1) Arsenal’s makeshift defence faces demanding afternoon
There is something particularly dispiriting about entering a new season in the throes of an injury crisis. This, surely, is the moment when footballers should be at their physical peak, following a few weeks’ rest and a few further weeks of controlled muscle-buffing and tactic-honing. And yet, here we are. Per Mertesacker, injured in a friendly against Lens, and Gabriel Paulista, who failed to finish a warm-up game against Manchester City, will both be missing for a couple of months, and with Laurent Koscielny only just having returned from an extended post-European Championship summer break the only fully fit defenders are Calum Chambers – who has played 51 minutes of league football in 2016, across four games – and Rob Holding, a 20-year-old, £2m summer signing from Bolton Wanderers. The veracity of Francis Coquelin’s boast during pre-season that he had been “playing centre-back and bossing it” in training could get a very early test. This fixture has been pretty reliably entertaining for a while now – the goalless draw here last August was the first in 43 meetings between these sides, in which time there have been two 4-2s, a 4-0, a 4-1, a 4-4 and a 6-3 – and with Liverpool’s attack strengthened over the summer another stalemate would appear unlikely. SB
2) Cook can prove his value against undercooked United
While Bournemouth’s story is not as pure as is sometimes portrayed, there’s still plenty about them to admire: they are enterprising as well as intricate, and play with conviction not just calmness. Alongside which, it’s always cheering when promoted clubs stay up. But now they want to progress, and in Lewis Cook, a £6m signing from Leeds United, they might just have found a player to inspire that. Cook is that modern rarity, a midfielder who, rather than hang about in front of the defence or hide behind the attack, actually plays in the middle of the pitch. Though firm in the tackle, Cook mainly wins possession thanks to smart positioning, but what is best about him is what comes thereafter: he is able to carry the ball forward at great speed, a skill beyond most who play in his position. It can serve him well against Manchester United, who, particularly in the likely absence of Paul Pogba, lack pace and drive in central areas. And whichever of Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin are picked, behind them will be Eric Bailly and Daley Blind, respectively inexperienced and discomfited by pace. So if Cook can drive forward, his team-mates can profit from the opportunities he creates; with José Mourinho not yet settled on his best line-up or combinations, there will be far more taxing times to play United. DH
3) Sunderland’s tough first test at Manchester City
Much of the world’s attention may be focused on Pep Guardiola and several of City’s other new arrivals – John Stones, Leroy Sané, Ilkay Gundogan and Nolito, combined cost £119.3m – could all be involved here, with the £27m signing Gabriel Jesus currently at the Olympics and still to come. But one of the stars of this pre-season is expected to be on the other side. Now 17, Joel Asoro signed from the Swedish side Brommapojkarna a year ago, averaged a goal every other game for Sunderland’s Under-18s last season and could skip his way straight into the senior squad after catching the eye in recent weeks. After a goal and an assist in the friendly against Dijon, and decent displays off the bench against Stade Nyonnais, Montpellier and Borussia Dortmund, he has been showered with praise and attention. “If that young boy keeps playing like that I don’t think he’ll be far off getting his debut,” said David Moyes. “If it was me watching him for the first time I’d say, ‘Wow, this boy has got something.’ I’d have no qualms about putting him in the team.” The coach Robbie Stockdale likes how Asoro “is bouncy and defenders bounce off him”. “The manager has been really pleased with him,” Stockdale said. “It’s not just about being in the right place at the right time, you have to be good enough to take it. I think he’s shown he is good enough at this moment.” With Jermain Defoe missing most of pre-season with a thigh strain – though he is now in full training – Asoro’s debut could come sooner rather than later. And he is not the only Sunderland striker looking forward to this season, to judge from Fabio Borini’s comparison between Moyes and the departed Sam Allardyce. “David Moyes has a different way of playing football which I find more interesting, more exciting,” he said. “And training is a little bit different – he makes you use your brain and think a lot about what to do at the right time. I think that’s more exciting.” More exciting for Sunderland, but not enormously encouraging for England. SB
4) Unready Everton could be there for the taking
Everton, having lost five and won two of their final 10 league games as last season drifted to the most limp of conclusions, can be expected to improve significantly under Ronald Koeman. This, however, might not be the day they prove it. Ashley Williams is unfit, Yannick Bolasie and Lamine Koné have not yet joined, and Romelu Lukaku and Seamus Coleman, two members of last season’s squad whose position in the starting XI would seem assured – outbound transfers notwithstanding – are doubtful. “We are not at the level we need to be, in terms of the players and their physical state,” says Koeman. “The squad will be 100% in two or three weeks. It’s a big project. It won’t be complete after two months, we need more time.” Tottenham know all about starting seasons disappointingly slowly, having kicked off last season with a defeat and three draws – one of them against Everton. They ended the season similarly, with two defeats and two draws – in the 30 games in between they were the best team in the country, a full nine points ahead of Arsenal and above Leicester by an emphatic goal differential of 17. Their efforts to hit the ground running this time could be assisted by Everton’s apparent unreadiness to do so. SB
5) Southampton and Watford craving consistency
This routine has been well rehearsed by now. Each summer Southampton lose some key figures and questions are asked if they can remain at the level they had set the previous season. The script dictates they actually go one better and make the pre-season predictions of struggle look very silly indeed. Claude Puel, the new manager, has spoken about reaching the Champions League down the line and on the basis of last season that would not be a massive surprise, but the first objective must be consistency because there remains a genuine risk the wheels could still fall off. It is something their opening weekend opponents are craving too. Last year’s campaign of consolidation is consigned to history at Vicarage Road. Now there is a requirement for progress. Walter Mazzarri has stepped in to the hole left by the popular Quique Sánchez Flores and there are even more questions for the Hornets to answer. How much can actually be extracted from this opener in terms of their season is limited though, with a reminder that Aston Villa won their opening match last season. But both managers are in a position where a slow start will lead to intense pressure. AS
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Pre-season preview: Simon Burnton on Watford
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Simon Burnton: fiery perfectionist Mazzarri can rouse Watford
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Premier League preview: Jacob Steinberg on Southampton’s challenge
6) Champions will be prepared – unlike Hull
Given varying levels of fitness and integration, it is unsurprising that the opening rounds of Premier League matches often yield peculiar results. In particular, promoted teams, generally settled sides fired by special enthusiasm, win unexpected points – but even in that context, it would be a major surprise to see Hull get anywhere against Leicester. Perhaps no team has ever started a season in worse shape, with Steve Bruce resigning, Momo Diamé leaving for a Championship club, and two lower division players arriving. The surprise will not be if they stay up, but if they avoid finishing bottom. Leicester, on the other hand, look good to go. Jamie Vardy is still there and so too is Riyad Mahrez, their retention far more important than that of N’Golo Kanté; 51 goals are far harder replaced than midfield scurrying, however effective. And Claudio Ranieri has bought sensibly too, finding a fair resemblance to Kanté in Nampalys Mendy and an alternative to and partner for Jamie Vardy in Ahmed Musa. No defence will relish facing pace and enterprise of that ilk, and the likelihood is that we will see them in tandem this weekend; Hull had better look out. DH
7) Palace hoping to lift curse of calendar year
Last season, the calendar year became more prominent than ever before. The end of 2015 table was a big thing among certain bores and excited Leicester fans alike. Look who’s on top of the 2015 table! Our striker is the leading scorer for the calendar year! It is all utterly meaningless, of course, but nonetheless will provide cause for concern for neurotic Crystal Palace fans; 2016 has not treated them well – they won only two and lost 12 of the 19 games league games played since the turn of the year and there was heartbreak in the FA Cup final. An opening-day win against West Brom, a club on unsteady ground, would nip any murmurings of an annus horribilis in the bud early and let Alan Pardew get on with the business of trying to improve on last season’s 15th-place finish. It is easy to forget Europe was being talked about before last Christmas. AS
- Pre-season preview: Dominic Fifield on Watford’s prospects
- Everton close in on £28m signing of Palace’s Bolasie
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Pulis set to keep job after Chinese takeover at West Brom
8) Can Spurs avoid another underwhelming start?
Tottenham were excellent last season, at their best, probably the best team in England. But there was still something irrepressibly Spursy about their best league season in a generation ending with a title lost to Leicester and a capitulation against a relegated side that meant they finished behind Arsenal for the 21st time in 21 years. Now, through the summer, they’ve watched Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United install a variety of elite managers and players, such that they now face a serious battle to preserve their status as Champions League competitors, let alone championship contenders. But success needn’t be beyond them; it is not easy to pinpoint any weaknesses in their first-choice line-up, and they retain the same movement and intensity whoever Mauricio Pochettino selects. But this is not to say they have no weakness. Unlike their likely rivals, they have neither elite players nor an elite manager, so this is their challenge: to produce them organically. The likes of Toby Alderweireld, Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Moussa Dembélé and Erik Lamela must improve themselves from the merely very good, and Mauricio Pochettino, similarly unproven, must extract it from them. And his team has been dealt a tricky start at Everton, whose players will be buzzing to assert their worth before Ronald Koeman’s inevitable splurge. Last season’s dodgy start cost Tottenham the title – the same again will cost them a lot more.
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Premier League preview: David Hytner on Tottenham
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Pochettino ‘very disappointed’ by recruitment chief’s exit
9) What have frugal Burnley learned from two seasons ago?
Two seasons ago Burnley won plenty of neutral admirers for their no-nonsense attempt to survive on a shoestring budget, but they ultimately fell short due to a slim goal return. It became easy to blame their lack of weight in the transfer market. With healthier accounts and more money coming in from TV deals this season, there was hope things would be different this time. It has not quite transpired and they remain the most frugal of top-flight clubs. “The chairman and the board have told me there are certain parameters and guidelines,” Sean Dyche has said. With no big spending imminent the key is learning lessons from past failures. Dyche’s ability as a shrewd tactical operator and man-manager has been well established but there will be less an element of surprise this time round and he will need to have garnered enough nous from two years ago to give the Clarets an edge. Like all teams battling for survival, home form is crucial and this opener against Swansea City is certainly winnable. Considering three of their four next games are against Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester – defeat would be far from ideal. AS
- Pre-season preview: Nick Miller on Burnley
- Swansea complete £15.5m deal for Borja
- Pre-season preview: Michael Butler assesses Swansea’s chances
10) Boro and Stoke eye up each other
“I think that any side who has just won promotion to the Premier League are still riding the crest of the wave,” said Joe Allen of Stoke’s season opener, “so they are going to be really up for it.” Only Middlesbrough of the promoted trio are truly surfing their way into the new season; over the summer they have brought in both established big names – including Victor Valdés and Álvaro Negredo – and rising stars such as the Dutchmen Viktor Fischer and Marten de Roon, assembling a squad that appears capable of retaining top-flight status. “For everybody it’s been a dream,” says Aitor Karanka. “We need to keep the dream going.” Stoke have been in the top flight since 2008, Boro outside it since 2009. In the build-up to this game Boro have cited Stoke as an example of how things can go right – “they are a team who finished in the top half last season, but we want to be there,” said Karanka. “Stoke can be a good example as they’ve built their foundations” – and Stoke have cited Middlesbrough as an example of how things can go wrong – “You cannot take anything for granted and Middlesbrough are a good example of that,” said Peter Coates. “Everybody considered them an established Premier League club, but one bad season and down they went. Nobody is immune.” Stoke may not have immunity but relegation would seem extraordinarily unlikely, especially if Mark Hughes takes on board defender Marc Wilson’s recent eyebrow-raising Twitter suggestion. SB
