With the 2024/25 Premier League season officially starting from 6 June, our writers make some predictions for the upcoming campaign.
Top scorer
Adrian Clarke: You can’t look past Erling Haaland! I do fancy Alexander Isak to push him close though.
Adrian Kajumba: As long as he is the focal point of a side that creates as many chances as Manchester City do, it’s hard to look beyond Haaland.
Alex Keble: Compared with his debut campaign, Haaland had a poor 2023/24, failing to show up in several big matches, missing plenty of huge chances, and generally looking well below the level we have seen. He still comfortably won the Golden Boot. That says it all!
Ben Bloom: If Haaland does not miss multiple matches, he will score more Premier League goals than anyone else. Only injuries can stop him. Given my top-four predictions, I would expect Cole Palmer and Isak to score plenty again, while any new Arsenal striker stands a good chance of exceeding 20 goals.
Verdict: Top scorer
Clarke: Haaland
Kajumba: Haaland
Keble: Haaland
Bloom: Haaland
Most assists
Adrian Clarke: Martin Odegaard. He’s in the prime of his career and created more chances in open play than anyone else last season. I can see the Norwegian racking up a lot of assists.
Adrian Kajumba: Bruno Fernandes created the most chances in each of the last two seasons, with 119 and then 114. With a better season expected from Manchester United, Fernandes should get some tangible reward for his efforts.
Alex Keble: Bukayo Saka. He assisted nine goals last season, four fewer than the winner Ollie Watkins, but this season he could have a proper goalscoring No 9 to hit. That could make the difference.
Ben Bloom: Saka is ridiculously talented. Provide him with a proper goalscoring centre-forward (assuming Arsenal do sign one) and he is likely to rack up plenty of assists. I'd also back Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and, of course, Kevin De Bruyne, who have the luxury of Haaland in their free-scoring side.
Verdict: Most assists
Clarke: Odegaard
Kajumba: Fernandes
Keble: Saka
Bloom: Saka
Most clean sheets
Adrian Clarke: I expect Arne Slot to try and solidify Liverpool defensively, and in Alisson they have one of the world’s very best goalkeepers. Slot's Feyenoord side kept clean sheets in 50 per cent of their Eredivisie matches last season. Replicating that won’t be easy, but I sense the Reds will be better at the back.
Adrian Kajumba: Arsenal’s defence should only be even better after another season together. David Raya won the 2023/24 Golden Glove despite a delayed start to his campaign and being ineligible to face his parent club Brentford. There is no reason why he cannot retain it in 2024/25 without those two obstacles to clean sheets.
Alex Keble: Guardiola will surely invest in some central midfielders this season to stop opponents from piercing forward on the counter-attack as often, meaning dominant performances that keep the ball away from Ederson’s goal.
Ben Bloom: A tricky category to predict because it is based on so many factors. Alisson is as safe an option as any goalkeeper to win it having excelled in a number of matches last season despite injuries hampering his campaign. I'm tipping Newcastle United to do well, so I’ll also predict Nick Pope to excel, so long as they don’t replace him.
Verdict: Most clean sheets
Clarke: Alisson
Kajumba: Raya
Keble: Ederson
Bloom: Alisson
Best player
Adrian Clarke: Declan Rice. He had a magnificent impact on the Arsenal side in 2023/24, and I see no reason why he won't kick on and improve next season. If Arsenal do win the title, he is guaranteed to play a huge role for Mikel Arteta's men.
Adrian Kajumba: Odegaard is already one of the best players in the Premier League. Next season he should have an even stronger defence behind him, more support in midfield and an improved attack to supply. That would leave the Arsenal captain with the perfect platform to become an even better string-puller for the Gunners and officially the division's brightest star.
Alex Keble: Rodri. Momentum is very slowly building towards mainstream recognition of Rodri’s unique importance to the Man City team. A fifth title in a row may lead to the most Pep Guardiola-like player winning the gong in what could possibly be his manager's last season at City.
Ben Bloom: Do I really think Jeremy Doku - a player who started only 18 Premier League matches last campaign - is the most likely candidate to be crowned Player of the Season? No. But four different Man City players have earned this award over the past four years and I think Doku is really good. So he’s my pick.
Verdict: Best player
Clarke: Rice
Kajumba: Odegaard
Keble: Rodri
Bloom: Doku
Best young player
Adrian Clarke: I rate Forest defender Murillo and expect him to shine brightly in 2024/25 but my first pick is Harvey Elliott. He’s gained a lot of experience now and looks ready to take the next step and dominate matches for Liverpool. He scores goals, creates chances and has a perfect temperament to star for a huge club. At 21, I see him as being in a similar place to Palmer a year ago, and he looks ready to take centre-stage. If he gets more regular game time, as I believe he will, Elliott will deliver lots of direct goal contributions.
Adrian Kajumba: Kobbie Mainoo made a major impression in half a season coming off a serious injury. With a whole season to make an impression, the 19-year-old is an exciting prospect.
Alex Keble: It’s always given to an exciting attacking player, ruling out someone like Jarrad Branthwaite, and even if Man Utd have another difficult season Alejandro Garnacho will almost certainly improve again. The 19-year-old has been superb in a struggling team. Imagine how good he will be if United improve in 2024/25?
Ben Bloom: Forest only secured Premier League safety last season on the final day, but centre-back Murillo repeatedly caught the eye. He is raw - which is entirely understandable in his first season away from his native Brazil - but his composure, physicality and audacity have seen him linked with a move to one of the league’s big clubs.
Verdict: Best young player
Clarke: Elliott
Kajumba: Mainoo
Keble: Garnacho
Bloom: Murillo
Best manager
Adrian Clarke: Mikel Arteta. He’s been brilliant for Arsenal, and now is the moment for his side to go on and claim silverware. If they do, he’ll be Manager of the Season.
Adrian Kajumba: If Oliver Glasner can keep Crystal Palace on the same upward trajectory they have been on since he arrived in the Premier League, the south London club and their fans will be in for a treat in 2024/25.
Alex Keble: Only once in the last 10 years has this award been given to anyone other than the title-winning manager. City will be champions, so Pep Guardiola will get the gong – especially if it proves to be his final year at Etihad Stadium and sentimentality comes into it.
Ben Bloom: It’s boring, I know. But Guardiola is crowned Manager of the Season more often than not (only Sir Alex Ferguson has won it more often), and if City win the league in what might turn out to be his final season in charge then he’s nailed on to take it again. I am continually impressed by Thomas Frank at Brentford so will mention him as well, but he won’t win it.
Verdict: Best manager
Clarke: Arteta
Kajumba: Glasner
Keble: Guardiola
Bloom: Guardiola
