It’s that time again. Who is going to win the Premier League? Who is going to score for fun? Will there be surprises and disappointments? Here are the Icons team’s expectations for the new season.
Edward Freedman, Chairman
Premier League top 4: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United
Premier League top scorer: Diego Costa
La Liga winners: FC Barcelona
Champions League winners: Bayern Munich
FA Cup: Liverpool
League Cup: Arsenal
Premier League bottom 3: Aston Villa, Sunderland, West Ham United
Positive surprise packages: Everton will have an impressive season, but with the same result as last year.
Negative surprise packages: Tottenham will struggle mid-table.
Random predictions: A Premier League manager will depart within a month.
Dan Jamieson, Managing Director
Premier League top 4: Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal
Premier League top scorer: Sergio Aguero
La Liga winners: Real Madrid
Champions League winners: Bayern Munich
FA Cup: Liverpool
League Cup: Everton
Premier League bottom 3: Burnley, Aston Villa, Leicester City
Positive surprise packages: Philippe Coutinho and Juan Mata will be their respective players of the year for their clubs. John Stones to be in the England team by the end of the year.
Negative surprise packages: 50% of the managers in the Premier League to not be in their jobs by the end of the season. Messi, Suarez and Neymar to score 100 goals between them in all competitions but not win any of them.
Random predictions: Raheem Sterling to the future of English football. James Rodriquez to be the future of football in general.
Ben Soley, Marketing and Sales Manager
Premier League top 4: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool
Premier League top scorer: Daniel Sturridge
La Liga winners: Real Madrid
Champions League winners: Bayern Munich
FA Cup: Manchester United
League Cup: Chelsea
Premier League bottom 3: Burnley, Swansea City, Hull City
Positive surprise packages: Bojan Krkić for Stoke. Southampton to be mid-table again.
Negative surprise packages: Sunderland to narrowly escape relegation again. Costa and Fabregas to be a success at Chelsea – this will upset me deeply.
Random predictions: Man Utd to be top after 8 games, the wheels to come off after Christmas. Arsenal’s team doctor to fail them yet again, losing the title in the last month. Coutinho to have most assists in the league.
Margaret Plunkett, Head of Customer Service
Premier League top 4: Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United
Premier League top scorer: Diego Costa
La Liga winners: Real Madrid
Champions League winners: FC Barcelona
FA Cup: Everton
League Cup: Manchester City
Premier League bottom 3: Burnley, Aston Villa, Leicester City
Positive surprise packages: Wayne Rooney will flourish.
Negative surprise packages: Liverpool will have troubles scoring goals when Sturridge will miss half the season through injury.
Random predictions: –
Harm Jan Deuring, Social Content Co-ordinator
Premier League top 4: Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal
Premier League top scorer: Robin van Persie
La Liga winners: Real Madrid
Champions League winners: Real Madrid
FA Cup: Chelsea
League Cup: Liverpool
Premier League bottom 3: Burnley, West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City
Positive surprise packages: Louis van Gaal will construct a winning football machine that wins the title. Eric Lamela will prove that last season was an incident.
Negative surprise packages: Liverpool will discover that national + international football is hard to deal with.
Random predictions: Alexis Sanchez will have an amazing start at Arsenal, but will pick up an injury and struggle to come back. Liverpool will struggle to score goals.
Imran Sabur, Design Co-ordinator
Premier League top 4: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal
Premier League top scorer: Wayne Rooney
La Liga winners: Real Madrid
Champions League winners: Bayern Munich
FA Cup: Chelsea
League Cup: Southampton
Premier League bottom 3: Burnley, West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa
Positive surprise packages: Rooney to dominate the league after been made captain by Van Gaal. Ander Herrera proves that Moyes was on to a winner when he tried to sign him last season. Lampard receives a standing ovation from Chelsea fans after scoring against his former club to put an early dent in their title credentials.
Negative surprise packages: Lampard receives a standing ovation from Chelsea fans after scoring against his former club to put an early dent in their title credentials – good & bad, because I’m a United fan. Sturridge to perform better without Suarez in the team.
Random predictions: Giggs contemplates coming out of retirement due to injuries early december.
Scott Hutchison, US Partner
Premier League top 4: Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal
Premier League top scorer: Diego Costa
La Liga winners: Real Madrid
Champions League winners: Real Madrid
FA Cup: Chelsea
League Cup: Everton
Premier League bottom 3: Burnley, Southampton, Leicester City
Positive surprise packages: –
Negative surprise packages: Van Gaal and Rooney relationship (bad for United, fun for the rest of us all).
Random predictions: Brendan Rogers on the hot seat by January.