Also giving his thoughts on this season’s opener, Hull City caretaker boss, Mike Phelan, has said that he is “looking forward” to the game despite all the off-field turmoil this summer.
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Has the Premier League ever been graced with so much talent at managerial positions?
The second half was just second old when the Foxes were awarded a penalty.
Fans will immediately get a look at the defending champions in Week 1 of the 2016-17 English Premier League season.
Although Leicester has managed to keep all but one of its key players from last season – with combative midfielder N’Golo Kante moving to Chelsea – Claudio Ranieri’s team lacked its usual bite and finishing. Ranieri was considered an uninspired choice by many as he had recently been fired by the Greek national team.
The Gunners finished in the runner-up spot last term, after Tottenham finished third in a two-horse race for the title, and Gary Neville has tipped us to finish in the same spot once again this season. It generally takes managers time to get used to the modern Premier League, but if anyone can get his team a trophy right away, it’s Guardiola.
Where will Leicester City finish?
The Leicester City Foxes will begin their title defense against Hull City on Saturday at KCOM Stadium in Hull.
Chelsea does not have European football commitments to worry about this season, a major advantage in the domestic season, as their top players will remain fresh throughout the season.
Leicester, heavy favourites here, handed debuts to Ahmed Musa and Luis Hernandez.
Explaining his prediction regarding Tottenham, Hartson told BBC Sport: “I might be doing them an injustice to put them fifth but there will be a lot more pressure on them this season and, along with having to cope with the Champions League, that will not help”. Hull City is the +111000 on soccer odds for this season.
All three promoted teams are in action on Saturday, with Championship champions Burnley hosting Swansea City and Middlesbrough entertaining Stoke City.
If you pushed me, I would go with City because of new manager Pep Guardiola and the quality of their squad, but it is going to be very close.
It’s not the Barclays Premier League anymore, just the Premier League.
There is no clear favorite to win the league this year.
Storied Manchester United slipped to fifth in the table a year ago with 66 points, losing a tiebreaker for fourth place with Man City. A Champions League final appearance and Premier League title will be expected. “We need to dust that off and come back better”. As they head into the new season, HullCity had played several friendlies against different clubs.
The Reds have four games moved for broadcast over October and November, while two more have been moved because of United’s Europa League involvement.
This season, the arrival of some of the game’s finest managerial minds and some serious player recruitment have raised the tantalising prospect of a six or seven-horse title race and another unpredictable campaign.
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United acquired the two biggest names available this summer transfer season in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba.
