2021/22 Premier League Preview and Tips

It only seems like yesterday that England and Italy were fighting it out in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. After just a couple of weeks break it is back to the grindstone for the players involved in their domestic leagues and cups. The EPL kicks off on August 13 and it looks like being one of the most intriguing seasons ever. Can Man City maintain their dominance? Will Liverpool come back to form with Van Dijk returning from injury? Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Man Utd build on the promise they showed last season? Will Lukaku fire Chelsea to the title? Check out the TXMarkets 2021/22 Premier League preview below.

2021/22 Premier League: The Main Contenders

Man City

2021 Position: 1st

Manager: Pep Guardiola

2021/22 Premier League Odds: 4/6 (1.67)

City won the league at a canter last season. Even after an uncharacteristically slow start, they still had a 12 point cushion ahead of Man Utd in 2nd. With Grealish added to the squad and Kane trying to get a move from Spurs, City could be even stronger this season. Aguero is gone and Jesus hasn’t lived up to expectations so the addition of a proven Premier League goalscorer like Kane would be a real signal of intent.

There are a few question marks surrounding this team though. One of the biggest ones is whether Raheem Sterling has a long term future under Pep. He fell out of favour last season and while he showed what he could bring to the table at the Euros, Guardiola seems to prefer Foden and Mahrez. Fernandinho isn’t getting any younger and Bernardo Silva, as well as a couple of other fringe players, want to leave. However, City look pretty strong in all departments and they are worthy favourites for the title. Whoever finishes above them will win the Premier League.

Liverpool

2021 Position: 3rd

Manager: Jurgen Klopp

2021/22 Premier League Odds: 5/1 (6.00)

Jurgen Klopp addressed Liverpool’s shortage of central defenders by signing Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, a centre back who has missed 45 league games with injuries in the last two campaigns. That remains their only transfer so far. It was a real struggle for Liverpool between December and March last season. The absence of Van Dijk hit them hard and further defensive injuries meant that Klopp had to play with a makeshift back four for many matches. However, thanks to a couple of their rivals faltering and an upturn in their own form, they surged late to nick 3rd spot with 69 points.

Van Dijk is nearing full fitness but Andy Robertson suffered what looked like a nasty ankle injury in pre-season and he could be out for a while. Is their midfield good enough without the departed Wijnaldum? Henderson is injury prone and so is Naby Keita. Milner is in the twilight of his career and 20 year old Curtis Jones struggled for consistency in 2020/21. A lot of responsibility will rest on the shoulders of Thiago and Fabinho.

Up top, Sadio Mane was well below his best last season and Firmino only showed flashes. Jota started really well after his move from Wolves but his form dipped. Salah should weigh in with his usual 25/30 goals but he’ll need a lot more help from his team-mates if Liverpool are to mount a serious title challenge this season.

Man Utd

2021 Position: 2nd

Manager: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

2021/22 Premier League Odds: 17/2 (9.50)

So far, Man Utd have been one of the biggest spenders in the Premier League. Jadon Sancho has been signed for £75m and Raphael Varane for around £40m. Those two players will strengthen Utd considerably. Last season, Utd sometimes struggled to break deep lying defences down and Sancho’s pace, trickery and vision should help in that department. Lindelof, Bailly and to a lesser extent Maguire were guilty of some poor defensive errors too and the experience and nous of Varane will be a massive addition.

Discussions about a new contract for Paul Pogba are ongoing but I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves. He doesn’t produce the goods consistently at club level and Utd cannot afford to have passengers on the pitch if they want to realistically contend for the title. However, the biggest weakness for Utd might be between the sticks. De Gea, Henderson and new arrival Tom Heaton do not inspire confidence and this is where it could potentially go wrong for them. Behind every great team there is usually a great ‘keeper and unfortunately for Utd fans, none of the ‘keepers named above fit that description on recent form.

Chelsea

2021 Position: 4th

Manager: Thomas Tuchel

2021/22 Premier League Odds: 5/1 (6.00)

Last December, the men in white coats would have come to take you away if you predicted that Chelsea were going to win the Champions League. The Blues were floundering under Fank Lampard but Thomas Tuchel played the role of Chelsea’s knight in shining armour to perfection. The German took over in January and not only did he deliver the Champions League, he also navigated a path to the top 4. However, It has to be said that Chelsea were rather fortunate to finish in the top 4 in the end. They lost 2 of their last 3 games and they had to rely on Spurs doing them a favour at Leicester on the final day.  

It has been relatively quiet on the transfer front at Stamford Bridge so far this summer. Romelu Lukaku is their current target and it looks like their former striker is coming back for around £90m. His goalscoring ability will make this team a massive threat. Chelsea look strong defensively and they have plenty of depth in midfield too. The glaring issue last term was The Blues’ lack of a lethal goalscorer. Timo Werner simply missed far too many chances and he cannot be relied upon to deliver the 25+ goals a season that Chelsea need. However, now that they have Lukaku in their team, Chelsea have to be considered one of the biggest threats to Man City this season.

Top 6 Challengers

Leicester

2021 Position: 5th

Manager: Brendan Rodgers

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 11/10 (2.10)

Yet again, a final day defeat cost Leicester a place in the Champions League. It is the second year in a row it has happened but at least they gained some compensation by lifting the FA Cup at Wembley. Their Charity Shield win will give them a boost going into the new season too. Brendan Rodgers has been busy in the transfer market already. Daka, Soumare and Bertrand have been added to the squad and so far, Leicester have managed to hold on to their prized possessions, Tielemans and Ndidi.

Jamie Vardy turns 35 in January and he is not scoring at the rate he used to. James Maddison was hot property coming into last season but he did not have a good campaign and Rodgers needs to coax him back to form. Given how their last couple of seasons have gone, it is hard to see Leicester breaking into the top 4. They have put themselves in prime position twice now and on both occasions they faltered on the final day. If it is to happen for Leicester, they’ll need Patson Daka to hit the ground running. That won’t be an easy task for a player stepping up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League.

Tottenham

2021 Position: 7th

Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 6/5 (2.20)

Life after Pochettino hasn’t been what Daniel Levy had hoped it would be. A tumultuous Mourinho reign was brought to an abrupt halt in April after less than 18 months and Ryan Mason took over until the end of the season. Nuno Espirito Santo is the latest man charged with engineering a Spurs’ revival and the big question is whether he will have to do it without star striker Harry Kane. The England forward let it be known last season that he was open to leaving the club he has been with since 2004.

Kane wants to win more than just Golden Boots during his career and at 27 years of age, he has decided that he wants to win trophies. Man City are courting Kane and more often than not, they get their man. If Kane departs it will leave a massive hole in this squad and Levy will need to spend the funds wisely. Tough Argentinian defender Cristian Romero has already arrived and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez is also on their hitlist. It certainly won’t be an easy job for Santo cleaning up the mess that Mourinho left behind and this will be a season for regrouping and rebuilding for Tottenham. A Europa League spot is probably the best they can hope for.

Arsenal

2021 Position: 8th

Manager: Mikel Arteta

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 11/8 (2.38)

It is hard to know what to make of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. They finished last season strongly with five wins in a row but it was only good enough for 8th place. That illustrates just how poor they were over the rest of the season. Aubameyang looked disinterested at times and he even missed a game after turning up late. One of Arteta’s main jobs is to ensure another Ozil type situation doesn’t unfold with him. The Gunners were decent defensively last season, conceding the third fewest goals in the division. However, they only managed to score 55 and that is why they struggled to climb the table.

On the plus side, the emergence of Saka has been a massive positive, as has the form of Emile Smith-Rowe. If they can keep him fit, Kieran Tierney is one of the best left sided defenders around and Tavares and Lokonga look like promising additions. Ben White has been signed from Brighton and he should improve this team defensively. If they can get more out of the likes of Pepe, Willian and Lacazette then Arsenal have the potential to challenge for a place in the top 6. However, that is far from certain and if they start slowly, the pressure will ramp up massively on Arteta and he could face a fight to hang on to his job. Interesting times lie ahead for The Gunners.

Leeds

2021 Position: 9th

Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 9/2 (5.5)

Make no mistake, Leeds are a team that no side will look forward to facing this season. Marcelo Bielsa’s side surpassed expectations in their first campaign back in the EPL. They finished just 2 points behind Arsenal and ahead of Everton on goal difference. Leeds have added some new faces in the off season, including Junior Firpo from Barcelona. They have also taken up the option to buy Jack Harrison after his successful loan spell.

Many experts predicted that Leeds would burn out at the end of last season. Bielsa’s tactical approach was too demanding, they said, but Leeds didn’t read the script. They lost just 1 of their last 11 games, a spell that included a victory over Man City and draws against Man Utd and Liverpool. Patrick Bamford has proven his Premier League credentials, Raphinha has been a great signing and Kalvin Phillips is now one of the first names on the team sheet for England. It is an exciting time for Leeds fans and they will deservedly have high hopes this season. Another top half finish beckons.

West Ham

2021 Position: 6th

Manager: David Moyes

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 11/2 (6.5)

West Ham were another team that confounded their critics last season. They were picked out as potential relegation candidates by some but David Moyes’ men had other ideas. They were in with a shout of a top 4 finish right up until the last few weeks and in the end, they only missed out by a couple of points. The unheralded Tomas Soucek chipped in with 10 goals from midfield and his compatriot Vladimir Coufal provided 7 assists from full back. Michal Antonio struggled for fitness but when he is in good nick physically, he is capable of causing any defence headaches.

So far, West Ham have signed Alphonse Areola on loan from PSG and Craig Dawson. If they are to repeat last year’s heroics, they will need to strengthen further. Jesse Lingard made a huge difference when he was signed on loan but he has returned to Man Utd and he is part of their plans. He contributed 9 goals and 4 assists in just 16 appearances and The Hammers surely need to replace his creativity. If they don’t, they could face a battle to make it into the top half this season.

Everton

2021 Position: 10th

Manager: Rafa Benitez

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 4/1 (5.00)

The biggest development at Goodison in the off-season was the departure of Carlo Ancelotti. Rafa Benitez replaces the Italian and he has already added Andros Townsend, Demarai Gray and Asmir Begovic to his squad, hardly awe-inspiring signings. Benitez could prove to be a good appointment. He did well with Newcastle considering the resources he had and if the Everton owners back him with more funds, they could well surprise a few people this season.

They have a quality centre-forward capable of delivering 15, possibly even 20 goals a season in Calvert-Lewin. Richarlison will also contribute goals and Digne is a classy operator at left back. Pre-season hasn’t been ideal for The Toffees with one of their players suspended due to a police investigation. Whether they can improve on last year’s 10th placed finish could come down to how well they recruit.

Aston Villa

2021 Position: 11th

Manager: Dean Smith

2021/22 Premier League Top 6 Odds: 7/1 (8.00)

Aston Villa may have lost their leader Jack Grealish during the transfer window, but they have strengthened their squad considerably. Tricky winger Buendia was signed from Norwich for £34m and Danny Ings was purchased from Southampton for £32m. Speedster Leon Bailey was their other big signing for £29m. Ashley Young returns to the club on a free transfer from Inter and promising centre back Axel Tuanzebe, a key part of the Villa team that earned promotion from the Championship, has been signed on a season long loan from Man Utd.

In terms of goals conceded, Villa fared well last season. They conceded 46 goals, the 7th best record in the Premier League. They only scored 55 and that is why they failed to break into the top half. Jack Grealish had a direct hand in 16 of those (6 goals, 10 assists) so Smith will be hoping that his new attacking signings can compensate for his departure. If they gel, this Villa side is more than capable of improving on last year’s position. They could be lively outsiders to break into the top 8 or maybe even the top 6.

The Bottom Half

Newcastle United

2021 Position: 12th

Manager: Steve Bruce

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 3/1 (4.00)

Joe Willock, Newcastle’s saviour last season, has been signed from Arsenal for around £22 million. That remains their only addition so far and it looks like it will be more of the same for The Magpies this season. Mike Ashley’s approach to running the club means they are unlikely to improve on last year’s 12th placed finish. Given the resources they have, you could argue they overachieved in 2020/21.

There is a toxic atmosphere around the club right now and Steve Bruce is not a manager that the Toon Army have taken to their hearts. They dislike his conservative approach and if the season doesn’t start well, they’ll be calling for Bruce’s head. However, the players seem to enjoy playing for Bruce and Ashley is unlikely to make a change unless there is a very serious threat of relegation. Avoiding the drop will be the height of their ambitions again this season.

Wolves

2021 Position: 13th

Manager: Bruno Lage

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 5/1 (6.00)

Wolves were one of the most disappointing sides in last year’s Premier League. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side did not hit the heights of their previous two campaigns and it was a real slog for them. Losing Jota to Liverpool was a big blow and the Jimenez injury also cost them dearly. They only managed to score a total of 36 goals and it wasn’t the biggest surprise to see Santo departing at the end of the campaign. Portuguese manager Bruno Lage takes over and the former Benfica coach has a big task on his hands at Molyneux.

Lage will be looking to make Wolves a more potent attacking threat. The return of Jimenez will help and while they haven’t spent a huge amount, they have strengthened at the back and they also signed Portuguese winger Francisco Trincao on loan from Barcelona. Jimenez, Traore, Moutinho, Neves and Neto are all capable of scoring and creating goals and they’ll be hoping to see a lot of improvement from Fabio Silva now that he has a full season in England under his belt. If Wolves get off to a good start, they should improve on last season’s finishing position. However, if they start poorly, the pressure will ramp up on Lage. The first few weeks will tell a lot about Wolves’ prospects.

Crystal Palace

2021 Position: 14th

Manager: Patrick Vieira

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 7/4 (2.75)

It is the dawn of a new era at Crystal Palace. Roy Hodgson did a pretty good job at Selhurst Park but he has departed. Former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira takes the reins and it will be fascinating to see how he fares. The 45 year old has managed in MLS and Ligue 1 so far but this will be by far his toughest test to date. There has been a fair amount of upheaval in the Palace squad this summer. Townsend, Van Aanholt, Cahill, Dann, Sakho and McCarthy have all left on free transfers. They have signed a pair of centre backs in Anderson (£15m) and Guehi (£21m) and all action midfielder Conor Gallagher has arrived on loan from Chelsea.

The key for Crystal Palace will be keeping a hold of their two best attackers. Eze and Zaha were by far their biggest threats last season and Zaha has easily been Palace’s best player over the past couple of campaigns. However, even with Zaha and Eze, this Palace squad doesn’t look the strongest. They’ll have a brand new centre back pairing, which is never ideal. Their starting midfield is decent, but they lack depth in that area. If McArthur or Milivojevic were to get injured, it would be disastrous. Palace picked up 44 points last year and if Vieira can achieve the same and keep The Eagles up, it would have to go down as a successful first season.

Southampton

2021 Position: 15th

Manager: Ralph Hasenhuttl

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 4/1 (5.00)

The Saints endured some very difficult moments last season. The low was undoubtedly their 9-0 loss to Man Utd and they never really recovered from that hammering. They only won 4 of their last 17 matches and the end of the season couldn’t come too soon for them. Hasenhuttl now has to plan without top scorer Danny Ings who departed to Aston Villa. Ryan Bertrand has also left the club so new left-back Romain Perraud will need to hit the ground running. Young Chelsea midfielder Valentino Livramento was also added to the squad but the 18 year old is most likely one for the future.

It is quite easy to see where Southampton’s problems are when you look at last season’s table. They conceded a whopping 68 goals, the second worst record in the division. The Saints scored 47 but Ings had a direct role in 16 of those goals (12 goals, 4 assists) and they desperately need to replace him up top. Adam Armstrong has been signed after netting 28 goals in the Championship last season for Blackburn. Che Adams contributed 9 goals and 5 assists and there could still be more to come from him. James Ward Prowse is another source of goals and assists from set pieces. However, unless Hasenhuttl can solve Southampton’s defensive problems, it could be a long season for The Saints.

Brighton

2021 Position: 16th

Manager: Graham Potter

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 8/1 (9.00)

This will be Graham Potter’s third season in charge of Brighton. The 46 year old has transformed the way Brighton play since taking over from Chris Hughton. They play attractive football and they probably deserved to finish higher than they did last season. The Seagulls lost a total of 15 games but a lot of those were really close with 11 defeats by a single goal. If they had converted five or six of those losses into draws, they would have finished in 11th place. The teams that finished directly ahead of them had goal differences of -21, -25, -16 and -16. Brighton had a goal difference of just -6 which shows they were very competitive in most matches.

The biggest problem for the Seagulls was a lack of goals. They only scored 40 in total and their top scorer Neal Maupay only netted 8. Ben White has left the club and the £50 million fee will surely be used to strengthen the Brighton attack. Their main signing so far, Enock Mwepu, cost £20m and he’ll be hoping to form a strong partnership with Bissouma in the engine room. Prolific Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is also on their radar. If they can secure his services, Brighton are well capable of improving on last season’s 16th placed finish.

Burnley

2021 Position: 17th

Manager: Sean Dyche

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 5/2 (3.50)

Last season was Burnley’s worst in terms of finishing position since they returned to the Premier League. However, they still managed to avoid relegation by 11 points and their fans will be happy that they preserved their status in the top division. Sean Dyche has worked wonders at Turf Moor on a shoestring budget. The Clarets consistently punch above their weight and while they do lose the occasional match heavily, more often than not they are a really tough team to beat, especially at home.

As is the case with most teams in the lower reaches of the table, scoring goals is a big problem for Burnley. They only netted 33 last season with 12 of those coming from Chris Wood. The big New Zealand striker has led the line with distinction and if it wasn’t for him, Burnley would be playing in the Championship this season. Young Irish centre-back Nathan Collins has been signed for £12 million from Stoke and Wayne Hennessey has signed on a free transfer. That’s the extent of Burnley’s business so far and it looks like survival is the height of their ambitions this season. With Dyche in charge, you wouldn’t bet against them staying up again.

2021/22 Premier League – The New Boys

Norwich City

2021 Championship Position: 1st

Manager: Daniel Farke

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 10/11 (1.90)

Norwich may have lifted the Championship trophy last season, but the bookies make them 2nd favourites for the drop. Daniel Farke’s men bounced back up at the first attempt and he knows his team needs to put up a better fight than the last time they were in the Premier League. Unfortunately for Farke, he will have to plan without Emilio Buendia. He contributed 15 goals and 16 assists last season and Aston Villa splashed the cash to take him to Villa Park. Milot Rashica was signed for £9.9M from Werder Bremen and Farke will be hoping the Kosovan winger can make an immediate impact.

Norwich have also signed the hugely promising Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on loan. The young Scot advertised his abilities against England at the Euros and he could prove to be a key addition. Pukki scored 11 goals in the Premier League in 2019/20 and he was as prolific as ever in the Championship last season with 26 goals. If Norwich can provide him with sufficient ammunition, they have a fighting chance of avoiding the drop. However, if they start poorly the pressure will ramp up on Farke and he may not survive the season.

Watford

2021 Championship Position: 2nd

Manager: Xisco Munoz

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 4/5 (1.80)

Watford are a club that play by different rules than everyone else. Most clubs aim for stability in the managerial position, but not The Hornets. The owner likes to chop and change managers regularly and for the most part, it has worked well for them. Since the Pozzos got involved in 2012 and replaced Sean Dyche with Gianfranco Zola, Watford have had 15 different managers. Once they got promoted they spent five successive years in the Premier League and they have now bounced straight back up after being relegated in 2019/20.

Watford have been busy in the transfer market. Their biggest signing is Imran Louza from Nantes for £9m. Other interesting arrivals include Danny Rose and Josh King, both on free transfers. Experienced Czech midfielder Juraj Kucka has also been signed on loan from Parma. They have over 40 players on their books now and there will surely be some departures before the season begins. Given the big turnover in players, it is tough to know what Xisco Munoz’s starting 11 will be. It is hard to see anything other than a relegation dogfight for Watford and avoiding the drop would be viewed as a very successful campaign.

Brentford

2021 Championship Position: 3rd

Manager: Thomas Frank

2021/22 Premier League Relegation Odds: 6/4 (2.5)

For the first time in 75 years, Brentford are back in the top flight. Thomas Frank has done an unbelievable job since arriving from Brondby in October 2018. The Dane has transformed the club and they fully deserved their promotion playoff win vs Swansea. Frank has assembled a decent squad that plays an exciting, attacking brand of football. The Bees strengthened in the summer, signing Ajer from Celtic for £15m and Onyeka from Midtjylland for £9m. More importantly, they have managed to hold on to their main man, Ivan Toney.

Toney was outstanding last season. He was the top scorer in the Championship with 33 goals, 22 of which came from open play. He also contributed 10 assists so it is imperative that he stays fit. Mbuemo also came up with 10 assists and Canos (9 goals, 8 assists) is another creative force. Brentford scored more goals than any other team in the Championship but they conceded 46 and that is why they missed out on automatic promotion. If Ajer can help shore things up at the back, Brentford have the attacking talent to stay in the Premier League.

2021/22 Premier League Tips

Outright Winner

If Man City manage to sign Harry Kane, they will be very hard to stop. The only thing they lacked last season was a prolific striker and they still managed to win the Premier League by a wide margin. If you add Kane’s goals to the mix then it is impossible to see anything other than a Man City triumph. The bookies are taking no chances though and they are only 4/5 to retain their title.

Liverpool will hope to be their main challengers but their lack of activity in the transfer market does not bode well. They have yet to replace Wijnaldum and the likes of Henderson, Mane, Salah, Robertson and Firmino have a lot of miles on the clock. Klopp seems to be putting his faith in Naby Keita to step up to the plate but his injury record is hugely concerning. Robertson could be set for a spell on the sidelines and it remains to be seen if Van Dijk is the same player after his knee injury. They don’t make any appeal at odds of 5/1.

Like Man City, Chelsea’s lack of a top class striker cost them last season. Timo Werner failed to deliver the goods but the addition of Lukaku will make a huge difference. A proven Premier League goalscorer, the Belgian is usually good for 20+ goals and if he lives up to expectations Chelsea have the credentials to be title challengers at odds of 5/1.

Make Or Break For Utd

For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it is a make or break season. There is no doubt that Utd have improved over the last two seasons but now is the time for them to deliver silverware. The Norwegian has assembled what looks a very strong squad on paper. Varane and Sancho could prove to be excellent additions in areas that needed strengthening. Greenwood is now a year older and wiser and Luke Shaw has emerged as one of the league’s best left backs. However, if David De Gea doesn’t rediscover his best form then Utd will struggle to mount a serious title challenge. Finding a world class keeper could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Utd but until they do, it is hard to see them winning the league.

As things currently stand, Chelsea look the value after signing Romelu Lukaku. Last season Jorginho was Chelsea’s top Premier League scorer with just 7 goals. Big money signing Werner only scored 6 goals yet Chelsea still managed to hit the 67 point mark. Lukaku should be capable of adding at least 20 goals and that should enable The Blues to win a lot more games. If City land Kane, things will change but at the time of writing, Chelsea look worth backing to win the Premier League at odds of 5/1.

2021/22 Premier League Winner Tip: Chelsea @ 5/1

Side Markets

As ever, there are lots of interesting side markets. Southampton were trending in the wrong direction in the second half of last season. In January, they beat Liverpool 1-0 but after that, the wheels fell off. In the 21 games that followed they had a record of W4 D2 L15. 14 points from 21 matches is relegation form and the manner of some of those defeats was extremely concerning.

The transfer window has not gone well for them so far either. They have lost key striker Danny Ings and Ryan Bertrand and their signings to date do not inspire much confidence. Ralph Hasenhuttl is going to be under huge pressure coming into this season and a slow start may well be final straw for the Southampton board.

The fact that they haven’t backed him in the transfer market is a worry and it could be a struggle for the Saints this season. They are 4/1 to be relegated with William Hill and those odds are too tempting to turn down. The 10/1 about Hasenhuttl to be the first manager to leave his post looks worth a small investment too. In the first five weeks they face Everton away, Man Utd at home and Man City away. If they lose those three games, the Southampton board may well wield the axe.

2021/22 Premier League Tips: Southampton to be relegated @ 4/1; Hasenhuttl first manager to leave post @ 10/1.

If any team is going to break into the Top 6 this year, it could be Aston Villa. Dean Smith’s side did well last season and even though they have lost their talisman Jack Grealish, they probably have a stronger squad over all after their transfer dealings. Buendia could prove to be a very shrewd signing for £35m and both Ings and Bailey will bring plenty to the table. Ashley Young will add experience and Axel Tuanzebe will be eager to prove himself in the Premier League.

Last season saw Villa finish in 11th, 10 points behind West Ham in 6th. The Hammers are no bankers to repeat those heroics and the likes of Spurs and Arsenal, who were also ahead of The Villains, are in transitional periods. They have 4 points to make up on both Everton and Leeds but on paper at least, Villa have a better squad than those teams. 7/1 looks a more than decent price about a top 6 berth for Villa and that is the recommended bet.

2021/22 Premier League Tips: Aston Villa Top 6 Finish @ 7/1

TXMarkets’ Team Tips

All of the staff here at TXMarkets love their football and they are very knowledgeable when it comes to the Premier League. They have all been studying hard and they hopefully have come up with some winning ante-post bets. Kelly Eden tipped up Italy at 14/1 to win the Euros and he is hoping to be the King of the TXMarkets tipping team again. Check out the TXMarkets’ staff tips for the 2021/22 Premier League season below.

Kelly	Leicester to win outright +22 points @ 16/1
John	Patrick Bamford top goalscorer @ 28/1 (e/w 4 places 1/4 odds)
Jason	Leeds to finish Top 4 @ 12/1
Robinson	Chelsea to win outright @ 5/1
Trev	Man City to win outright @ 4/5

 

James Punt’s Premier League Predictions

There are only three teams in it, maybe four. Chelsea, Liverpool Manchester City and Manchester Utd.

Chelsea must have a great chance. Thomas Tuchel has been a very smart signing. With his nous and a strengthened squad the European Champions will be hard to stop.  

Liverpool needed about a million years to win the Premier League and failed to defend the title with a poor 2020/21 season. There are two reasons why they will be back to their best in 2021/22. Firstly is the return of their talisman, Dick van Dyke. He looks ready to resume, if not in the first game, very soon and he makes a night and day difference to Liverpool. The second is the return of fans at Anfield. The Kop can intimidate teams and referees alike and Mo Salad will be swallow diving to many penalties. Liverpool finished last season with eight PL wins and two draws. With Van Dijk back, they should be even better.

City Have Strength In Depth

Manchester City have great strength in depth but they have lost key players in recent seasons and this season they have no Sergio Arguero. Granted he was absent for most of last season, but he was a special player and impossible to replace. Grealish is an interesting signing but he spends too much time on his arse for my liking. Despite having so many players who can score from anywhere, City need an out and out striker. Harry Kane fits the bill but City won’t pay Spurs asking price and I guess they will have to make do with what they have got. A class outfit and City will not be far away. 

Man Utd have become something of a sleeping giant. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has ridden the storms and looks to have his feet firmly under the table now. Some decent signings should improve them but of the big four they look the weakest and defensively vulnerable. Last years runners up where 12 points shy of City and this season will see Chelsea and Liverpool much stronger. As a result, United will find life tougher. Fourth place may be more realistic.

City are the odds on favourites, not great value and I would rather have a point on Liverpool @ 6.5 and a point on Chelsea @ 6.00.

James Punt’s Premier League Winner Tips: 1 pt Liverpool @ 6.50; 1 pt Chelsea @ 6.00

Dark Horses?

It is hard to see any these days. Can we still call Leicester City a dark horse? Well odds of 67.00 says yes. Top 4 contenders yes, winners? No. Spurs have one of the best goal scorers in their squad, but he does not want to be there anymore. They have spent all their money on a stadium and have fallen into the same trap as Arsenal did. Even getting into the Europa League will be a result. 

Best bet for an outsider? 21.00 West Ham to finish in the top 4. If United do not fire it could be down to Leicester or The Hammers to nick fourth place. Moyes is underestimated as a manager and finishing just 2 points from 4th place last year underlines their potential. 

Burnley to be relegated at 3.50 makes some appeal. They finished in a heap last season and they don’t have the cash to compete at the top level. 

JamesPunt