Richard Williams
Champions
Manchester United, giving their manager an appropriate way to celebrate the conclusion of his 25th season at Old Trafford. And what better send-off?
Relegated
Blackpool, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United
Top scorer
Javier Hernández, thanks principally to the assistance of Antonio Valencia and Nani
Summer signing
Mikel Arteta, resisting temptation and putting his name to a new five-year Everton contract
One to watch
Josh McEachran, a marvellously gifted 17-year-old No10 on the fringe of Chelsea's first-team squad
Improvement
A greater willingness on the part of managers to show faith in young locally-produced players, whether prodded into it by the home-grown quota or not
I'm most looking forward to ... seeing the prodigious Aaron Ramsey, potentially the greatest Welsh footballer since John Charles, celebrating his 20th birthday in December fully recovered from the broken tibia and fibula suffered at Stoke in February
Paul Hayward
Champions
Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson is adamant youth can stage another ambush. Javier Hernández could lead the pack. Mesut Ozil would add the midfield creativity sometimes missing last year. Chelsea will need John Terry and Frank Lampard to head off decline
Relegated
Blackpool, Wigan, West Brom
Summer signing
Jérôme Boateng (Manchester City). Defensive strength and dynamism. City's missing ingredients
One to watch
Jack Rodwell (Everton). This should be his graduation year. But is Fabio Capello watching?
Improvement
Stiffer retrospective punishments for diving. Goal-line technology. No candles lit for either
I'm most looking forward to ... seeing whether the 20 clubs apply the lessons from the Portsmouth scandal and drive home tighter governance or allow the division to remain the Milton Friedman league
By May we'll know ... whether Arsène Wenger's faith in his butterfly collection is justified. Top-class goalkeeper needed. But a hunch says this is the year of vindication
Kevin McCarra
Champions
Arsenal
Relegated
Wigan, West Brom, Blackpool
Top scorer
Carlos Tevez
Summer signing
Ben Foster (Birmingham City). Injuries and inconsistency have stopped him fulfilling all the predictions, but the goalkeeper has a great chance to settle down. This is also the last opportunity to show his real worth to club and even country
One to watch
Connor Wickham, if some Premier League club plunders Ipswich Town this month for the centre-forward in England's under-17 European Championship winners
Improvement
Any technological assistance that ensures results are not swayed by the human error of officials
I'm most looking forward to ... seeing the eventual return of Aaron Ramsay, the 19-year-old who promised so much for Arsenal until he broke his leg in February
By May we'll know ... whether the Premier League is losing the magnetism that has made it so lucrative globally
Dominic Fifield
Champions
Chelsea to retain the title, just about, with Manchester United pushing them all the way
Relegated
Blackpool with some highlights along the way; Newcastle United with little new investment to bolster their squad; and Wigan Athletic having flirted with relegation last season
Top scorer
Fernando Torres (Liverpool), with the hamstring complaints a thing of the past
Summer signing
Joe Cole: surely a bargain free transfer, even on his wages, for Liverpool
One to watch
Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
Improvement
Proper compensation given to clubs outside the Premier League whose young players are poached by those in the top flight, for a pittance. Not that it will happen
I'm most looking forward to ... seeing how the established elite cope with Manchester City's continued emergence as a force, whether Tottenham Hotspur can hold their own at the top, and Everton starting the season well
By May we'll know ... whether the likes of Jack Rodwell and Jack Wilshere are capable of making a prolonged impact at their age in the Premier League
Daniel Taylor
Champions
Manchester United. Chelsea are weaker than last season and Manchester City aren't quite ready
Relegated
Blackpool (by March), West Brom, Newcastle
Top scorer
Fernando Torres (Liverpool), if he can stay fit
Summer signing
Javier Hernández (Manchester United). OK, the goal in the Community Shield was pure slapstick but everything I have seen of Manchester United's new striker oozes class
One to watch
Jordan Henderson (Sunderland). He's just turned 20 and when he came on at Old Trafford last season he just wanted the ball, wanted to show he belonged on that stage
Improvement
Forget the vuvuzelas, English football fans will self-police that. But let's get rid of all those look-at-me drums, bells and trumpets please (Blackburn Rovers etc). Oh, and music when a goal is scored
I'm most looking forward to ... the Manchester derbies, now arguably the most hyped, impassioned and downright rancorous fixture in the football calendar. And the first one is a night match
By May we'll know ... whether Joe Cole is better than Lionel Messi (copyright: Steven Gerrard)
David Lacey
Champions
Manchester United
Relegated
Wigan, Newcastle, Blackpool
Top scorer
Didier Drogba (Chelsea). Still the best match-winner, Wayne Rooney notwithstanding
Best summer signing
Javier Hernández (Manchester United), who is already looking an ideal foil for Rooney up front. And Yossi Benayoun should give Chelsea much-needed guile
One to watch
Adam Johnson (Manchester City) who looks to have an old head on young shoulders. England expects
Improvements
Proper respect for referees this season, not just an FA slogan, and proper punishments for offenders, especially managers. And from the refs, less of an inclination to book the first foul unless, of course, the offender happens to be Dutch
I'm most looking forward to ... seeing Blackpool's tangerine back in the big time, even if it is only for one season, along with the return of Newcastle, whose presence should guarantee some much-missed belly laughs
By May we'll know ... if Manchester City are really a new Premier League force or just Manchester City after all. Either way they'll get on Alex Ferguson's nerves
Paul Wilson
Champions
Chelsea again
Relegated
Blackpool along with two teams beginning with W. At the moment I am going for West Ham and Wigan, although it could just as easily be West Brom and Wolves
Top scorer
Wayne Rooney as long as he remains fit, otherwise Didier Drogba with the same proviso
Summer signing
Martin Petrov looks to be the best at this stage. He is a good player and he cost nothing. Kenwyne Jones is a good player too, but £8m?
One to watch
Javier Hernández could turn out to be a brilliant bit of business for Manchester United
Improvements
I think footballs should be made of leather. Modern, multi-panelled designs – I am not advocating a return to cannonballs with laces – and plastic, non-stitched models should be resisted, along with all the ludicrous claims their manufacturers make for them
I'm most looking forward to ... As ever, Everton winning a trophy
By next May we'll know ... the identity of the next England manager
David Hytner
Champions
Chelsea. The defending champions have a vital edge over Manchester United in central midfield
Relegated
Wolves, Wigan and Blackpool
Top scorer
Wayne Rooney. The United striker can put his World Cup no-show behind him
Summer signing
Javier Hernández has the pulses racing at Manchester United after flickering impressively in pre-season
One to watch
Sandro (Tottenham Hotspur). The 21-year-old Brazil central midfielder will not arrive from Internacional until after the Copa Libertadores finishes next Wednesday and he will need time to adapt. His big reputation, though, precedes him
Improvement
Sir Alex Ferguson to be made to conduct post-match news conferences with the written press
I'm most looking forward to ... It would be great to see some of the country's young players take advantage of the Premier League's new rules on squad size
By May, we'll know ... whether Manchester City's transfer market splurge has bought them a seat at the Champions League top table
David Conn
Champions
Manchester United
Relegated
Blackpool, West Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers
Top scorer
Didier Drogba
Summer signing
Jérôme Boateng for Manchester City
One to watch
This is the season for Jack Rodwell at Everton to mature into a player of genuine authority
Improvement
Financial sanity to settle over football: no more useless debt and interest loaded on to clubs by takeovers, Liverpool find a buyer with genuine intentions, supporters become involved in the running of clubs, the game recovers its soul. That would be a start
I'm most looking forward to ... a day out in Blackpool
By May we'll know ... whether Manchester City's continued solo spending spree this summer has bought them a genuinely top team, or if it takes longer still to bind players into a winning unit – and whether Roberto Mancini is a manager with the art to achieve it
Andy Hunter
Champions
Manchester United. Age and injury afflicted United and Chelsea in central defence last season but, for all the scrutiny on the Glazers, only Sir Alex Ferguson has addressed that concern. And he has eased the goalscoring burden on Wayne Rooney
Relegated
Newcastle, West Bromwich Albion and Blackpool. Newcastle may just survive, but their squad compares unfavourably to relegation rivals
Top scorer
Wayne Rooney. Painted as England's World Cup villain – when we all know it was John Terry – he will be itching to respond like David Beckham in 1998
Summer signing
There have been sexier deals but, in terms of where they are and what they need to progress, Wolves' capture of Steven Fletcher and Stephen Hunt looks sound business
One to watch
Javier Hernández at Manchester United, closely followed by Everton's Jack Rodwell and Liverpool's Jonjo Shelvey
Improvement
Humility among England internationals
I'm most looking forward to ... the 'Big Four's' grip on the top four places being weakened further
By May we'll know ... whether Manchester City's owners feel vindicated or disillusioned
Louise Taylor
Champions
Manchester City
Relegated
Blackpool, Birmingham, Wolves
Top scorer
Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)
Best summer signing
Kenwyne Jones (to Stoke City from Sunderland): He and Tuncay should prove a dream strike duo. Jones can help Tony Pulis's evolving side finish in the top 10
One to watch
Victor Moses (Wigan). Roberto Martínez will allow his talent to breathe by letting him improvise
Improvement
I'd ban managers from chewing gum in dugouts or technical areas. Anyone detected doing so would see their teams having points deducted. Observing Sir Alex Ferguson's coping strategies promises endless hours of entertainment
I'm most looking forward to ... the return of Tyne-Wear derbies. Sunday 31 October 4pm, Newcastle v Sunderland at St James' Park should abound with intriguing sub-plots. Steve Bruce and Titus Bramble will doubtless have already ringed it in their diaries
By May we'll know ... whether Roberto Mancini really does have what it takes to propel Manchester City to the top of the tree
Jamie Jackson
Champions
Manchester City – Roberto Mancini means business as his desire to get rid of Craig Bellamy, their best player last season, indicates. Yaya Touré, Alesandar Kolarov, a £19m left-back, and the arrival of wunderkid Mario Balotelli are why
Relegated
Blackpool, Wolves and West Brom – for the usual reasons
Top scorer
Fernando Torres (Liverpool). Injury-free he's the league's best
Summer signing
Yaya Touré – Champions League-winning class at Eastlands
One to watch
Jack Wilshire. Everyone's raving about him, so he'll probably flop. It will be great viewing
Improvement
A sense of fun from players – hardly any seem to enjoy the lucre, kudos and tabloid exposes
I'm most looking forward to ... seeing where Joe Cole plays and how he prospers. Will his lack of pace be found out?
By May we'll know ... if Sir Alex Ferguson will finally say 'thanks for the memories'
