Title winners: Manchester City. They are always better when they are chasing the title, rather than defending it. However, I am adding a rider: it will need Sergio Agüero to go the season injury-free.  Relegated: Sunderland, Watford and Leicester, with another close call for Aston Villa.  Player of the season: Harry Kane, collecting the award he should have won last season. Everyone expected Hazard to be brilliant. Nobody could have thought Kane would score over 30 goals and knock one in for England with virtually his first touch.  Related: Premier League fans’ verdicts part 1: Arsenal to Manchester United  Surprise of the season: Bournemouth not being the straight-back-down team that most people suspect. Eliaquim Mangala may make a few people eat their words too.  Signing of the season: Petr Cech. It seems bizarre that Chelsea would actively solve one of Arsenal’s problem positions. Arsenal already look better defensively.  Young player of the season: Luke Shaw. Still an exceptional talent. Too much was made of his teething problems at Old Trafford.  Least excited about: The roadworks – usually with nobody doing any road-work – on the M1 and M6 after night games. And Manuel Pellegrini’s press conferences.  Most excited about: I Believe in Miracles, the Jonny Owen documentary-film about Nottingham Forest, 1975-80, and the kind of implausible success story that could never happen again.  Title winners: Manchester City. Still have the strongest squad in all areas. Vincent Kompany and Yaya Touré have to be better than last season. David Silva is still the best David Silva-style player around. Raheem Sterling is £49m of quite good but he’s just the right signing for a team who needed speed, vim and youth. Mainly though, nobody else looks that good.  Relegated: Watford and Norwich, just because they go up and they go down. And probably Leicester too. No Nigel, no party.  Player of the season: Harry Kane, who everyone seems to think is going to struggle, lose his mojo and all the rest but who is in fact an irrepressible cartoon-style hero and will score 30 goals this season while having more fun than any other human being on the planet.  Surprise of the season: The Premier League doesn’t do surprises. Stoke – now even more Barcelona than Barcelona- may be this season’s Southampton. Failing that, a happy Newcastle.  Signing of the season: James Milner. The complete quite-good midfielder.  Young player of the season: Memphis Depay. Cocky, fast and fun.  Least excited about: Managers going on about stuff. People in the media pretending to care about handshakes, mind games, etc.  Most excited about: Everything equally. Although whatever it is that’s about to happen at Manchester United – disaster, triumph, glory, nervous collapse – should be fun to watch.  Title winners: Last season Chelsea were unparalleled in attack until mid-January, and unbeatable in defence thereafter. In short they weren’t just the best team in the division – they were the best two teams in the division, and despite a lack of summer signings whichever one turns up this time must be favourites once again.  Relegated: Unlike last season all three promoted clubs have the potential to thrive, which hopefully will lead to a closely contested relegation scrap that will never see one side marooned on the bottom. Which is another way of saying it’s very hard to pick between about 10 possible candidates but if forced I’ll go with Leicester, Norwich and, unless Christian Benteke is replaced by someone equally golden-booted, Aston Villa.  Player of the season: Eden Hazard and Sergio Agüero remain the best teams’ best players, and will stylishly jostle each other for individual supremacy.  Related: Premier League fans’ verdicts part 2: Newcastle United to West Ham United  Surprise of the season: The fixture list has handed Bournemouth a chance of glory, with their first four home games – against Aston Villa, Leicester, Sunderland and Watford – giving them an opportunity to get significant points on the board against likely relegation candidates before the clocks go back. If the confidence needed to attack in numbers and at speed – as they did so impressively last season – survives their introduction to the top flight they could have a significant impact.  Signing of the season: Full-backs don’t always get a lot of attention but Matteo Darmian addresses a serious long-term need at Manchester United and could eclipse some of the club’s more loudly-trumpeted arrivals.  Young player of the season: Aleksandar Mitrovic seems to be the type of player who causes regular headaches for defenders and disciplinary commissions alike – and he’s brilliant on Football Manager. If managed well, his arrival at Newcastle could be transformational. Also, I hear Manchester City have bought a decent young Englishman.  Least excited about: Hearing what José Mourinho has to say about things four times a week.  Most excited about: Seeing whether the throng of new managers who have been thrown into fascinating positions sink or swim. Claudio Ranieri at Leicester, Steve McClaren at Newcastle, Slaven Bilic at West Ham and Quique Sánchez Flores at Watford should all have intriguing debut seasons (assuming they last until it ends), and Tim Sherwood’s first full campaign at Aston Villa is unlikely to be drama-free. Also, transfer deadline day ending at 6pm rather than 11pm – five delicious additional hours of sanity.  Title winners: Let’s say Arsenal, after Chelsea are ravaged by injuries.  Relegated: West Ham, Sunderland and Norwich.  Player of the season: Sergio Agüero. The best striker in the league should thrive even more with service from David Silva, Raheem Sterling and a reinvigorated Yaya Touré.  Surprise of the season: Troy Deeney to be this season’s Charlie Austin. West Ham to go down. Louis van Gaal to be sacked/storm off in a huff.  Signing of the season: André Ayew.  Young player of the season: Raheem Sterling. Nonsense to suggest he is anything other than a marvel.  Least excited about: Transfer deadline day. Yellow bleeding ties indeed.  Most excited about: Bojan Krkic’s return to fitness. And seeing how the Liverpool revamp works out.  Title winners: Chelsea carried all before them last season and demonstrated an ability to grind out results as well as scintillate. The rest have been playing catch-up ever since but, if José Mourinho’s transfer dealings serve to reinvigorate, the champions should remain a step ahead.  Relegated: Leicester may have to repeat last season’s late heroics, though can that be achieved with Claudio Ranieri in charge? Watford have virtually a new team – and manager – from the set-up that gained promotion and will have no time to settle. And Bournemouth, so impressive in the Championship, are in alien surroundings: it will be intriguing to see how they recover from the occasional drubbing.  Player of the season: Sergio Agüero. The Argentinian has been prolific throughout his time at the Etihad stadium and, if he can avoid the injuries that have plagued him at times, he can sustain City’s challenge to Chelsea’s authority at the top.  Surprise of the season: Norwich under Alex Neil. The team should not have been relegated last time around given the quality in their squad, and the Scot has injected belief into the set-up since taking over last term.  Young player of the season: John Stones. The same prediction as last year but, if fit this time around and still an Everton player featuring regularly, he should establish himself for his country as well as his club.  Signing of the season: Jordy Clasie at Southampton has worked for and thrived under Ronald Koeman in the past and seems a snip even if his price rises to £8.4m.  Least excited about: The mid-season bleating from players – and agents – suddenly concerned their inability to break into the first team at their respective clubs is hampering their chances of featuring at Euro 2016. And the lack of transfer requests in January which would see those same players sacrifice bonuses and loyalty payments due in their contracts.  Most excited about: The title race, the jostling among ambitious clubs seeking to break into the top 10, the soap opera which will inevitably be West Ham’s last season at the Boleyn Ground, Louis van Gaal’s impact in his second season at Old Trafford, how Bournemouth attack the top flight … there’s plenty to have the juices flowing.  Title winners: Chelsea. Expect Arsenal and Manchester United to provide a stronger, closer challenge this season but they lack the champions’ defensive quality. A lot, perhaps too much, rests on Diego Costa staying fit, however.  Relegated: Norwich, Leicester and Watford. Alex Neil has performed wonders at Carrow Road but promotion may have arrived a year too soon for the group, Watford need Troy Deeney to make the step up immediately and how Claudio Ranieri continues to land good jobs is a mystery.  Player of the season: Wayne Rooney. The 29-year-old may get a consistent run as Manchester United’s leading centre-forward with Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao gone and, if Louis van Gaal’s team are to mount a genuine title challenge, his goals and game intelligence will be essential.  Surprise of the season: Maybe not a major surprise given the stylish way Bournemouth swept to the Championship title last season but for the team to remain true to Eddie Howe’s ideals, make several established sides appear archaic by comparison and to enjoy a stress-free inauguration into the Premier League.  Signing of the season: Petr Cech. Seven years after Jens Lehmann ended his first spell at Arsenal, Arsène Wenger has finally got round to signing a goalkeeper of proven, outstanding pedigree. Imagine the eruptions emanating from Stamford Bridge should the veteran provide the foundation for an overdue title challenge at the Emirates.  Young player of the season: Raheem Sterling. Tipped the then Liverpool winger for the prize last summer and he revived the team mid-season when shifted into the main striker’s role but his form and focus deteriorated badly amid the controversy over his never-to-be-signed contract extension. Now in a better side, it is time for the 20-year-old to show what all the fuss and an exorbitant transfer fee was about.  Least excited about: The prospect of last season’s top four quickly retaking their positions, staying put throughout and three of the four once again failing to mount a credible challenge to Chelsea.  Most excited about: Harry Arter and company justifying the “Surprise of the season” selection. Failing that, cancelling the Sky subscription now that all the better stuff is on BT Sport.  Title winners: Chelsea. Arsenal and Manchester City will challenge more strongly but Chelsea have the power, relentlessness and savvy to get the job done again.  Relegated: Leicester, Sunderland and Norwich. I fear that Claudio Ranieri will struggle at Leicester, Sunderland could be the wrong side of the cut-off this time and Norwich do not have enough.  Player of the season: Raheem Sterling. If only because the script is already prepared for him. Sky-high fee and pressure following his move from Liverpool to Manchester City, the winger will harness it with his quicksilver skills to show why he was worth all the fuss.  Surprise of the season: I would love to see Alex Pritchard get serious game time at Tottenham Hotspur. If he does, the attacking midfielder could build on his excellent loan season at Brentford and light up the Premier League.  Signing of the season: Nathaniel Clyne. Liverpool have found right-back to be a problem position of late but Clyne ticks all the right boxes. He can also establish himself as England’s undisputed first-choice in a European Championship year.  Young player of the season: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Still only 21, the winger-cum-central midfielder has enjoyed several purple patches in his Arsenal career and, if he can stay injury-free, he is ready to put it together over a full season.  Least excited about: Seeing half-and-half scarves on match-going fans. It was chilling to see West Ham’s Europa League qualifier against the Andorran giants FC Lusitans in early July given this ludicrous commemorative treatment but there have been worse examples. Please make it stop.  Most excited about: LVG Part II. The Manchester United manager enjoyed a white knuckle ride in his first season at the club, often flirting with disaster only to somehow emerge with the results. It will be especially interesting to see how he fares in the Champions League.  Title winners: Chelsea. For the first time in seven seasons, since Manchester United claimed a hat-trick of crowns in 2008-09, the same name should be embossed on the trophy in consecutive years. Manchester City are weak defensively, United lack world-class outfield players and Arsenal are again bound to be the Arsenal that crumble.  Relegated: Watford, Leicester and Newcastle all for the same reason: the manager. The Hornets’ Quique Sánchez Flores’s last gig ended in resignation from Getafe after seven weeks in February for “personal reasons”. The Foxes’ Claudio Ranieri was sacked as the Greece manager last November. And the Magpies’ Steve McClaren was dismissed as the Derby manager in May.  Player of the season: Sergio Agüero. There surely has to be a campaign where the land’s finest finisher receives the recognition deserved and, at 27, he is now in the prime of a stellar career.  Surprise of the season: Crystal Palace. Alan Pardew is a shrewd operator and, after last season’s fine 10th-place finish, he could take the Eagles into the top six.  Signing of the season: Raheem Sterling. Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea would all be a different proposition with the £49m man in their side. But it was City who acquired Sterling and, after a ton of goals and the weekly shredding of defences, by Christmas that price will seem a bargain.  Young player of the season: Luke Shaw. The 20-year-old (who was my choice 12 months ago) really is lean and keen to mean business this term.  Least excited about: Managers not bothering with the Europa League after talking up the prospect of continental football last season.  Most excited about: How City’s Manuel Pellegrini and United’s Louis van Gaal go: each is under pressure to deliver and has around 10 matches to prove his club can be contenders.  Title winners: As long as Diego Costa’s troublesome hamstrings do not keep him out of too many matches, it is hard to see past Chelsea, even though it can be dangerous not to renew your squad over the summer. They could have done with a right winger and another midfielder.  Relegated: The bottom half is always much of a muchness but Norwich lack Premier League class, Leicester could regret replacing Nigel Pearson with Claudio Ranieri and maybe this will finally be Sunderland’s year.  Player of the season: Eden Hazard will continue to delight.  Surprise of the season: Bournemouth’s excellent winger Matt Ritchie to show that he belongs at this level.  Signing of the season: Remind me again why Chelsea let Petr Cech go to Arsenal? Arsène Wenger’s side are probably still a top striker away from winning the league but Cech will make a huge difference in goal. His presence alone increases their confidence.  Young player of the season: Raheem Sterling. Unless West Ham’s Elliot Lee turns out to be the new Harry Kane.  Least excited about: Analysis of handshakes.  Most excited about: Whether Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth can stay up with their stylish brand of football. They will not be dull.  Title winners: Arsenal. Arsène Wenger will stick a strictly metaphorical two fingers up at Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal et al before announcing his retirement next summer.  Relegated: Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford. Well they do say what goes up must come down ... Leicester could also be in the mix but Claudio Ranieri may just exceed expectations.  Player of the season: Aaron Ramsey. Wenger’s key midfielder has improved almost beyond recognition and this could be his moment in the sun. He can play a bit himself but also possesses the invaluable knack of creating the right midfield framework for Santi Cazorla, Mesut Özil and gifted friends.  Surprise of the season: Stoke City. Mark Hughes could be set to remind everyone just how good a manager he is. Do not bet against a European challenge in the Potteries.  Signing of the season: Stewart Downing’s return to Middlesbrough from West Ham takes some beating but, in purely Premier League terms, it has to be Yohan Cabaye to Crystal Palace. There was a time when the former Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle midfielder would have scoffed at the idea of joining Palace but now with a point to prove he looks poised to wow Selhurst Park. A real coup on Alan Pardew’s part.  Young player of the season: Rolando Aarons. If and, yes, it is a very big if, Newcastle’s young left winger can avoid the hamstring problems that ruined last season, Aarons looks capable of switching the lights back on at St James’ Park. His similarly youthful team-mate Ayoze Pérez is another attacking talent to keep an eye on, while Memphis Depay looks an extremely exciting addition to Manchester United’s frontline armoury.  Least excited about: Climbing the interminable steps to the press box at the Stadium of Light – the Premier League’s most vertiginous which is so high you are divorced from the atmosphere.  Most excited about: Seeing Steve McClaren turn Newcastle into much more of a passing, attack-minded team. It will take time but should be worthwhile. Outside the Premier League – watching Downing play for Middlesbrough again and Sunderland Ladies challenging for the Women’s Super League title.  Title winners: Chelsea. Best-organised defence, proven goalscorers, smart manager. With or without John Stones, this is a winning combination that could last a long time.  Relegated: Leicester, Bournemouth and Watford. Not necessarily in that order. It is always a guessing game with newly-promoted teams, but Leicester still look vulnerable.  Player of the season: Raheem Sterling. Why not?  Surprise of the season: Everton finishing above Liverpool in the table. To be honest I don’t see it happening. But it would be a surprise.  Signing of the season: Patrick Bamford (Crystal Palace, on loan from Chelsea). Smart piece of work by Alan Pardew. Chelsea have just given Bamford a new three-year deal so this could be the last time anyone gets his services on a temporary basis.  Young player of the season: Bamford or Sterling would count. Maybe Jordon Ibe, if he gets enough games at Liverpool.  Least excited about: Friday night kick-offs. Monday night kick-offs. Call me old-fashioned (guilty as charged) but I happen to prefer it when as many games as possible start at broadly the same time, or at least at some point during the weekend.  Most excited about: Bournemouth taking the Premier League by storm. Or staying up for a surprising number of seasons, like Wigan. As you can see from the above, I doubt it will happen but it would be good for the league if it did. The game needs romance, I don’t mind being proved wrong on occasion.
Who will win the title? Who will get relegated? Which players will shine and what is there to get excited about? Our team have their say