The Monday Night Football panel of Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Karen Carney make their Premier League predictions for the new season; will Man City claim their fourth title in a row or can Arsenal stop them? And will any of the promoted sides stay up?
Tuesday 15 August 2023 14:06, UK
With the Premier League back for a new campaign, Sky Sports' Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Karen Carney made their season predictions on Monday Night Football.
Will Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland, conquer all once more? Or have Arsenal done enough in the transfer market to finally win the title again?
Will a revamped Chelsea or Liverpool return to the top four? Meanwhile, will any of the promoted sides be able to survive in the ruthless top flight?
And what about the new signings? Which of them will have the biggest impact on the 2023/24 season, and which players and managers will spring a surprise?
Neville, Carragher and Carney reveal all...
Carney: Manchester City
Carragher: Manchester City
Neville: Arsenal
Carney: "I’ve gone for Manchester City so it’s not a surprise. I just think they’re too strong and experienced.
"I do think it would be a problem if Erling Haaland got injured, and Kevin De Bruyne is now out injured. But I just think the squad has got enough."
Carragher: "I look at Pep Guardiola and I’m not sure he’s ever had a season off, where his team have not got around 90 points or above. He’s that intense. So I don’t see them dropping off.
"I think someone’s got to go above them in terms of getting to their level. I think that’s just a bridge too far for the other teams.
"Arsenal have recruited well but I still just look at Haaland and I don’t think Arsenal have got anyone in that category."
Neville: "I’m banking on three things. Post-treble, [Manchester City] have a little bit of a [drop off].
"The difficulties over a season when you’re playing in Super Cups, Club World Cups. They haven’t got the biggest squad.
"With Haaland, last season he only missed three matches. If he was to miss 10 or 15, like he did at Borussia Dortmund, I think that would be enough to give Arsenal a real chance."
Carney: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United
Carragher: Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool
Neville: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Carney: "I’ve put Liverpool in there because they’ve got a magnificent front six.
"With Chelsea, the jury’s still out for me on how clinical those front players are."
Carragher: "It’s both ends of the pitch for Chelsea. The goalkeeper they’ve just brought in [Robert Sanchez], Brighton were happy to move him on.
"Chelsea are still a work in progress between now and the end of the season."
Carney: Chelsea, Newcastle
Carragher: Chelsea, Newcastle
Neville: Chelsea, Aston Villa
Neville: "I think Newcastle could have a really good run in the Champions League.
"I think it consumes you so much. We saw Newcastle last season with the Carabao Cup final, how those same players really dipped for about five or six weeks.
"If you were talking about a straight fight between Newcastle and Aston Villa, Newcastle are a better team.
"I know Villa are in the Conference League but Unai Emery has navigated that journey before."
Karen: Luton, Sheffield United, Burnley
Carragher: Sheffield United, Luton, Burnley
Neville: Luton, Sheffield United, Bournemouth
Carney: "I love what Vincent Kompany’s done with that side in 12 months. It’s extraordinary.
"I just think that, if he doesn’t change his philosophy, we might see big scorelines, like we did against Manchester City.
"I think the other teams have a little bit more Premier League nous."
Carney: Mohamed Salah
Carragher: Erling Haaland
Neville: Erling Haaland
Carney: "I just wanted a different name to be honest!
"It’s just whether Haaland stays fit enough. I like the Liverpool front six. Salah was a gut feeling."
Carney: Andre Onana (Manchester United)
Carragher: James Maddison (Tottenham)
Neville: Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Carragher: "On the back of Harry Kane going, it almost feels like Maddison's one of the main players. He's got that bit of cheekiness about him.
"Will it be a difficult season for Spurs? You'd expect so. But if we see anything from Spurs, or if anyone is the man to drag them to challenging for the top four, it will be Maddison."
Neville: "I’ve chosen Arsenal to win the league so I had to choose the Arsenal player I thought would take them that extra step.
"With Rice, I think they will be stronger in midfield."
Karen: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton)
Carragher: Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth manager)
Neville: Andre Onana (Manchester United)
Carney: "I absolutely love Mitoma.
"As a former winger, his decision-making is exceptional. His dribbling is second to none. It’s a matter of time before Brighton get a massive pay cheque for him.
"I’m mesmerised by him. He always makes the right decision."
Carragher: "Iraola came in on the back of a lot of criticism for the club for getting rid of Gary O’Neil.
"But he’s got a great reputation coming out of Spain. I think they’ve got a manager that a lot of other clubs will be looking at."
Neville: "Onana made some really good saves towards the end [against Wolves]. That moment with the penalty will be the one that makes the headlines.
"He’s got a big personality and you need a big personality in that position."
