

Having no European distractions could help Leicester have a better season domestically

6. Man United

United must be better than last season, which was the club's worst in the Premier League era.

But they might not be that much better because on the eve of the new campaign United are faced with a painfully familiar issue as one of their star players wants to leave.

This time it is not Paul Pogba, but Cristiano Ronaldo who is keen to escape Old Trafford.

Ronaldo was United's leading scorer last season but Erik ten Hag cannot rely on the wantaway 37-year-old to deliver 24 goals again.

Expect another soap opera season at Old Trafford but Ten Hag should get things in order with time, though a top-four finish seems unlikely on this occasion.

5. Arsenal

Arsenal fans are getting excited after a summer of solid spending, but we have been here before.

The Gunners have bought well. New signing Gabriel Jesus has scored seven goals in five pre-season games, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is a big improvement at left-back.

Expect Arsenal to look great at times this season, but struggle when 'plan A' fails and ultimately fall just short of the top-four.

Mikel Arteta's midfield still needs work if Arsenal are to be truly taken seriously at the very top of the table.

Gabriel Jesus pictured celebrating a goal on his first Arsenal appearance at the Emirates Stadium - against Sevilla in July 2022

Gabriel Jesus has been on fire for Arsenal in pre-season

4. Chelsea

Chelsea ended last season dismally on the pitch due to distractions caused by the club's off-field affairs.

But a multi-billion-pound takeover has steadied the ship and allowed Thomas Tuchel to start rebuilding his squad, after losing Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Romelu Lukaku this summer.

The rebuild is not complete. Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly are fine additions but Chelsea may need more yet to make sure of a fifth consecutive top-four finish.

3. Tottenham

Antonio Conte's thinly-veiled complaints about a lack of squad depth last season have been emphatically responded to by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy this summer.

Spurs have had one of their most impressive transfer windows this decade, bringing in specialist wing-backs on both flanks, a dominating central midfielder and an understudy to Harry Kane.

Conte has proven in the past that if you give him what he wants, he will deliver the required results.

A title challenge may be a bridge too far this season, but expect Spurs to build on last season's fourth-placed finish.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy pictured attending his club's final game of the 2021/22 season

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been a busy man this summer

2. Man City

Manchester City have won four Premier League titles in the last five years but they are far from nailed-on to lift the trophy again in May 2023.

City needed to record the sixth-highest EPL points tally of all time to pip Liverpool by a margin of just one point last season.

It is likely that City will need to reach a similar level this season, which means they cannot afford to blink.

New frontman Erling Haaland, as good as he is, is not a typical Pep Guardiola player. The Norwegian goal-machine is not programmed to press or take part in patient link-up play. He is not a player who naturally fits the mould created by Guardiola.

Therefore, either Haaland or Guardiola will have to change. And change takes time.

Haaland will almost certainly be a hit at City eventually but if it doesn't click from day one it could be advantage Liverpool in the title race.

Erling Haaland pictured shooting during the 2022 Community Shield game between Manchester City and Liverpool

It may take time for Erling Haaland and Manchester City to get used to each other

1. Liverpool

Liverpool came close to becoming the first ever English club to win the quadruple last season but ultimately ended up with only the EFL Cup and FA Cup to show for their remarkable efforts.

Jurgen Klopp's side won 92 Premier League points in 2021/22, having picked up 97 in 2018/19 and 99 in 2019/20. So one has to fancy them to go above the 90-point mark again.

If they do, it could well be enough to see them top the table ahead of City, especially if Haaland's arrival causes tactical teething problems.

Liverpool laid down a marker for the new season by beating City 3-1 in the Community Shield. The Reds were the much better side in that game too.

Liverpool's players pictured celebrating after winning the 2022 Community Shield

Liverpool beat Man City to win the Community Shield and could well pip them to the EPL title too