Five Premier League Predictions Which Could Come True At The End Of This Season
We might only be at the halfway point of the Premier League season, but anyone familiar with the English game will tell you that this is one of the most outrageous seasons that the country, and the world, has witnessed for a long time.
For instance, who could have told you that the Premier League champions of 2015, the awe-inspiring Mourinho-led Chelsea juggernaut, will be languishing at the bottom end of the table in January? Who would have predicted that a relative unknown, a player who played for Conference Premier team Fleetwood Town up until a few years ago, will be leading the charts for the number of goals scored? Who, in their wildest dreams, would have predicted a team which was expected to fight the relegation battle (read: Leicester City) will be battling it out with the big boys at the Premier League summit?
And yet, those are exactly the things which have transpired in this ridiculous, stomach-turning, superbly entertaining Premier League season. It is probable, then, that we will see plenty more drama as we enter the second half of the campaign. So, while one might certainly be out of their depth to make more Premier League predictions at this point of time, there is a certain sense that rationality and good sense might not prevail as far as predictions are concerned, and so here are five equally crazy — but nonetheless probable — Premier League predictions that might turn out to be true come May.
And if these predictions do manage to hit the bull’s eye, remember, you heard it here first!
- Arsenal will win the Premier League title for the first time in 12 years.
This is going to be Arsenal’s year in the Premier League, and despite what you might have been told earlier, this prediction is based on some facts. Not only do Arsenal look like the most consistent team in the league this season (even in their losses!), they managed to score the most number of points in calendar year 2015 — 81, to be exact.
Arsene Wenger will be licking his lips at the plight of the other teams, and will be hoping that his team, which is certain to be strengthened in the summer, wins its first Premier League title in well over a decade. Furthermore, Arsenal has drawn Barcelona in the Champions League — a blessing in disguise, perhaps? Getting knocked out in Europe early might help Wenger help focus his team’s energies on the ultimate prize in the English game: the Premier League trophy.
- Leicester City will finish in the top four, ahead of Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hostpur.
Now, this might be another Premier League prediction which might catch some flak. Although Claudio Ranieri’s men have not won in three Premier League games, they should get back to winning ways against Tottenham next week. Ranieri has managed to make a team out of the many individual talents he has had at his disposal since he arrived at the King Power back in the summer, and the fairy-tale season for Vardy and Mahrez will continue, helping them to a finish above traditional heavyweights Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League table.
- Tottenham Hotspur will also finish in the top four, while Manchester United and Liverpool will both miss out on the coveted Champions League positions.
Again, a brave Premier League prediction, but this is probably how it’ll pan out at the end of this season. Mauricio Pochettino has worked wonders since arriving at White Hart Lane — akin to what he did with the Saints — and with a tremendously improved defense and Harry Kane leading the line for Spurs, they should just edge out Manchester United for the fourth place in the Premier League table.
- Louis Van Gaal will be sacked before the Premier League season is over.
The Old Trafford faithful might get angry with this one. Manchester United have been struggling with their formation and defense lately, and although they managed to grind out a result against Swansea, the pressure is building for United as the season enters its business end. There will be another string of bad results for Louis Van Gaal’s team before May, which will finally lead to the board sacking the United boss before it is too late.
Mourinho might well be waiting on the wings when it happens!
- Romelu Lukaku will win the Golden Boot, while Mesut Ozil will lead the tally for assists at the end of this season.
Although there are a few contenders for this one, including Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Everton’s Lukaku should continue his fine goal-scoring form in the second half of the Premier League season, taking his tally past 25 goals before May.
As for who will lead the table for the number of assists, it seems fairly obvious, doesn’t it? With just four assists short of Thierry Henry’s record of 20 assists in a Premier League season, Arsenal’s Ozil is well-placed to finish the season on a high.
[Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images]
