My 2022/23 EPL Predictions

Written by Lachlan Sherriff

A new Premier League season is upon us, and so today I’ve taken on the task of predicting where all twenty teams will end up. So let’s not waste any time and get straight into it.

So at twentieth I have AFC Bournemouth.

I won’t lie, I did have some trouble working out twentieth spot. In my eyes there isn’t a clear cut team that worse than everyone else. But someone has to finish bottom, and I’ve chosen Bournemouth. They’ve had a solid transfer window, signing Joe Rothwell from Blackburn, who’s proved he’s a great Championship player and will now be looking to keep up his form in the Prem. I’m also impressed by the signing of Ryan Fredericks from West Ham. The English right back has played in this league for four seasons now and while West Ham have lost use for him, I think he’s a great player for a relegation side. But with veteran Gary Cahill and youngster Zeno Ibsen Rossi both departing Bournemouth, a center back needs to be signed, and quickly. Nathaniel Phillips was loaned into the Cherries last Januray and now could have his deal made permanent. He showed that he was a Prem-quality center back in the 20/21 season with Liverpool, as he played seventeen times for the Reds while their main center backs all dealt with injuries. But if that falls through there are also links to Tottenham’s Japhet Tanganga, who I actually think is better than Phillips. Up front, Bournemouth’s success lies on Dominic Solanke. The once promising wonderkid has proven his worth in the Championship, but seems to struggle in the top flight, with only four goals in 63 PL matches throughout his career. But if he doesn’t work, Bournemouth fans can get excited about Welsh international Kieffer Moore. Signed in January, the striker was injured in his debut for Bournemouth and only played 83 minutes in his debut season. However he did score four times, so if he can stay healthy, there is clearly a player in there. Aside from that though, I’m not sure if there’s enough talent in this Bournemouth side to stay up. Some members of this squad have already been relegated with Bournemouth from the 2019/20 team, so I’m not sold on them, which is why I have put them twentieth.

At nineteenth I’ve got Fulham.

Fulham are an interesting case, they go down and then come straight back up. Most of this team has been relegated once, some even twice. Like they did after being promoted in 2018-19, Fulham have gone spending. João Palhinha has signed for 20 million Euros from Sporting CP. On the face of it this looks like a great signing, but I can see him not settling into life in the UK, or not having the fight for a relegation scrap, or both. Andreas Pereira has also signed for Fulham, and this just confuses me. He played for United for eight years and never settled, and after playing in his home country of Brazil last season, I’m not sure if he’ll settle back into living in England or playing in the Premier League. But Fulham might not be done yet. Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno is linked with a move to Fulham and if they get him, then Leno and Paulo Gazzaniga on the same team is great depth for a relegation side. Fulham also may boost their squad with Wolfsburg’s Kevin Mbabu and West Ham’s Issa Diop, who would both be great signings. Aleksandr Mitrovic is obviously the team’s best player, but he’s another one of those strikers who are elite in the Championship, and not as good as the Prem. But aside from that, none of these players get me too excited, and I think Fulham are gonna have a rough season, finishing in nineteenth.

And at eighteenth I have Leeds.

Leeds have lost their two best players in Kalvin Phillips and Raphinia, but Jesse Marsch has taken advantage of these funds. He’s signed two fellow Americans in Brendan Aaronsen and Tyler Adams, as well as two other midfielders in Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi. I think they’ll all succeed, as well as new winger Luis Sinisterra, but what worries me is the defense. Yes, they’ve just signed a right back in Rasmus Kristensen, but it’s not gonna be enough. Islan Meslier has potential, and I think he’d look better behind a better backline, but that’s not gonna happen. Junior Firpo has not convinced me whatsoever, and neither do any of the center halves. Also, Patrick Bamford is a decent player, but coming off an injury riddled season, I can’t see him scoring more than seven goals, and youngster Joe Gelhardt may overtake him. Leeds will cut it close, and it will come down to the final day, but I can see them getting relegated in eighteenth.

At seventeenth I have Everton.

Everton have gotten worse. They’ve been given Richarlison for €58.00m, and have not done one thing with it. Their blockbuster signing, if you can call it that, is James Tarkowski. I think Everton will start the season off okay, mainly due to Jordan Pickford fighting for his England place. But after the World Cup, I can see the Toffees being sluggish, and going on a ten game streak without winning. It’ll be tight, but there just seems to be too much talent to get relegated, and on the final day I think Everton will just make it out of the bottom three, finishing seventeenth.

At sixteenth I have Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham did not have a Premier League squad last season. Their most experienced EPL player last season in the Championship was Jack Colback, so that obviously had to change. The loan signing of Dean Henderson excites me. While it’s not working out for him at Man United, he was massive for Sheffield United in the 2019/20 season. Henderson took the Blades to ninth, and at one stage they were genuinely in the talk for Europe. Without him next season, Sheffield were relegated. Another signing from United also comes in, with controversial attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard joining on a free. He’ll do okay, but the key attacking signging is Taiwo Awoniyi, who scored fifteen goals in the Bundesliga last season with Union Berlin. Djed Spence will be missed, but both Neco Williams and Guilian Biancone can replace him, and Moussa Niakhate will also strengthen the defense. The original squad still slightly worries me, but this impressive transfer window should be enough to keep Nottingham up. I’m gonna put them sixteenth.

At fifteenth I’ve got Southampton.

It’ll just be another typical Southampton year really. Even if Armando Broja doesn’t return they’ve signed French forward Sekou Mara to replace him. Fraser Forster also departed the Saints after eight years, but I love his replacement in Gavin Bazunu from Man City. Bazunu just finished a successful loan spell at Portsmouth, and the Irishman now has a chance to make himself noticed in the EPL, as does his former Man City teammate Romeo Lavia, who may replace the aging Oriol Romeu at defensive midfield. Obviously James Ward-Prowse can provide goals with his set pieces, and after an inconsistent start at Southampton, I do think Che Adams finally has it in him to hit double digits in goals. Even though I’ve only put them a few spots above relegation, I don’t think the Saints will be in any serious danger, finishing in a respectable fifteenth.

At fourteenth I’ve got Brentford.

Brentford’s transfer window has impressed me. Aaron Hickey is a great signing, and I think he’ll be worth a huge fee in five years time, so for a smaller club like Brentford to snap him up is great business. Thomas Strakosha is also a great signing, as I believe he’s an upgrade on David Raya. Keane Lewis-Potter showed some promise, and while I’m not sure he’ll convert to the Premier League straight away, I think he’s a good signing for the future. Brentford will certainly miss Eriksen, but I think fellown Dane Mathias Jensen can take his role, and other players like Ivan Toney, Sergi Canos and Pontus Jannsen all have proven they can play a role in the Prem, which is why I’ve got the Bees finishing in fourteenth.

At thirteenth I have Wolves.

Wolves have one of the best defenses in the league, and probably the best outside the top six. That’s not their problem, it’s what happens higher up the field. On paper Wolves look like they have a good attack, but they seem to struggle actually putting the ball in the net. Raul Jiminez was once a great striker, but after that head knock he hasn’t been the same. Wolves only scored 38 goals last season, so it confuses me why they haven’t upgraded their attack. Sure they made Hwang Hee-Chan’s deal permanent, but he was on the team last season so nothing’s changed. Wolves have instead signed Nathan Collins from Burnley. I like Collins, and I think he’ll do well, but it does confuse me why Wolves have signed another center back as opposed to getting a goal scorer in the team. I think it’ll be another similar season for Wolves. They’ll defend hard, but their attack will let them down, and I have them finishing thirteenth.

At twelfth I’ve got Leicester City.

Not much has changed at Leicester over the summer. Ademola Lookman’s loan at Leicester has expired, while Dennis Praet’s loan at Torino is up and he’s now back with the Foxes. But everything else is the same, and I think the lack of change will hurt Leicester. Last season Leicester finished eighth, but were a long way from the team contending for Europe from the prior seasons. I think that the project at the King Power Stadium is slowly fading. It’s been one hell of a ride. They won the league, made the quarters in the UCL and then won the FA Cup and Community Shield, but I think those glory days might be over. I don’t think they’ll get relegated or anything, but I’m not convinced they’ll be fighting for Europe, and I have them finishing twelfth.

At eleventh I have Brighton.

Brighton had a good season last year, but it did require some luck. Brighton drew fifteen games last year, more than any other team. I do feel their luck will somewhat run out this year. Their attack definitely needs some strengthining, and in fairness they have worked on it. Striker Julio Enciso has signed for the Seagulls, but if he doesn’t work out then it just goes back to where it was, with an aging Danny Welbeck and an inconsistent Neal Maupay as the main source of goals. Brighton’s defense is good, but if Man City snap up Marc Cucurella then it would be weakened. Aside from him, Brighton need to rely on goalie Robert Sanchez, right back Tariq Lamptey and a good selection of center halves to keep the goals out. I think Brighton will have an okay season, but luck won’t be on their side, and I see them finishing in eleventh.

At tenth I have Crystal Palace.

I really enjoyed watching Palace last season. They were a young, enjoyable side to watch, managed by Arsenal legend Patrick Viera. Even though Conor Gallagher has completed his loan and moved back to Chelsea, I still have faith in this side to carve out a good campaign. Palace have bought in Cheick Doucouré, and while he’s a more defensive player then Gallagher, I do think he could replace him. A player who excites me at Palace right now is Odsonne Édouard. The Frenchman scored eight goals in his debut season last year and I certainly think he could take his game further this season. Throw in Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, two young talented stars who are only getting better, and Palace should be in for a good season. I’ve got them finishing tenth.

At ninth I have Aston Villa.

The way that Villa have spent the Jack Grealish money impresses me. Last season they signed Emmanuel Buendia, Leon Bailey, Lucas Digne and Danny Ings, and they’ve now continued this spending spree. After an impressive six month loan, Phillipe Coutinho joins the Villans for twenty million Euros, while fellow Brazillian Diego Carlos has also signed. Villa also flipped Matt Targett to Newcastle for seventeen million Euros, which I think was great business by Villa, especially considering his replacement Ludwig Augustinsson is in my opinion just as good. There has been some talk around the manager situation, but I think Steven Gerrard will come good. Remember, he won the SPFL with Rangers in 2021. There’s clearly a talented manager in there, and I think it’ll show this season, as Gerrard leads Villa to a very promising ninth place.

At eighth I have Newcastle.

Newcastle are preparing for their first season as the richest club in the world. They’ve been sensible with their money in the transfer window, ignoring big names and instead going for smart, reasonable signings. Sven Botman has joined from Lille, and I personally can see that working out great. Matt Targett has joined on a permanent deal, and Nick Pope has also signed for the Magpies. I really like the signing of Pope, he’s a great keeper and to get him for ten million Euros was a bargain. The one thing I think Newcastle should upgrade is a striker. Chris Wood and Callum Wilson are both decent but it’s definitely a position that could be improved on, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a striker arrive at St. James Park in January. But the rest of the team seems great. With Allan Saint-Maxamin on the wing, Bruno Guimares in midfield and Kieran Trippier at the back the Magpies can certainly finish in the top half. I’m gonna put them eighth.

At seventh I have West Ham.

I'm not fully convinced about West Ham’s signings this window. They’ve signed Nayef Aguerd from Stade Rennais for 35 million, but he’s already gotten injured so suddenly that signing becomes a risk. Flynn Downes has signed from Swansea but he probably won’t get in the current side, though definitely could be one for the future. They’ve also made Alphonso Areola’s deal permanent, and that was only for 9.3 mill, which is good business from the Hammers. As for the rest of the team, it’s okay. Obviously there are bright spots like Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen, but the rest of the team isn’t quite at the same quality as those two. Michail Antonio remains the main striker for West Ham, but they also are linked to Armando Broja, who would be an upgrade over the Jamaican international. All in all, the Hammers have a good side, but I don’t think it tops anyone in the Big Six, which is why I have them finishing seventh.

At sixth I have Arsenal.

This take is definitely gonna anger a few Gunners fans. I think Arsenal are a good team, but I’m not fully convinced. For one, I think they lack the starpower that other teams have. It’s a good team, but there isn’t one true superstar who you can rely on on a tough day. For another, Mikel Arteta still can put out tactics that are questionable at best, though he has definitely improved from when he started. I also think Arsenal have done well in the transfer window. Gabriel Jesus offers some proper goal scoring threat, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is an upgrade on Nuno Tavares and offers Kieran Tierney some proper competition. Fabio Vieira is also a great signing, although I am slightly concerned how he’ll adjust to the physicality of the Premier League. What I do think will happen at the Emirates is a truly world class season for Bukayo Saka, as he truly inserts himself as one of the best players of the upcoming era. But the top six is so strong right now that a great team may have to finish in sixth, and for me that will be Arsenal. So my final prediction is that the Gunners take a step back and finish in sixth place.

At fifth I have Man United.

I could see United getting top four. Ten Hag clearly knows what he’s doing and while you can’t always judge off of friendlies, they have looked good this preseason. Jadon Sancho is starting to return to his Borussia Dortmund form, while Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial look the best they have in years. United have also strengthened their defense. Lisandro Martinez has worked under Ten Hag before, and Tyrell Malacia for only fifteen million Euros was also great business. Christian Eriksen also joins the Red Devils, and he now becomes one of United’s main midfielders along with Bruno Fernandes, Fred and maybe even Donny van de Beek. Obviously the whole Cristiano Ronaldo drama is causing a headache, and whether he stays or leaves will be an interesting situation to monitor. I’m not sure how to predict United this season. If they make the top four I wouldn’t be surprised, but there definitely is a bit of uncertainty on how they will perform, so instead I’m gonna put them fifth.

At fourth I have Chelsea.

Chelsea are beginning a new era. For the first time since 2003, Roman Abromovich won’t be the owner of Chelsea. Instead this will be American Todd Boehly, who’s been dealt a rough card. Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen both expressed their desire to leave the club, and the former Chelsea duo will now be rivals in El Clasico next season. Kalidou Koulibaly comes in to replace one of them, but there’s still a hole in that defense which won’t be filled by Jules Kounde, who rejected the Blues. Maybe Trevoh Chalobah or Malanga Sarr will step up, but as for now that’s a huge worry. The forward half is also interesting. There’s a lot of great attackers but no true out and out striker. Timo Werner is the closest thing Chelsea have to that but we know his history in front of goal. Chelsea have signed Raheem Sterling, and I think this is a chance for him to get back to his strongest form. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw him up there in the golden boot race. Chelsea could really finish anywhere from the 1-6 range, but with all the holes in their team I can’t see them contending for the title. Instead I have them finishing fourth.

At third I have Tottenham.

Tottenham are building a really special team. Obviously Antonio Conte knew he had to make signings, and he’s really gotten in everyone he wanted. Ivan Perisic has worked under Conte before, while Clement Lenglet gets The Lilywhites the left footed center back they need. Spurs have also bought in EPL proven talent in Richarlsion and Yves Bissouma, and Nottingham’s promotion hero Djed Spence has joined from Middlesbourough. Hueng Min-Son and Harry Kane obviously lead the attack, but they’re now given help from Richarlison, who scored ten goals for Everton last year. Throw in Dejan Kuluveski and Lucas Moura and it’s a pretty good attack. The defense also looks nice, with Lenglet joining Cristian Romero and Eric Dier as center halves. Tottenham’s main weakness is their midfield, but even that isn’t awful, with Bissouma joining Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur. This Spurs squad has impressed me ever since Conte joined, and now with the new signings I can see them finishing even higher, ending the season in third.

At second I have Liverpool.

Liverpool have had a busy transfer window. Squad players like Takumi Minamino and Neco Williams have left, but Klopp’s bought replacements in Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsey. Cult hero Divock Origi has also left, but the biggest loss will be Liverpool legend Sadio Mane leaving for Bayern Munich. His replacement is Uruguyan striker Darwin Nunez. Nunez has had his ups and downs this preseason, looking uncertain at times but also scoring four goals against RB Leipzig. Playing with him up front will be Mo Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino. As usual Liverpool’s defense looks great with Virgil Van Dijk leading a strong center back group that also features Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez. Allison remains in goal, and Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the full-backs, though Kostas Tsimikas has also looked great at left back. Liverpool once again look strong, but strong enough to win the league? I don’t see it. I’ve got the Reds finishing second.

And finally I have Manchester City finishing first.

Man City are tearing up the league. Even without a proper striker, Man City won the league last year. Now they have a proper striker. Erling Haaland has scored more goals than games played. The Norweigan striker is perfectly tailor made for City, and he’s not the only one. Julian Alvarez is another forward who could play up top for the Citizens, and some are calling him the next Sergio Aguero. Fernandinho has left City, and while the Brazillian will be missed, Pep has signed his replacement in Kalvin Phillips, and also a Zack Steffen upgrade in Stefan Ortega. As for the players from last year’s City team, where do you even start? Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and numerous more talented players everywhere you look. Whether they break the Champions League drought, that’s another story, but they should run away with the league. I predict the Citizens to win their fifth PL title in six years.

Awards

PFA Player of the Year: Mohamed Salah

Golden Boot: Mohamed Salah (26 goals)

Golden Glove: Ederson (16 clean sheets)

PFA Young Player of the Year: Bukayo Saka