Defending champions Manchester City have won the Premier League in three of the past four seasons – but can anyone stop them this time?
Manchester United were City’s nearest rivals last time out but finished 12 points back and have still not sustained a serious title bid since they were last champions in 2013.
Yet, the question is if United challenge for top spot until the end in 2021-22? How will Liverpool respond after their title defence imploded at the start of the year? Can Chelsea be contenders again domestically after conquering Europe? And will Leicester, Arsenal, Tottenham or anyone else break into the Champions League places?
Some BBC TV and radio pundits to pick their top four, with explanations for their selections.
Five teams feature in the forecasted top fours, but only City, United and Chelsea feature in all 20.
In terms of who will win it, City are favourites, with 13 votes. Chelsea get seven, while the highest anyone thinks United or Liverpool will finish is second. The overall predicted ranking gives a similar outcome.
Overall predicted ranking, using all 18 BBC predictions
1. Man City 2. Chelsea 3. Man Utd 4. Liverpool 5. Leicester
72 pts 62 pts 33 pts 32 pts 1 pt
(using system of 4 pts for a 1st place, 3 pts for 2nd, 2 pts for 3rd and 1 pt for 4th)
Which transfer would affect three pundits’ title predictions?
The predictions were made on Thursday, 12 August, with just under three weeks to go before the transfer window closes on Tuesday, 31 August.
Alan Shearer: Some major signings have already happened, but there are more to come that will affect the title race. I’m expecting it to be much tighter at the top than last time, with four teams in with a chance of being champions, not just City and Chelsea.
Alan Shearer joins Ian Wright and Gary Lineker on Match of the Day this Saturday at 22:20 BST on BBC One and the BBC Sport website for highlights of seven Premier League games.
Chris Sutton: If Harry Kane goes to Manchester City, then he is the perfect fit for them and I would fancy them. If he doesn’t, I think Chelsea will nick it, because they are getting Romelu Lukaku. I don’t think City will win the title without signing a centre-forward. I know they won it last season largely playing without one, which was remarkable. I don’t see it happening again.
Matthew Upson: As things stand, I’d back Chelsea. It looks as if Lukaku is definitely going there, while things are very different with City and Kane – who knows if that will happen? It’s a big ask for them to win the league again without a new striker but, if they do get Kane, that turns that problem position into a massive positive – and I’d change my prediction.
Sue Smith: Chelsea will have massive confidence from winning the Champions League but if City can get Kane, then I’d put them on top instead.
Guardiola was a ‘massive factor’ in Grealish joining Man City
Pat Nevin: City have already added Jack Grealish, who is exactly the right player for them and there is the possibility of Kane, who is perfect too because he is so creative and adaptable. Arguably he’s the player that Pep tried to turn Sergio Aguero into, and I can’t think of many strikers so well suited to City’s style.
If they get him, they are big favourites. If they don’t, they are just marginal favourites.
