22/08/2026

SATURDAY | AUG 22, 2026

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Premier League ranking (Part 2) Arsenal’s strength, depth makes them favourites to defend their title but who will challenge The Gunners? A new era of the Premier League started this morning as defending champions Arsenal kicked off what looks to one of the most unpredict 8 Tottenham 17th last season Avoiding relegation on the final day of last season had to serve as a huge wake-up call and Tottenham have responded by 5 Liverpool 5th last season An optimist may look at Liverpool and view the prospect of a young, exciting coach in Andoni Iraola bringing high █ BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

title, even if Real Madrid did not work out. Morgan Rogers is an expensive but quality signing and pairing him next to the fit-again Cole Palmer could be devastating. Chelsea do not have European football and so Alonso will have plenty of time on the training ground as he bids to shape his team, giving them an advantage over their nearest rivals. 2 Man City 2nd last season The shadow of Pep son, it is Manchester City who have to make the biggest adjustment after the departure of the club’s greatest ever manager. Enzo Maresca will have plenty of plates to spin amid the com plete overhaul of City’s midfield; it is the end of an era in another respect with Rodri and Bernardo Silva leaving. Elliot Anderson arrives for £116m (RM603m) following his impressive World Cup with England but City would be left light if the 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi is their only other replacement for their Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. Of course, with the goals of Erling Haaland and the improvements City made last season in adding Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, City will be there or therea bouts. 1 Arsenal 1st last season The last time Arsenal Arteta feels designed to give the champions as strong a chance as possible of going back-to back. Even with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber injured and Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice working their way back following the World Cup, Arteta was able to deploy a strong side that impressively defeated Manchester City in Sunday’s Community Shield, with plenty of depth still on the bench. Martin Odegaard could be like a new signing given the captain’s return to form at the World Cup and in pre-season following an injury-disrupted campaign last year. The arrival of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle lessens the load on Rice and arguably gives Arsenal the best mid field in the League. There is still a chance of a drop-off, given how common it is for Premier League champions to lose their edge the follow ing season. Conversely, the release of finally ending their title drought may even result in Arsenal’s football being easier on the eye this year. Above all, though, they have the strength and depth to defend their crown. Guardiola lingers after his 10 years in charge; of all 20 Premier League teams this sea defended a League title was 1935 but the extent of their squad building under Mikel

able seasons in years. Nine Premier League clubs have changed managers, while Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi begin their first full seasons at Manchester United and Tottenham, respec tively. 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 and will hope to take inspiration from a Sunderland who qualified for Europe last term. 10 Brentford 9th last season A superb debut season in the escaped their perennial status as relegation con tenders. Brentford outperformed expectations and were a whisker away from qualifying for Europe and unlike so many teams in the Premier League start the new campaign with such a clear idea of who they are and what they want to be. Brentford were also led by the 22 goal return of Igor Thiago last season but the arrival of club record signing Mamadou Sangare from Lens brings a different dimension in midfield and compensates for the departure of Jordan Henderson to Chelsea. Set-pieces will continue to be a focus for a club who specialise in efficiency. 9 Leeds United 14th last season Everything changed after the would have finished 7th. Such hypotheticals count for nothing, but it does mean Leeds can head into the new season with some optimism. Their transfer business has concentrated on strengthening areas of concern last season – such as bringing in a reliable, first-choice goalkeeper in James Trafford and adding some creativity into midfield with the free signing of Harry Wilson from Fulham, although some further help may be required. With towering centreback Tarik Muharemovic adding to a solid spine, Leeds can have designs on pushing into the top half if Dominic Calvert-Lewin continues to pro vide threat following last season’s 14-goal come back year. dugout Keith Andrews means Brentford start a Premier League campaign having mid-season turnaround under Daniel Farke. Had the season started on Dec 1 2025, Leeds

backing Roberto De Zerbi in the transfer market. Only Chelsea have spent more than the Premier League side who have finished 17th two years in a row, headlined by their £180m midfield make over and the arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes. The defensive recruits of Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson all look fairly smart, too, while their business is set to continue with options to strengthen attack the priority. De Zerbi has been rewarded with full control after saving Tottenham from the drop and a full season under the Italian – without Europe – will be fascinating. It can’t be worse than last year – right? – but it would also be inadvisable to assume that Spurs can solve all of their issues in one summer. Injuries, for one, are still a major issue and could continue to hold Spurs back. 7 Bournemouth 6th last season After qualifying for Europe much of their squad together as possible. Of course, the departure of manager Andoni Iraola is a blow, but in terms of playing staff, the Cherries limiting their outgoings to Marcos Senesi represents a boost to the incoming boss Marco Rose. It was hugely important that the likes of Alex Scott, Rayan and Junior Kroupi remained and Rose has a talented squad at his disposal. The experienced German will help Bournemouth navigate their debut Europa League campaign. 6 Aston Villa 4th last season A summer of change could Digne out of the door. The loss of four senior play ers, and part of the spine of last season’s Europa League winners, would be a concern but Villa’s strength is really in the influence of Unai Emery. His ability to find solutions, while also beginning to evolve Villa through the signings of Switzerland’s World Cup star Johan Manzambi for a club-record £59.5m (RM309m) and Japan international goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, is also exciting. Ahead of return to the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, Villa do need their new signings, including the on-loan Alejandro Garnacho, to make an immediate impact, but Emery is the star. for the first time in their history, the priority for Bournemouth this summer was keeping as yet continue should Emi Martinez, follow Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas

intensity football to Anfield, and the potential of a forward line that includes Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz finally clicking into place after dif ficult debut seasons. Others may think that Liverpool have not addressed the issues that were painfully apparent during Arne Slot’s final sea son: a lack of squad depth, particularly in attack and fullback, and a struggling midfield. Jeremy Jacquet, the 21-year-old centreback made an impressive debut against Como on Sunday but, even with the loan signing of Ronald Araujo, the Reds are still overly reliant on the availability of captain Virgil van Dijk, now 35. Some early form from Isak and Wirtz would be helpful indeed. 4 Man United 3rd last season After winning 12 of his 18 than Manchester United after Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in January. The for mer midfielder has been appointed on a per manent basis after signing a two-year contract but can he continue his magic? This season brings United’s return to the Champions League and a busier schedule is a further chal lenge. United were third last season but played just 40 matches. This season’s campaign could be closer to 60 games. Another season of inspi ration from talisman Bruno Fernandes could have United dreaming but a lack of depth could cap their ambitions of challenging for the title. Strengthening their depth in midfield was a priority following the departure of Casemiro and United reacted by adding Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa but there is a sense that more is required to kick on from the sec ond half of last season. 3 Chelsea 10th last season The chaos around just three months and Chelsea’s worst run of League form since 1912. But football is not a meritocracy and so the pieces have fallen into place for Chelsea to have a successful season. The Blues moved quickly to appoint former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, still regarded as one of Europe’s top coaches after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga Premier League matches in charge, no Premier League team picked up more points Stamford Bridge perhaps hit its peak last season with the sacking of Liam Rosenior after

The Independent

Carrick insists United will make more signings after quiet transfer window

MICHAEL expects Manchester United’s Premier League title challenge to be bolstered by new signings after his side are close to sign ing the Brighton and Cameroon mid fielder Carlos Baleba. United finished third last season thanks to Carrick’s successful spell as interim boss after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, raising hopes of winning a first English title since 2013 in the coming campaign. Carrick’s side start their top-flight season at promoted Hull today CARRICK

stake, what’s coming at us on Saturday, what we’ve got to be ready for, so it’s not favourable. I think it’s an easy thing to throw out there, but it’s pretty ridicu lous and we’re certainly not taking it that way at all.” Tielemans and Santos could make their competitive United debuts at Hull. United midfielder Mason Mount is back in training after missing the last two pre-season friendlies, but the latest injury of his troubled spell at Old Trafford means he may miss this week end. – AFP

their trip to Hull and a home game against Ipswich before the window closes. He bristled at suggestions United should brush aside their two promoted opponents. “I think, first of all, for all of us who know this league, there’s no favourable start,” he said. “It’s a tough start, a newly-pro moted team away from home is a tough, tough game. “I’ve been involved in them in the past so I’m fully aware of what’s at

we’re in a good way to doing that so far.” United signed Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans, Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos and Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow earlier in the window. But the lack of transfer activity since then has left United fans frustrated. A deal for Cameroon international Baleba would be a major boost, while United are also said to be chasing a left back. While Carrick is keen for new sign ings, he knows United must focus on

(7.30pm in Malaysia) and the manager, now on a permanent contract, is confi dent he will have more new faces to strengthen his squad before the trans fer window shuts on Sept 1. “I just think we’re looking to strengthen the squad. We’re certainly working towards that and making the most of the situation that we have, try ing to improve things,” he told report ers yesterday. “Certainly trying to make most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it. I think