Can Arsenal retain the Premier League title they won for the first time in 22 years last season? Time to dust off the crystal ball once more and have a crack at predicting where the 20 Premier League teams will finish this season. Having confidently announced the Premier League title was Liverpool's to lose last season, they then lost it quite spectacularly, resulting in manager Arne Slot's dismissal.

This season there are nine new managers in the top flight, making this season arguably the toughest set of predictions I've made.

Arsenal are in perfect shape to retain the crown - and I believe they will. Mikel Arteta's side have quality everywhere and will have the confidence of being champions. Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis showed they are additions of the highest quality as Arsenal dismantled Manchester City in the Community Shield. The easiest prediction of them all.

It is the start of a new era, with Enzo Maresca following arguably the greatest manager of the modern era, Pep Guardiola. Huge players and personalities have gone in the shape of Rodri, Bernardo Silva and John Stones, so there is a real sense of transition at Etihad Stadium.

Andoni Iraola has arrived from Bournemouth to restore some order after a dismal title defence last season. The start of the post-Mohamed Salah era will not be easy and Iraola's all-out, intense style may take time to bed in, but there is still lots of quality in Liverpool's squad and players such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak now know what life at Anfield is all about.

Can Chelsea go from 10th to title again? This is the first full season under Michael Carrick, who did so well to guide Manchester United back into the Champions League last season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim. A Champions League place and a trophy must be the aim for this season and I fully expect United to meet that challenge.

Unai Emery's outstanding work at Aston Villa continued when they won the Europa League and he took them back into the Champions League. This brilliant strategist can never be underestimated, but Villa's financial balancing act has led to the departures of key players Tielemans and Rogers.

The early weeks of the season are crucial for David Moyes and Everton to appease discontent supporters who felt last season's late collapse wasted an opportunity for European football.

How will Bournemouth cope without Iraola? How will his successor Marco Rose settle? These are the reasons I am predicting a Premier League drop-off for the Cherries - but would not be surprised to see this one defied.

Stats that show the Premier League is getting more competitive.