21/08/2026

FRIDAY | AUG 21, 2026

30

SPORTS

Premier League ranking (Part 1) Arsenal’s strength, depth makes them favourites to defend their title but who will challenge The Gunners?

SPORTS

█ BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

they lifted the Conference League. Whether reality sinks in this campaign largely depends on the impact of Pierre Sage, who turned Lens into Ligue 1 runners-up and French Cup win ners last season. Stylistically, Sage appears a decent fit as he bids to build upon Glasner’s impressive two-and-a-half year spell. Palace have become accustomed to losing star players and it is in defence where there has been the most transition: they have lost both Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix over the last year, and Daniel Munoz may be the next to go. 12 Sunderland 7th last season Sunderland were last sea son’s surprise package. capped off a tremendous first season back in the top flight under Regis Le Bris. But while European away days will be savoured by a Sunderland fan base who hold recent memories of life in League One, the added fixtures and rhythm of Thursday-Sunday could be a chal lenge for Le Bris and his players, especially as the free transfer of veteran rightback Thomas Meunier and the £25.6 million (RM133m) sign ing of leftback Dayann Methalie is currently their only business of the summer. That said, Sunderland overcame the doubters last season, and their second season in the Premier League has already been boosted by captain Granit Xhaka turning down Chelsea to remain with the Black Cats. 11 Nottim Forest 16th last season After the season of the four test hot-seat at Nottingham Forest. The Austrian does so after guiding Crystal Palace to two major trophies in his two-and-a-half years at Selhurst Park, and after he was initially linked with Manchester United at the start of the year. It was a bit of a surprise when Forest announced Glasner’s arrival, but it undoubt edly represents a coup. Although they lost Elliot Anderson, Forest will be dangerous with Morgan Gibbs-White still as the heartbeat of the team, as they were when he dragged them away from relegation danger towards the end of last season. Without Europe, a lot could go right for Forest this year, with Glasner also bringing shift to his preferred 3-4-3, but the potential for unexpected drama under Evangelos Marinakis remains hard to ignore. The Independent Qualifying for Europe on the final day of the campaign managers (Nuno, Postecoglou, Dyche, Pereira), Oliver Glasner takes the Premier League’s hot

from Celtic. But will that be enough? Gary O’Neil, formerly of Bournemouth and Wolves, still has a huge job on his hands after taking over from Kieran McKenna – who confirmed he needed a break from football after three promo tions and a relegation in four seasons, while perhaps also sensing the size of the challenge ahead. 18 Coventry City C’ship winners Of the three promoted sides, absence from the Premier League and the emo tion of last season’s unexpected promotion cam paign under Frank Lampard. The dark days may be over, but the challenge in bridging the gap to the Premier League is tougher than ever. If Sunderland’s ambitious approach in the transfer market upon their return last season is the blue print to success, Coventry have responded by twice breaking their transfer record, including the £26 million (RM135m) arrival of 20-year-old midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi. But their most impor tant piece of business has to be keeping hold of Lampard, whose earns another shot at the Premier League after sackings at Chelsea and Everton. 17 Fulham 11th last season You fear for Fulham? The and the arrival of former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa after his spiky caretaker spell at Real Madrid is yet to ease those concerns. In striker Gonzalo Garcia and midfielder Cesar Palacios, Arbeloa has brought two young talents with him from Real Madrid and Fulham will be relying on their potential. But there are also big shoes to fill in their player of the season Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, who like Silva departed at the end of their contracts. With games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in their opening five fixtures, Arbeloa must start well for Fulham to avoid the sinking feeling. 16 Newcastle 12th last season Does the exodus of Tyneside it feels as if Coventry have the most momentum behind them, due to ending their 25-year departure of Marco Silva after five stellar years has led to some anxiety around Craven Cottage,

Isak, Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, Sando Tonali and, most shockingly of all, Eddie Howe. Far from challenging for the Premier League title in 2030 under their Saudi owners, alarm bells are ringing around St James’ Park and it falls to the relatively unknown Matthias Jaissle, formerly of Red Bull Salzburg and Asian champions Al-Ahli, to pick up the pieces. Their summer business has the club looking towards the future but replacing established stars with youth is a gamble, and it may instead leave Newcastle looking over their shoulders. 15 Brighton 8th last season Brighton’s first European this season could be a similar story for Fabian Hurzeler’s side as they embark on a year in the Conference League. Given the Premier League’s financial muscle, it’s no surprise that Brighton have been installed as heavy favourites to repeat Crystal Palace’s success and the opportunity to win what would be the club’s first ever major tro phy should not be dismissed. How detrimental could that be to their domestic form? Recording signing Luka Vuskovic arrives with an expecta tion to bolster their defence but with Danny Welbeck leaving for Chelsea means there could be a shortage of goals and heightens the importance of Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh. Worryingly, neither is fit to start the season. 14 Everton 13th last season While the return of David bring continuity into the new season, there is also a danger of the Toffees stalling under the Scot. Relegation should not be a concern, but it’s hard to see Everton pushing into the top half: last sea son, for example, Moyes’s side felt on the cusp of challenging for Europe, only to fall away down the stretch. While Everton should still be solid defensively, a lack of goals amid the travails of Beto and Thierno Barry continues to be a con cern. Keeping Iliman Ndiaye, though, would rep resent an important boost and offer some quality in the final third. 13 Crystal Palace 15th last season Last season’s truce between campaign in 2023/24 resulted in the Seagulls slipping back into the bottom half of the table and Moyes has been a stabilising success, and Everton are one of the few Premier League sides to

A NEW era of the Premier League begins on Saturday as defending champions Arsenal kick off what looks to one of the most unpredict able seasons in years. Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City following a decade of domi nance coincides with Arsenal’s return as defending champions for the first time 22 years. Mikel Arteta is now the longest-serving Premier League manager and the relative sta bility at the Gunners comes in sharp contract to the upheaval across the top-flight. Nine Premier League clubs have changed managers over the summer, while Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi begin their first full seasons at Manchester United and Tottenham, respectively. There are many unknowns across the Premier League, with Andoni Iraola taking charge of Liverpool and Xabi Alonso arriving at Chelsea. Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City were promoted from the Championship last season, replacing the relegated West Ham, Burnley and Wolves, and will hope to take inspiration from a Sunderland who qualified for Europe last term in their first season back in the top-flight. 20 Hull City Promoted via playoffs A very warm welcome back League comes after one of the strangest promo tion seasons in history. According to Opta, Sergej Jakirovic’s side ranked 23rd in the Championship in expected points, but defied those underlying metrics to not only avoid rele gation to League One but reach the playoffs and secure promotion by beating Middlesbrough at Wembley (after Southampton were kicked out, of course). Despite a busy window of comings and goings, Hull are relegation favourites and this could be a long campaign. 19 Ipswich Town C’ship runners-up Ipswich get an immediate to Hull and apologies in advance for your ranking. But Hull’s return to the Premier

shot back at the Premier League after their rather forget table relegation in 2024/25. It’s

brought a change of approach, too. Deviating from hoovering up the best of the Championship and broadening their net has led to the club-record signing of striker Emersonn from Toulouse and Daizen Maeda

leave Newcastle as relegation contenders? In less than 18 months, the Magpies have gone

the outgoing Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace led the Eagles to European glory as

from winning the Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League to losing Alexander

Coventry have survival inspiration, says Lamps

FRANK LAMPARD has challenged Coventry to follow his survival blueprint as the Sky Blues prepare for their first Premier League game in 25 years against champions Arsenal tomorrow (3am). Lampard led Coventry back into the top flight by winning the Championship last sea son, but his side have already been installed as favourites for relegation. The former Chelsea and England star believes Coventry can defy the odds if they replicate the way in which Sunderland and Leeds avoided relegation last season, finish ing seventh and 14th respectively. Lampard has been studying the astute manner in which Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris and Leeds manager Daniel Farke plotted their survival bids. “They’ve changed that rhetoric a little bit.

“We knew we had work to do. We tried to strike the balance working smartly and strategically in the window. “We are stepping up a big level now and need competition both in training and game time. The rigours of the Premier League mean we’ve had to add players in different areas. “I’m very excited to be here and get a club that’s been out of the Premier League for 25 years. It is excit ing at this moment but we want to challenge and do well.” – AFP

Those stories are important for us to analyse and we’ve looked a lot at those two specific teams,” Lampard told reporters yesterday. “To see how they played gives us inspira tion, but it will be us that manages to make that story for ourselves, but of course we’ve looked at those stories. “We want to be confident in what we do, it’s our job to set out the strategy for the boys game by game – and they deserve to be here.” Coventry have brought in seven new signings at a combined cost of over £120 million (RM624m)) in a bid to provide Lampard with better quality and depth in his squad. “For teams who get promoted we know what the gap is, history tells you that,” Lampard said.

“To see how they played gives us inspiration … and they deserve to be here.” Coventry manager Frank Lampard