• Premier League

Premier League Preview: Can anyone stop United?

August 11, 2011

This season ESPN Goals is completely free. It's the first place to see every goal from every Premier League game, all season long

The Premier League is back, and if it's true that money talks we are heading for one of the most spectacular seasons to date. Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have all spent big on players, Chelsea have done likewise on their manager, while Arsenal and Tottenham cling desperately to their star names as "the big four" rapidly becomes a thing of the past.

Champions United go chasing a landmark 20th league title during the 2011-12 campaign, while Liverpool hold outside hope that King Kenny can work a miracle by wiping out the Red Devils' No. 19. Chelsea boast the 'baby Mourinho' in Andre Villas-Boas while Manchester City have the new Tevez in Sergio Aguero, but Arsenal still lay claim to playing the best football. Can they maintain their grip over Spurs in the fight for Champions League spots though?

Elsewhere, Steve Bruce has done his best to turn Sunderland into Manchester United's B team, Aston Villa will be a new-look side after losing both of their wingers, Newcastle will no doubt do everything possible to self-destruct, while new boys QPR will hope circus ringleader Adel Taarabt can keep them up.

Below ESPN previews the potential leading actors for the forthcoming campaign (All odds accurate at time of writing):

---

Team to beat - Manchester United

As last year's Premier League victors, Manchester United will automatically begin the new season with a target firmly on their back - not that they will be troubled by such a situation.

Not just the defending champions but also one of the more active teams in the summer transfer market, Sir Alex Ferguson has been remarkably quick to open the chequebook to add to a squad that was in control of the title race for almost all of 2011.

Former Blackburn Rovers defender Phil Jones (£16.5m) may have to wait for an injury to befall one of the two entrenched centre backs (our money's on Rio Ferdinand) to really get a chance to impress, but former Aston Villa star Ashley Young immediately provides another potent creative threat in the final third, as well as a versatile asset on either wing or even behind the strikers. If the protracted transfer of Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan is also completed before the closure of the transfer window then, well, United's squad will look almost unbeatable.

The likes of John O'Shea and Wes Brown are not going to be overly missed and, with Wayne Rooney presumably entering his peak years and Javier Hernandez aiming to replicate his fine first season in English football, the rest of the squad looks settled and sturdy (the retirement of Paul Scholes is disappointing, but even the player himself admitted he was no longer the same force). Indeed, the only real concern is between the sticks - with veteran Edwin van der Sar having finally stepped into retirement, much will be required of £20m replacement David de Gea. Just 20 years of age, that is a lot of pressure for one young man to live with, but he is already known for his formidable mental strength and appears to have all the technical skills to be a major success at the club. Even if the worst comes to the worst and he does falter initially, United always have the slightly older Anders Lindegaard to throw into the fray.

All in all, Ferguson appears to have found another recipe for success. Lacking any obvious weaknesses, United have certainly laid down the gauntlet to their rivals for the new campaign.
If you fancy the expectation to prove too much for the Red Devils on the opening day, back them to get off to a horror start at West Brom with odds of 11/2 with Bet365.

---

Team to watch - Liverpool

Very rarely in the Premier League do you get a team for whom it is almost impossible to predict their formation. Liverpool are overflowing with midfielders ahead of the new season, and boy did they need some. The addition of Charlie Adam, a classy player in both halves of the pitch, will ensure the Kop witnesses fewer square passes this season, while he will have legs around him in Jordan Henderson and Steven Gerrard to aid his plight. However, that leaves the likes of Maxi Rodriguez (two hat-tricks under Dalglish), Jay Spearing (impressive towards the end of the season), Lucas Leiva (voted Liverpool's player of the season), Raul Meireles (a goal machine under Dalglish) and Alberto Aquilani (arguably the Reds' best pre-season performer) all out of work.

The silver lining of Dalglish's dilemmas is the fact that Liverpool once again have options. Stewart Downing provides a natural left-winger for the first time since John Barnes graced the Anfield turf (we overlook Harry Kewell and Bernard Diomede because Kewell was played infield by Houllier and Benitez while Diomede barely justified being used in any position), Andy Carroll will await Downing's crosses, Rodriguez can float, Dirk Kuyt can operate from the right or provide backup more centrally, while Joe Cole will still want to have a say somewhere across Liverpool's attack. To put it bluntly, if the starting XI don't perform, Dalglish can point to a bench boasting more than David N'Gog and Sotirios Kyrgiakos this season.

And then there is Liverpool's jewell, the man who knits it all together. For the first time since the signing of Xabi Alonso, Liverpool have an individual in Copa America Player of the Tournament Luis Suarez who can make the other nine outfield players play better. He is always available, always moving, he is a defender's nightmare and - along with Downing - will bring pace to the Reds' attack.

However, there are still major question marks for the Reds, not least in a defence that conceded three goals in each of the first five pre-season games. The left-back position has now been plugged by the arrival of Jose Enrique, but the central options of a reckless Martin Skrtel, injury-prone Daniel Agger and ageing Jamie Carragher don't exactly inspire the same confidence as a Vidic or Ferdinand. If Dalglish's big-money gambles like Henderson and Downing don't set the world alight, and the defence fails to function, questions will be asked as to whether the Liverpool manager could have used his treasure chest more wisely.
Liverpool chalked up 58 points last season with the hindrance of Roy Hodgson. Back them to secure an extra four wins for at least 70 points at evens with Bet365.

---

Team under pressure - Arsenal

The statistics are beginning to haunt Arsene Wenger: No Premier League title since 2004, no silverware since 2005. The reserves of goodwill he has built up are beginning to run dry, and patience is wearing dangerously thin - as shown by the way the team was booed from the field following the 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls at the Emirates Cup. As Jack Wilshere has admitted, Arsenal simply have to win a trophy this year. If not, supporters' dissatisfaction threatens to boil over, and the Gunners face the prospect of losing yet more of their best players, prompting another transitional summer they can ill-afford.

Even though the stakes are so high, it's hard to see the Gunners lifting the Premier League crown in May. Yet again, the defence lacks a physically imposing, aerially dominant figure - Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny are talented individuals, but too similar stylistically to form a faultless partnership. Johan Djourou impressed during spells last season, before coming off the rails in the closing months, indicating he isn't the man to cure Wenger's woes.

There are also question marks over the goalkeeping position, with Wojciech Szczesny brimming with potential but rough around the edges, while Lukasz Fabianski still looks suspect under the high ball. Midfield is a source of strength, but for how much longer will Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas remain at the Emirates?

The problems have been the same for year after year - and Wenger has failed to address them. This has all the makings of a troublesome season for the Gunners.
Arsenal usually start well before fading when it really matters. Back them to be top at Christmas at odds of 8/1 with Bet365.

---

Surprise package - Sunderland

After steering Sunderland to a top-ten Premier League finish for the first time since 2001, Steve Bruce has been a busy man this summer. Having taken the helm after the Black Cats narrowly avoided relegation in 2009, Bruce saw them finish 13th during his first season in charge before achieving a top-ten finish last term. Such success, combined with the sale of Jordan Henderson to Liverpool, has seen him handed a handsome transfer kitty, and Bruce looks to have taken full advantage with some shrewd signings in all areas of the park.

Having shipped 54 goals last season, Bruce has shored up his back line with Manchester United duo John O'Shea and Wes Brown, while his strikeforce bears equal promise - it looks like Bruce has managed to hang onto Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan as well as winning the race for the highly-rated Ipswich teenager Connor Wickham.

With set-piece specialist Sebastian Larsson and midfield goal-machine Craig Gardner brought in from relegated Birmingham and David Vaughan jumping ship from Blackpool to bolster the midfield, Bruce has strengthened all areas of an already solid Premier League outfit. Throw South Korean Ji-Dong Won and Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood into the mix, and Bruce looks to have assembled a squad capable of challenging for European football.
Steve Bruce will hope his new signings will make a big impact from the off. Sunderland to finish in the top six is 10/1 with Bet365.

---

Look out for - Connor Wickham

Connor Wickham was earmarked for great things from an early age, making his Ipswich debut 11 days after his 16th birthday - and not looking out of place from the very first minute. He went on to net 13 Championship goals from 33 starts for the Tractor Boys and, in May 2010, grabbed the winner as England clinched the European Under-17 Championship.

Moving up to the Premier League has the potential to be a huge culture shock - and a fee that could rise to £12 million will ramp up the pressure - but we're going to claim that Steve Bruce has scored a huge coup by snapping up Wickham ahead of the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal. He's not the nippiest player in the league, but his technique is surprisingly sharp considering his six-foot-plus stature, and he offers the ability to bring others into play as well as a keen eye for goal.

He's nailed on to get chances in the first-team given Sunderland's lack of available strikers, and it's easy to see his style also coaxing the best out of Asamoah Gyan, who faded towards the end of the season when forced to play upfront on his own. The Football League Young Player of the Year from 2010 has every chance of picking up the equivalent gong in the top division 12 months later.
If you like your odds long, Wickham to be the league's top goalscorer is a tempting 100/1 with Bet365.

---

Bargain of the summer - Yohan Cabaye

Mike Ashley is frequently (and often gleefully) cast as the fool in the ongoing theatre production that is life at St James' Park, but the fact is his questionable decisions aren't always wide of the mark - sacking Chris Hughton to bring in Alan Pardew may have been a move loudly criticised at the time, but it certainly brought comfortable Premier League safety come the end of the season (although whether Hughton would have managed that too is open to debate).

Thus, while the sale of Kevin Nolan and the bargain-basket giveaway of Joey Barton - both top performers for the club last summer - looks foolish on paper, in practice the club is clearly confident they have the midfield area covered. Last season's revelation Cheick Tiote will return to boss matters with his energy and passing range, while he could be perfectly complemented by the similarly efficient and equally versatile Yohan Cabaye - a France international who joined at the start of summer from Ligue 1-winning Lille.

At around £4.5 million, the 25-year-old cost only slightly more than the club received for the much older Nolan - certainly an agreeable transaction for the financiers. Although he is highly unlikely to get the club as many goals this season, he offers an equally robust presence in the centre of the park that should enable Tiote, along with the likes of Sylvain Marveaux and Jonas Gutierrez, to flourish in the final third. A consistent provider of assists and certainly not someone who develops a nosebleed in front of goal (he scored 13 in the league two years ago), Cabaye is also a proficient penalty taker - so in theory at least he offers just as much, if not more, than Nolan once did.

The Toon army love a hard-worker - and Cabaye is certainly that. If he adapts to the Premier League (and his game would certainly appear to be suited) then he could follow Tiote to become an instant hit on Tyneside.
Newcastle look set to struggle for goals this season, with Cabaye second favourite at 5/1 with Bet365 to be the club's top scorer. However, Hatem Ben Arfa's odds for the honour look attractive at 12/1.

---

Biggest waste of money - Jordan Henderson

Henderson faces the unenviable task of forcing his way to the front of Liverpool's clotted central midfield area, which is already loaded with a host of internationals, all of whom will feel worthy of a first-team place. Whether he is up to the challenge is highly debatable, particularly given his alarming slump in form towards the end of last season, where he went down with the ship as Sunderland plummeted towards the relegation places before belatedly steadying themselves. During that period, Henderson found himself shunted out to the right wing as often as not, a stinging criticism of his efforts given that Sulley Muntari was hardly excelling in central areas.

True, he began last season in fine fashion, earning a call-up to the England squad and making a debut against France, but his failure to sustain that level is a concern. While there's no denying his talent, with a tireless engine and a sharp eye for a pass, a reported £20 million fee looks a lot for a player who isn't guaranteed a first-team spot and who still has a huge amount to prove. It might pay off eventually, but next season?

Sir Alex Ferguson had a keen interest in Henderson towards the end of 2010, before turning away when confronted with the fee and loss of form - and, it has to be said, that looks a wise play from the wisest of them all.
Have we got this one completely wrong? Is Henderson going to inspire Liverpool's title challenge? The Reds finishing top of a league not including Manchester United and Chelsea is at 10/3 with Bet365.

---

Point to prove - Fernando Torres

When it comes to running gags, the one about Fernando Torres became arguably the longest and most excruciating of the entire 2010-11 season. £50 million spent by Chelsea, 18 games played, one goal scored, zero trophies delivered. Torres, along with David Luiz (a relative snip at £25 million), was meant to ensure Chelsea kicked on to win the Champions League, but he only succeeded in becoming a major hindrance.

There is no doubt, however, surrounding the Spain international's talent. A tally of 65 league goals in 102 appearances for Liverpool testifies to what he can provide for Chelsea. Crucially, he must get off to a good start. Torres is a confidence player, more so than many, and he needs to find the net quicker than he managed in pre-season, when four games without a goal (Chelsea scored 10) had the shoulders sagging before he scored in the Asia Trophy final against Aston Villa.

The conundrum for Andre Villas-Boas will be how to use Torres. Chelsea always seem at their best when utilising the 4-3-3 formation. That leaves one central striking role available, and the Blues have Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Daniel Sturridge and potentially Romelu Lukaku to accomodate. Will Torres be given the consistency of games or the faith of the manager to repeat his Liverpool form at Stamford Bridge? A big season awaits.
Back Torres to answer his detractors by finishing as the Premier League's top scorer at 8/1 with Bet365.

---

Worth the admission fee - Adel Taarabt

Having put up one heck of a fight to keep hold of Luka Modric, Harry Redknapp must be kicking himself for letting Adel Taarabt go. When Taarabt made the move across London from White Hart Lane to Loftus Road for the paltry sum of £1 million, there was no doubting his remarkable talent, but Hoops boss Neil Warnock has succeeded in converting the impetuous show pony into a pedigree racehorse.

The Morocco international walked away with the Football League Player of the Year award last year for his influential role in Rangers' league-winning campaign. With 19 goals and 16 assists to his name, the statistics speak for themselves, but it does not do justice to the manner in which Taarabt tormented defences and delighted fans in equal measure.

Such a successful season was unlikely to pass by unnoticed, and Taarabt attracted interest from Chelsea and Arsenal, and looked to be on the verge of a move to French giants Paris St Germain, before QPR insisted the 22-year-old would not be sold.

Warnock will continue to build his team around the Moroccan, and his dazzling skills could see him overshadow the talismanic role Charlie Adam played at Blackpool last season. While Adam was unable to save the Tangerines from the drop, this season will see him assume the role of a smaller fish in a bigger pond at Anfield this season. Very much the top dog at Loftus Road, the twinkle-toed Taarabt has the ability to singlehandedly keep QPR in the Premier League.
Big things are expected of the player who attracted the interest of Arsenal and Chelsea and he could be the man to steer QPR to safety next season. Taarabt to be the Hoops' top goalscorer is 9/4 with Bet365.

---

Promoted team most likely to stay up - Swansea

As with Blackpool before them, Swansea look set to captivate this season with an eye-catching style of football, as two rapid wingers wreak havoc in front of a technically-proficient, ball-playing midfield.

One of the attackers, Scott Sinclair, came of age last season following a few years of underachievement, hammering in 19 goals - including a hat-trick in the play-off final win over Reading - as the Swans became the first Welsh-based club to force their way into the Premier League. He looks capable of scoring at the next level up, which is a huge boost to Swansea's survival hopes, while new signing Danny Graham was phenomenal in the Championship last season, nabbing 24 strikes in a pretty average Watford outfit. If both Sinclair and Graham can get ten each, and they're more than capable of doing so, it's hard to see Swansea struggling.

But then finding the back of the net was never a problem for Blackpool last season - instead, they struggled terribly at the other end. Handily, that's an area of strength for Brendan Rogers' outfit, who had the second-best defensive record in the Championship last year, with centre-back Ashley Williams in particular considered more than ready for the challenge of stepping up a division. He will need to be at his best if Swansea are to avoid the drop.
If you agree with us and think Swansea will take the Premier League by storm next season, then back them to be the top newcomer at 7/4 with Bet365.

---

Promoted team most likely to go down - QPR

Arise, Neil Warnock, for your return to the national spotlight is finally here - although whether or not everyone will be happy about that is a cause for debate. A controversial and almost universally unpopular presence during his last stint in the top flight with Sheffield United, Warnock seems to have mellowed slightly (but only slightly) in his time in the Championship and finally gets his chance to deal with some unfinished business.

Of course, back in 2007, the Blades were relegated on the last day in traumatic circumstances - with an illegally registered Carlos Tevez keeping West Ham up with victory at Old Trafford. United were eventually awarded compensation in the courts but that came too late for Warnock, who resigned after the disappointment. Now with QPR, and four years older (and perhaps wiser) he will be desperate to prove he can take a side up - and keep them up.

Unfortunately, that task doesn't look like an easy one. While Swansea have the Hull-esque whiff of a surprise package about them (with a bit of Blackpoolian flair football thrown in for good measure) and Norwich have a bright young manager in Paul Lambert, QPR seem to have stagnated over the summer and are led by a manager who failed at this stage before.

Mercurial talent Adel Taarabt was key to them winning the Championship title but could be off before the season gets going (either now or in January), and, if he does not, may well find Premier League defenders are harder to trick a way past than Penn & Teller.

DJ Campbell may prove a shrewd acquisition but new additions Jay Bothroyd, Danny Gabbidon and Kieron Dyer can hardly be said to inspire enduring confidence, while money seems unlikely to be forthcoming for any higher price additions. Considering the club is owned by billionaires (most of whom appear keen to sell), that is perhaps the biggest cause for concern. The mood around the club appears strained, and a slow start could very well see a complete collapse. Coming up as champions, the very fact QPR have more expectations on them than others could ultimately only weigh them down - and leave Warnock with even more regrets.
Can QPR defy the critics and preserve their top-flight status. They are 6/4 to go down with bet365 and just 8/15 to stay up.

---

First manager to be sacked - Steve Kean

The writing appeared to be on the wall for Steve Kean earlier this year when, with one game to go in the season and Rovers one point above the relegation zone, he was summoned to a meeting with the club's owners in India. It's hard to imagine they were lavishing him with praise, given that he'd just presided over the club's longest run without a win for 25 years.

But Kean's side remained cool under pressure in their final Premier League game, keeping their boss in a job by storming into a 3-0 lead at Wolves, before clinging on for a 3-2 triumph that was enough to keep their heads above water. A commendable achievement for Kean, although it shouldn't be forgotten that Blackburn showed relegation form after he took over from Sam Allardyce - they started life under the new boss promisingly, then things went downhill rapidly.

The ruthless axing of Allardyce showed that Blackburn's owners, the Venky's group, are willing to chop managers - and Kean must be wary of the same fate, especially after a pretty unproductive transfer window at Ewood Park. No-one scored more than five league goals for Rovers last season, but they haven't brought in a top-level striker, while Phil Jones has been sold to Manchester United. Doesn't bode well.
Is Kean about to take Blackburn down? Rovers being relegated is 3/1 with Bet365.

---

Top goalscorer - Robin van Persie

If Van Persie can stay fit - and, OK, that's a huge if - then he looks a shoo-in to clinch the Golden Boot. Last season he was simply lethal as the leader of the Gunners' attack, rattling in 18 goals from 19 Premier League starts, having netted nine in 14 starts the campaign before. You can say what you like about Arsenal - and in defence they invite plenty of criticism - but going forward they always create a glut of chances, and Van Persie, who is a ruthless figure in a team known for over-elaboration, won't hesitate to stick them away.

So can he stay fit? Well, in the 2008/9 season he managed 44 appearances and, surprisingly enough, there were 33 across 2010/11, including the vast majority of the Gunners' matches from January through to May. Having got a full pre-season under his belt, he has a great chance of continuing that streak.
Van Persie is fourth favourite to be top scorer next season - get on him at 9/1 with Bet365.
Alternatively, read why Andy Carroll could end up on top of the pile...

---

Player of the season - Nemanja Vidic

Uncompromising, that's one word to describe Nemanja Vidic. So too are hard, solid and formidable - generally any adjective that describes a defensive rock. Because that is what Vidic has become at Old Trafford - a rock so integral that he has become captain of England's leading club. Vidic succeeded Gary Neville and supplanted Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs as skipper having announced he had penned a new four-year deal with the Red Devils in the summer of 2010, which keeps him at Old Trafford until at least 2014. Until he signed a contract extension, speculation was rife that he could be on his way to Real Madrid, but United's determination to hang on to Vidic speaks volumes of how highly he is rated by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Real's loss was United's gain as Vidic led the club to a 19th Premier League title and another Champions League final last season, returning to the eye-catching form he had shown prior to an injury-ravaged 2009/10 season. So good were his displays, personal recognition at the end of the campaign was inevitable and the Serb deservedly picked up the Barclays Player of the Season award. Vidic has forged a magnificent partnership with Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the United defence, with the pair dove-tailing perfectly to provide an unparalleled defensive unit. While Vidic supplies the steel, Ferdinand provides the style and the combination is unrivalled.

One award missing from Vidic's Curriculum Vitae is the PFA Player of the Year, although some argue he should have had his name etched onto the trophy rather than team-mate Ryan Giggs in April 2009. Still, there's always this season to put that right and we're of the opinion he'll do just that. The improving Chris Smalling has a season under his belt and Phil Jones has arrived from Blackburn with lofty expectations and a hefty price tag around his neck. The man with the armband will have to look over his shoulder but we don't expect a fit and firing Vidic to be usurped as first choice centre back. Far from it.
With Vidic marshalling the troops, United will be a force to be reckoned with. Back them to top the Premier League at Christmas at 15/8 with Bet 365.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.