Premier League preview 2024-25: Can Arsenal dethrone history-chasing Man City?

Euro 2024, the Copa America and an absorbing Olympics tournament all caught the eye throughout the English top flight's off-season, but now it is back to grab the limelight.

From Friday August 16 through to Sunday May 25, 2025, a total of 380 matches will ultimately determine the final Premier League standings, and which of the 20 teams will claim top spot.

The crown is Manchester City's to lose, and they are now aiming for an unprecedented fifth successive title, so ahead of their latest defence, Sports Mole looks forward to the 2024-25 season.

MAN CITY SEEK FIVE

Bestriding English football with absolute dominance, Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City side have won the Premier League in each of the last four seasons - a run of success that no top-flight team have ever managed before.

Over the last seven years, only once have they missed out - back in the pandemic-scarred 2019-20 campaign, when Liverpool had to win 26 of their first 27 matches to see off City's challenge.

Although Julian Alvarez has departed and Kevin De Bruyne's fitness struggles are all the more frequent, Guardiola's squad looks strong as ever before embarking on their latest quest for trophies.

Perhaps they might struggle for motivation, though - or could a potential punishment for breaking the Premier League's financial rules finally scupper their plans?

Some 115 charges still hang over them, with a long-awaited hearing slated for late autumn - nearly two years after they were first reported. If found guilty, City could face a points deduction or even - albeit unlikely - expulsion from the top flight.

Of course, the club hierarchy denies wrongdoing, and Guardiola's talented squad are already adept at tuning out white noise and holding their closest rivals at arm's length.

TOP FOUR RACE - OR POSSIBLY FIVE?

While Arsenal and Liverpool in particular will believe they can wrest the title away from City's iron grasp, should they fail to post at least 90 points that aim will surely come to naught once again.

Instead, they may be embroiled in the familiar race for a top-four finish; but if English clubs fare better in Europe than last season, five Champions League places could yet be up for grabs.

Arsenal's attempt to go one better than the past two years will face a series of early tests, as they soon face City and old foes Tottenham Hotspur in successive matches, while playing three of last year's top five within the first few weeks.

Again bolstered by new signings, Mikel Arteta's men are further along in their development than Liverpool, who will hope to avoid a post-Jurgen Klopp downturn, such as suffered by David Moyes at Manchester United or Unai Emery at Arsenal.

New boss Arne Slot is intent on toning down Klopp's heavy-metal football and keeping control in the Guardiola style, but that may take some adjusting to amid a transitional phase for the Merseyside club.

They come together with United for a high-stakes contest at Old Trafford just before the first international break, and that could prove instructive as to either side's direction of travel under their respective Dutch coaches.

A surprise entrant in last term's top four, Aston Villa have a tough task ahead if they are to replicate a remarkable 2023-24 campaign that also saw the Birmingham club reach a European semi-final.

Losing midfield schemer Douglas Luiz and the addition of Champions League football could prove too much to handle, but Unai Emery is suitably qualified for the challenge.

Other contenders might therefore enter the mix, and Chelsea - under Enzo Maresca, who won the Championship with Leicester City last season - may well be among them.

The Blues flattered to deceive under former boss Mauricio Pochettino, and after finishing outside the top four in successive seasons, much will now rest on Maresca skilfully managing a huge squad assembled in an apparently scattergun manner.

Tottenham's first year of 'Angeball' ended with a fifth-placed finish, as they narrowly failed to take advantage of Villa's fatigued end to the season, so more will be expected in year two.

Dropping just four points from the first 10 games of last season raised hopes, but after a crucial clash with Chelsea saw Spurs reduced to nine men but still defend near the halfway line and then lose 4-1, they posted only 40 points more.

Manchester United are certainly considered to be one of the Premier League's so-called 'big six', but the fallen giants came up short last season, finishing only eighth in their second year under Erik ten Hag.

They did beat rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final, though, and some interesting recruitment - both on and off the pitch - could help the Red Devils mount a top-four challenge again.

On their day, United can match most teams, but after clinging on to his job, Ten Hag must now produce more consistent results. Shoring up a leaky back line would help in that regard - only relegated Sheffield United conceded more shots last term.

In a feat all too quickly forgotten, Newcastle finished fourth in 2022-23, but marrying Champions League football with an injury-prone squad proved fatal for their hopes off kicking on in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe still managed to steer his team to seventh in the final table, and providing he does not take the vacant England job, much more should be expected from the Magpies this season.

THE CHASING PACK

Michael Olise may have left for Bavaria, but Crystal Palace improved once Oliver Glasner took the reins last season and they still have Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta on board, so Selhurst Park should offer more entertainment this term.

Following a strange period in which they lifted a European trophy but were often ill at ease under their manager, West Ham United will hope to unite behind new boss Julen Lopetegui, who walked out on Wolverhampton Wanderers this time last year.

The former Real Madrid coach has seen his squad furnished with a series of expensive signings this summer, so there will be significant pressure to fulfil the fans' dreams of success and champagne football.

Elsewhere, Wolves, Bournemouth, Fulham and Everton have opted for continuity in the dugout, but Brighton & Hove Albion not only bade goodbye to highly rated head coach Roberto De Zerbi but then brought in unheralded Fabian Hurzeler from St Pauli.

While a top-half finish will be such teams' target, none can consider themselves immune from the threat of demotion.

A BITTER BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL

Though it is actually a rare occurrence, all three promoted clubs were relegated straight back down to the Championship last season, as Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United all swiftly returned to the second tier.

This time, three newcomers will be determined that does not happen again in 2024-25, with Ipswich Town particularly aiming to continue a truly remarkable revival.

Just the 11th club in Football League history to go from the third division to the top flight in successive seasons, they will now take a well-earned crack at the big time, having hung on to inspirational boss Kieran McKenna.

If he can keep Ipswich afloat, McKenna's burgeoning reputation would rise further, but it remains to be seen whether the Tractor Boys' free-flowing football can cut the mustard at Premier League level.

Russell Martin is another advocate of a proactive style, and his Southampton team returned to the top flight with a playoff final victory over Leeds United, just one year after dropping through the trapdoor.

Championship winners Leicester City dominated most of last season in England's second tier, but losing their manager to Chelsea - with Maresca being closely followed by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - leaves some uncertainty about their chances of staying up.

Despite being threatened with the sack on an almost bi-weekly basis, Steve Cooper managed to finally get Nottingham Forest promoted and then kept them in the Premier League; he is set to face a similar challenge across the East Midlands this season.

WHAT'S NEW FOR 2024-25?

Fans may be forgiven for feeling a distinct sense of deja vu this season, as Erling Haaland remains favourite to retain the Golden Boot and Manchester City are set to take some stopping in the title race.

However, a couple of technical tweaks could make life much more pleasant for supporters in stadiums and on worldwide armchairs alike.

After last term ended with Wolves triggering a vote to rid the Premier League of its Video Assistant Referee (VAR) setup - which they subsequently lost 19-1 - major changes will roll out from Friday's season-opener at Old Trafford.

Updates include quicker decisions, fewer interventions and backing the on-field referee's judgement, while explanations will be quickly published on social media. That is the promise, but how the transition is handled by an embattled PGMOL team remains to be seen.

Speed and accuracy should certainly be boosted by incoming semi-automated offside technology, which should make its Premier League debut some time in October.

FIFA first used such a system at the 2022 World Cup, and it can cut the length of some checks by around 30 seconds - still, VAR will be a big talking point throughout the upcoming campaign.