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00:00 The Premier League is underway and it's about time we predicted who wins the title,
00:04 who finishes in the top 4 and even who finishes in the relegation places.
00:09 We also review or preview individual performances to look out for in this episode.
00:15 My name is Ayomini Sotoba and this is The North Meg on Guardian TV.
00:19 And where better to start from than the title race and that's pretty much the simplest
00:29 question to answer going into the season.
00:32 I think it's still going to be at the ATL Stadium.
00:34 Manchester City will retain their title.
00:36 It does sound awkward that they'll be retaining their title in the 6th and 7th seasons.
00:43 If you like, some would tell you the 6th and 8th.
00:46 But I think they're pretty much the ones to retain the title.
00:49 And the top 4 is where it gets more interesting about predictions.
00:53 Manchester United for me will finish in second place and that's because you can see they
00:57 recruited sufficiently than Arsenal.
01:00 And Ten Hag is building the Red Army into what it used to be like.
01:03 You can sense even rival managers can tell that Manchester United are getting back their
01:08 mojo and I think it continues with Eric Ten Hag.
01:11 I only think the reason why Manchester United would not challenge Manchester City down to
01:17 the end would be because they didn't get a top striker.
01:21 I don't think Rasmus Hoyland is the striker to give them the goals to challenge City.
01:26 And then Arsenal, they'll drop a place.
01:27 I think they'll finish third.
01:29 That's because I don't think they've really improved significantly despite the transfer
01:33 that they've made.
01:34 I may be wrong, don't get me wrong, but I think that Arsenal will finish third.
01:38 It'll be successful.
01:41 If Atleta can give them a title, a trophy, whichever way it is, already they've won
01:45 the Community Sheet but that's not a major trophy.
01:47 I'm talking about probably the Premier League, the Champions League or the FA Cup or the
01:52 Carabao Cup.
01:53 It's quite difficult to predict which one Arsenal takes but Atleta is building a team
01:58 that could sustain themselves in the top four for seasons to come.
02:01 And then to predict the fourth person on that list is probably the most difficult but I
02:06 think I'll go with Liverpool if they can get some defensive reinforcements.
02:12 In defensive midfield, they've lost Jordan Henderson, they've lost Fabinho, both have
02:17 gone to Saudi Arabia and they lost Eugenio Wouterdam some seasons ago and I don't think
02:22 that they have replaced him.
02:25 I think he does need a replacement but they brought Alexis McAllister, there's also
02:29 Zobos Lai from Leipzig.
02:32 Let's see what they can do.
02:33 How about the relegation places?
02:35 It's quite easy to predict and the first candidate for me is Wolverhampton Wanderers
02:41 because it's quite difficult seeing that they have just let Julian Lopetkogi leave
02:48 and then they've allowed Gary O'Neil who was sacked by Bournemouth despite helping
02:53 them qualify and stay on top of the flight in the Premier League.
02:58 It's quite difficult to see that they've done that.
03:01 I don't understand the recruitment, I don't understand how you don't recruit for a top
03:05 manager like Julian Lopetkogi and you let him go.
03:07 But anyways, the two other candidates for me it's quite easier to predict and that
03:11 is Luton Town and Sheffield United.
03:14 I think those two go back to the Championship because Luton Town for instance have not spent
03:19 that much, ÂŁ14m and under, they've spent to recruit about 6 players.
03:24 They've got two transfers free, that's Ross Barkley, one of them free transfers but
03:29 I think they've not recruited sufficiently.
03:31 I think if you want to thrive in a league like the Premier League, the most competitive
03:35 league in the world, you definitely have to spend the money.
03:39 And who finishes as top scorer?
03:41 None other than Erling Brault-Arland.
03:44 I do not think anybody can match his feet, I think he only grew from strength to strength,
03:48 maybe not with the numbers that he had because hey, the Premier League is quite competitive
03:52 and people, defenders, coaches, rivals, they watch you and they study you to know how to
03:58 team you and I think they'll team you in a bit but Erling Arland is a robot, he'll
04:02 score a lot of goals too.
04:04 The best player of the season for me, a couple of names I don't know which you would like
04:07 to go for.
04:08 I think I would go for Bruno Fernandes but then there's Mohamed Salah on that list,
04:11 Kevin De Bruyne is on that list as well.
04:13 I think those three will be the standout players going into the season.
04:17 How about the young players to watch out for?
04:19 Alejandro Garnacho definitely is one of them names and so is Josco Gavido, a new season
04:26 for him and there's a new team with Pep Guardiola who he says he wants to play for.
04:31 I think the 20-year-old defender will prove himself in the Premier League this season.
04:35 There's Bukaya Saka, oh well I think he'll definitely continue doing what he knows how
04:40 to do best.
04:41 Bukaya Saka makes Arsenal tick, I think he's the most important player for them in attack.
04:45 He's still very young and I think he could be one of the young players to watch out for
04:49 this season.
04:50 Mokailo Mudrige, I think he's improved in pre-season.
04:53 I don't think he might not still, it's quite difficult to judge Mudrige because he's
04:59 a 100 million sign but he's a young player who's got great potential.
05:03 I rate him and I think he'll do very well.
05:05 And then there's Rasmus Hoyland, definitely I've watched a lot of this guy.
05:10 The numbers do not convince you but I think that Rasmus Hoyland will definitely surprise
05:16 many.
05:17 Manchester United are a team that creates loads of chances, begging for a decent striker
05:20 at least to convert these chances and I think Rasmus Hoyland, a young star, we shouldn't
05:25 allow a lot of pressure on him but I think he will score a fair share of goals.
05:29 And to the coaches of the season, that should be none other than the Baldi's.
05:34 It's the season for the Baldi's, Pep Guardiola and Eric Ten Hag.
05:37 It will be interesting to see how these two fare.
05:40 If they go up against each other, Manchester United, Manchester City, it will be interesting
05:44 to see.
05:45 I think that's the title race to watch out for this season.
05:48 But one other coach is Unai Emery and that's because the Aston Villa boss, his signings
05:53 have been fantastic.
05:54 I think he's also helped them to place in the Europe Conference League.
05:59 They've made some fantastic signings.
06:01 They have good players as well.
06:03 Unai Emery is building something special.
06:05 People don't underrate that.
06:06 I think he's going to be a great coach.