Stopping Man City, VAR and burnout fears: The big talking points ahead of the Premier League season
A look at some of the big talking points heading into the new Premier League season, which starts on Friday when Manchester United hosts Fulham:
STOPPING CITY
Since 2017, only one team — Liverpool, in 2020 — has stopped Manchester City winning the title. Can anyone stop Pep Guardiola's juggernaut capturing a record-extending fifth straight title in what could be a tumultuous season for the champions? Arsenal took City all the way last season, having collapsed late the year before, and looks to be the best equipped to win what would be its first title since 2004. Otherwise, only Liverpool seems capable of producing the consistency to finish ahead of City — and that is a big ask for Arne Slot in his first season in charge since replacing Jurgen Klopp as manager. Manchester United and Chelsea should improve after more heavy spending in the offseason, but they are unlikely to deliver a sustained push for the title.
IMPROVED VAR?
It will be the sixth season of video reviews in England's top division — and it still hasn't prevented regular flashpoints popping up, much to the frustration of players, managers and fans alike. New for this season is an account on X, formerly Twitter, dedicated to offering live refereeing and VAR clarifications and explainers from all matches. Semi-automated offside technology will be in use for the first time, though not until a few months into the season. And there will be an enhanced in-stadium experience for fans, with replays shown on the big screen when a video review has led to a decision being overturned, a delay to a restart or a goal being disallowed. The Premier League says the number of correct decisions in matches has climbed to 96%, up from 82% before video reviews were brought in.
GOALS, GOAL, GOALS
Premier League teams will do well to top the record 1,246 goals scored last season, which was a staggering 162 more than the previous most for a single campaign. It worked out at 3.28 goals per match — never before had it exceeded 2.85. Increased amounts of stoppage time, more adventurous managers and VAR interventions were credited as some of the reasons behind the soaring numbers of goals. Will it continue this season?
LONG SEASON
For some, this could be the longest ever club season. Take the players at Manchester City, who have just started the season by winning the Community Shield on Saturday and might not finish it until the final of FIFA's expanded and revamped Club World Cup, scheduled for July 13 next year in the United States. Make that an 11-month season for City and Chelsea, the other Premier League team involved in the Club World Cup. City manager Pep Guardiola has already gone public with his concerns that there is too much soccer on the calendar, with the Champions League also expanding for this season. Expect talk of burnout and the threatened legal action by soccer leagues and player unions against FIFA to be a constant issue throughout the season.
MORE POINTS DEDUCTIONS?
Everton and Nottingham Forest were hit with points deductions last season for overspending, forcing all the clubs in the league to take a closer look at their finances to ensure compliance with the competition’s regulations that are being more strictly applied. Leicester, one of the three promoted teams, is facing a points deduction for breaching spending rules during their previous stay in the Premier League but have others learned their lesson? Judging by some of the creative transfer activity in the last weeks of June and the lack of blockbuster signings so far in the summer window, teams appear to be more aware of what it takes to comply.
FAREWELLS
Pep Guardiola is heading into his ninth year at Manchester City and he will have to decide at some point this season whether his stay at the club will extend to a decade. Similarly, this might mark Kevin De Bruyne's final season at City — enjoy him while you can — while Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are in the final years of their contracts at Anfield. Then there's Everton, which is preparing for its last season playing at Goodison Park, its storied home since 1892, before moving to a new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock that has cost a reported 760 million pounds ($975 million).
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