Saturday 15th August
I really like Martin O’Neill and think he is one of the best managers around. I believe he will be able to cope with the loss of a key player like Gareth Barry and will lead Villa forward to another excellent season. Whether they can challenge the top four and Manchester City remains to be seen, but they will certainly be in the race for Europe.
Roberto Martinez has quickly established a glowing reputation as a manager and he will have to live up to that reputation to cope with the loss of Valencia, Palacios, Cattermole and Zaki. He may well get it right in the end but I don’t expect that to start here.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Two teams who will spend this ninety minutes trying to get to know each other. They both have several new faces but there the similarity ends. City’s new faces have been assembled at a cost of multi-millions whereas Blackburn’s have been gathered on the relative cheap.
David Dunne’s comments that Blackburn will ‘kick lumps’ out of City should guarantee that the game will at least have a competitive edge!
I fancy the billionaires to make a decent start.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
Both sides seem to have made some shrewd signings during the Summer and both sides have shrewd managers in Gary Megson and Steve Bruce.
Bolton are always well organised and they have definitely strengthened at the back with the arrival of the likes of Paul Robinson from West Brom.
Sunderland couldn’t score goals last season but Fraizer Campbell and Darren Bent will be looking to put that right.
One of the more difficult games to predict.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
They might have a new manager in Carlo Ancelotti but when you look at Chelsea’s players it is hardly the start of a new era. If the fear last season was that they were too old, then that fear must have increased now.
Having said that, they looked good in last week’s Community Shield and they will undoubtedly be in the mix for all the major honours come the end of the season.
Hull had a great start last season and a disastrous finish. It is hard to see them repeating that start and I fully expect them to pick up where they left off.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
You may have expected the teams that finished fifth and fourth in last season’s Premier League to have spent money in the Summer to try to make the big push to challenge for the title this time around.
So in this game the new signings on show will be…
Both sets of fans must be disappointed with that. I can see them continuing to be disappointed after they cancel each other out in this game.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-0
I fear for Portsmouth this season. They have sold most of their good players and the others seem likely to follow. Their manager is already talking about survival being the best they can hope for.
Fulham had a great season last time out qualifying for Europe when most people had predicted them to struggle. It will be difficult for them to match the exploits of last season but I fancy them to start well here.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
For their first ever game in the top flight Stoke is hardly a glamour location for Burnley to visit is it! As well as being a team they have often played lower down the league, they are also a team that are incredibly difficult to get anything from at their own ground.
Owen Coyle will see this as the type of game his side will need to get something from if they are to have any hope of survival. I think he’ll be disappointed.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
This will be a good test of Wolves’ credentials. They need to do well at home and West Ham are a pretty good first test for them.
Many people feel that Wolves will be fine, but I have to say I fear a little for them. They must get off to a good start.
West Ham will be fine under Zola and I foresee another season of development and mid-table respectability.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
Sunday 16th August
It doesn’t get much tougher for a newly promoted team than to have to go to Old Trafford. In fact, it doesn’t get any tougher.
It has been an unusual summer for United with more news about injuries and players leaving than about new signings and hopes for the season. Despite that, they are still pretty formidable.
Stranger things have happened than Birmingham winning this game but I just can’t think of any at the moment!
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
Potentially the best game of the weekend. Two teams that play good football and two teams who will fancy their chances this season.
Tottenham will be looking to challenge for Europe and they seem to have goals all over the field. Their problem will be in keeping them out at the other end.
Liverpool have lost Alonso and that is a serious loss. However, a fit Gerrard and Torres will have enough to beat most of what is put in front of them.
Definitely the hardest game to predict this week.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
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