Ahead of the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season, The National’s team of sports editors, writers, and contributors predict which club they expect to underachieve during the upcoming campaign.
• STEVE LUCKINGS, SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
West Ham. Slaven Bilic's side will struggle to replicate the stardust of last season and the Croatian has a history in club management of not kicking on in his second seasons.
• ANDY MITTEN, EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
Arsenal. Fans think their side should be competing for titles. They've been slow in the transfer market and have tougher competition this season. Could finish outside the top four for the first time since 1996.
• RICHARD JOLLY, ENGLISH FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
Leicester City. Losing N'Golo Kante is a huge blow, and it remains to be seen how they will cope with Champions League football. With standards likely to be raised by many of the superpowers they embarrassed, they could play well and finish several places lower.
• The National's full predictions: Champions, top four, relegated, surprise team, player of the year, top scorer, player to watch
• THOMAS WOODS, SPORTS EDITOR
Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs missed their chance last season. They have a quality team, but all their rivals will improve and the weight of a Champions League campaign will see them miss out on Europe next season, especially with Liverpool in the mix too.
• GRAHAM CAYGILL, DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR
Southampton. Sixth, and only three points off fourth, last season, and seventh and eighth the previous years show the club's consistency. Losing Ronald Koeman is a blow, as is the departure of striker Graziano Pelle, and it is hard to see them maintaining that form.
• STEPHEN NELMES, WEB EDITOR
Leicester City. The only way is down for the champions, it is a question of how far. Will still have designs on the top 10, but will likely be scrapping to a 12-14th place finish.
• JONATHAN RAYMOND, SPORTS WEB EDITOR
Arsenal. It's not a question of talent. There is plenty of that, enough to let their supporters dream of a title. But it felt for the first time last year like Wenger lost his grip on things, and it's not evident he knows how to turn it around at this point.
• JON TURNER, SPORTS WEB EDITOR
Manchester United. Have appointed one of the world's best managers, recruited some top talent, and are expected to break the transfer record for Paul Pogba. Anything less than a firm title challenge will be underachieving. However, the squad remains unbalanced and a top four spot is the best United can hope for.
• GREG LEA, PREMIER LEAGUE CORRESPONDENT
Everton. Ronald Koeman did an excellent job at Southampton but it could take him at least a year to lift Everton further up the table.
• JOHN MCAULEY, REPORTER
Arsenal. Second place last season was an improvement; fourth this time the very least their fans expect. They'll fall outside Champions League places for the first time in 19 years, possibly to 6th, and Wenger will fall on his sword.
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