Five talking points in the new Premier League season

Manchester City face a strong challenge from Arsenal as the champions look to win an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title. Liverpool start a new era with Arne Slot replacing Jurgen Klopp, while Erik ten Hag is under pressure to deliver at Manchester United after narrowly avoiding the sack.

AFP Sport looks at five things to watch out for when the new season gets underway on Friday:

SLOT’S BIG SHOES TO FILL

Liverpool fell short of giving Jurgen Klopp a glorious goodbye as they stumbled down the final straight last season to finish third.

Arne Slot has the unenviable task of replacing the German, who restored the Reds to the top of English and European football, while also bringing his larger than life personality to Anfield.

The Dutchman will struggle to match the cult of Klopp, but the early signs are positive that he can continue to win on the field.

Liverpool have swept all before them in pre-season, beating Arsenal, Manchester United and Sevilla.

But they are yet to make a single signing in the transfer window.

Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad has been linked as a potential new anchor for the midfield.

Slot has spoken of the similarities between he and Klopp’s style of play as one of the reasons he was poached from Feyenoord for the job.

And he will be hoping for a fast start to ease any fears over Klopp’s departure with a kind run of fixtures in the early months of the season.

ARSENAL’S TIME?

Only once have Arsenal ever won more points in a Premier League campaign than the 89 they collected last season and it was still not enough to dethrone Manchester City.

Fuelled by that painful near miss, Mikel Arteta’s men are the coming force in English football.

The Gunners have steadily improved over the past three seasons and finished second in each of the past two campaigns.

Italian international Riccardo Calafiori adds even more quality to what was the best defence in the league last season.

But it is at the other end of the field where Arsenal may still find themselves short.

Kai Havertz had a fine second half to his first season at the club after a slow start.

The German is set to maintain his place as Arteta’s centre-forward as Arsenal have again decided not to go into the market for a striker.

TEN HAG’S SHORT LEASH

Manchester United’s shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City in May was enough to save Ten Hag’s job and even earned the Dutchman a new contract.

Yet the former Ajax boss remains on a short leash after United’s worst ever Premier League finish at eighth.

United have been one of the most active English clubs in the market, splashing out on Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, with deals for Bayern Munich defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui completed on Tuesday.

But in a worrying repeat for Ten Hag of last season’s injury woes, Yoro has already been sidelined for three months by a broken bone in his foot.

United open the season at home to Fulham on Friday and Ten Hag can ill afford a poor start or questions will quickly be raised again over his future.

IPSWICH RETURN

Leicester and Southampton have bounced back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, but Ipswich are fresh faces as they return to the top flight for the first time in 22 years.

Kieran McKenna has masterminded back-to-back promotions to bring the Tractor Boys back into the big time and keeping hold of the Northern Irishman despite interest from Chelsea and Brighton has been vital for Ipswich’s chances of survival.

The scale of the task they face is laid bare by the fact that all three promoted sides last season were relegated.

MARESCA’S DIFFICULT CHOICES

New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has a baptism of fire as his side host Manchester City on the opening weekend, but the Italian is certainly not short of selection options.

In keeping with previous transfer windows since a takeover fronted by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, the Blues have spent big money on young talent from around the world over the close season.

That includes Pedro Neto in a £54 million move from Wolves and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who shone for Maresca last season in Leicester’s promotion from the Championship.

However, Chelsea’s summer business has swelled their squad to upwards of 50 senior players.

That leaves Maresca with a difficult balance of trying to instill his style of play on a dressing room that will have a lot of players unhappy at their lack of playing time. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has signed a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 2027, with the option to extend for another year, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.

Portugal midfielder Fernandes, who joined United in 2020 and has scored 79 goals and provided 67 assists in 234 appearances for the club, had signed a previous contract in 2022 which ran until 2026.

“Everybody knows the passion I have for Manchester United,” the 29-year-old said in a statement.

“I understand the responsibility and significance of wearing this shirt, and the levels of dedication and desire required to represent this incredible club.

“I wouldn’t have signed this contract if I didn’t believe that my best moments in a United shirt are still to come.”

FA Cup winners United begin their Premier League campaign at home on Friday against Fulham.

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