Expert Opinion: 90min Writers Predict the Final 2018/19 Premier League Table

Ahhhh, finally. After a summer of turmoil, where we've had to go a whole four weeks without some form of competitive football, the Premier League is back.

Christmas has come early and in the spirit of goodwill, we here at 90min have cobbled together our minuscule footballing brains to predict the outcome of what's sure to be another thrilling season of Premier League action.

Below is a selection of editors and writers opinions about who will finish where, accompanied by some exceptional insight and rationale into the selections made. 

Keep scrolling down for all the views - and watch out at the end for a big collated table of the average predictions at the end.

Position	Scott Saunders	Andrew Headspeath	Chris Deeley
1	Manchester City	Manchester City	Manchester City
2	Liverpool	Liverpool	Liverpool
3	Chelsea	Tottenham	Manchester United
4	Manchester United	Manchester United	Chelsea
5	Tottenham	Arsenal	Tottenham
6	Wolves	Chelsea	Arsenal
7	Arsenal	Leicester	West Ham
8	West Ham	West Ham	Burnley
9	Everton	Wolves	Leicester
10	Leicester	Everton	Wolves
11	Crystal Palace	Fulham	Everton
12	Fulham	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace
13	Burnley	Brighton	Bournemouth
14	Watford	Burnley	Southampton
15	Southampton	Southampton	Fulham
16	Bournemouth	Bournemouth	Watford
17	Brighton	Watford	Brighton
18	Cardiff	Newcastle	Newcastle
19	Newcastle	Huddersfield	Huddersfield
20	Huddersfield	Cardiff	Cardiff

What They Said

Scott: There's a real feel-good factor about Liverpool at the moment, and with the signings they've made they could well end up being the best of the rest. But Man City are going to have to fall way short of last season's standards if they're to be dragged into a title race. In all likelihood, that won't happen.

Everything points to Man Utd falling apart at the moment, but while most fancy Jose Mourinho to be out of a job by Christmas, I'll bank on him to stick it out and shoot off at season's end. They and Chelsea are my picks for top four, with Spurs' lack of squad depth being my reason for picking them to miss out.

Wolves 6th? Arsenal 7th? I've been saying since they were promoted that Wolves would finish above Stan Kroenke's lot, and while it was always said as a joke, I'm sticking with it for precisely this reason.

Cardiff have (probably) the worst squad in the league, but may sh*thouse their way from bottom spot with Neil Warnock, while Mike Ashley will likely take the Magpies down and Huddersfield remain short too.

Andy: While all the top six have patched in interesting players, Liverpool have (seemingly) done the most upgrading and should be the biggest mover in that mini league. However, Man City's whatever-the-next-step-up-from-embarrassment-of-riches-is is likely to see them become back-to-back champions.

Honestly, Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal I could argue in any order. Big spending West Ham and Premier League newbies Wolves and Fulham could be fun to watch, but I'm backing Everton and last season's surprise story Burnley to underwhelm.

Cardiff look like the division's weakest team on paper, while Huddersfield may have already used up their one miracle. In 18th, I've grudgingly plumped for Newcastle ahead of Watford or Bournemouth because well... Mike Ashley.

Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

Chris: You know those memes where the joke is ‘don’t know what’s happening in the PL table, but Cardiff are going to be bottom? '

Well, basically that. Just like last season, pretty much any team in my bottom half here could swap places and actually be fine/be in deep trouble and I wouldn’t be surprised at all. Except Cardiff. 

The top six? Yeah, it’s not exciting, but they’re the top six.

Position	Jude Summerfield	Jack Gallagher	Toby Cudworth
1	Manchester City	Manchester City	Manchester City
2	Tottenham	Chelsea	Liverpool
3	Liverpool	Manchester United	Chelsea
4	Manchester United	Tottenham	Manchester United
5	Chelsea	Liverpool	Tottenham
6	Arsenal	Arsenal	Arsenal
7	West Ham	Everton	Everton
8	Everton	West Ham	West Ham
9	Leicester	Crystal Palace	Leicester
10	Crystal Palace	Burnley	Wolves
11	Burnley	Wolves	Crystal Palace
12	Fulham	Fulham	Burnley
13	Southampton	Leicester	Fulham
14	Wolves	Watford	Newcastle
15	Brighton	Southampton	Southampton
16	Bournemouth	Brighton	Brighton
17	Watford	Newcastle	Bournemouth
18	Newcastle	Bournemouth	Watford
19	Huddersfield	Huddersfield	Huddersfield
20	Cardiff	Cardiff	Cardiff

What They Said

Jude: My top five is a prediction I have very little faith in. It could finish in any order bar Manchester City at the top. The only reason I’ve plugged for Tottenham in second is because in Harry Kane you have a striker who banks you between 25 and 30 goals. Liverpool undeniably have an air of optimism and excitement about them but plenty of their summer signings are new to the Premier League and adapting straight away is not a guarantee. 

I’ve written off United and Chelsea, which I’ll definitely regret at the end of the season due to their ability to win games and trophies despite not playing particularly well. Their squads still look a little messy to me though.

I fear for Huddersfield. The lack of a regular goalscorer could prove their undoing, and the dreadful atmosphere surrounding Newcastle also looks ominous. Kudos to Cardiff in getting promoted but, unlike Wolves and Fulham, their team still looks like a Championship one.

Jack: Man City are the best team in England - by a distance - so they're going to win the league. With the signings of Kovacic and Jorginho, Chelsea could surprise some and finish above THE GREATEST TEAM EVER ASSEMBLED IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND (Liverpool). And don't let Jose Mourinho fool you, Man Utd will be good this season.

As for the relegation battle, there's a number of teams bad enough to get relegated, but Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth are the pick of the horrific bunch.

Toby: First of all, let's just clear one thing up - Manchester City are winning the Premier League once more and there isn't a thing that anybody can do about it. Secondly, Chelsea will adapt to Maurizio Sarri's tactics quicker than people think, leading me to predict they will return to the top four at Spurs' expense.

Everton and West Ham should impress after a wonderful transfer window, and I expect Fulham and Wolves to do well not just because of their recruitment, but because of who they have in charge.

At the bottom, Huddersfield will fall foul of second season syndrome, and Cardiff will plummet straight back down. In the race for the final relegation spot, I sense a dreary Watford season to culminate in relegation.

Position	Joe Owens	Wilfred Dutton	Will Imbo
1	Manchester City	Manchester City	Liverpool
2	Liverpool	Liverpool	Manchester City
3	Manchester United	Manchester United	Tottenham
4	Tottenham	Chelsea	Chelsea
5	Chelsea	Tottenham	Arsenal
6	Arsenal	Arsenal	Manchester United
7	West Ham	Everton	Everton
8	Everton	West Ham	West Ham
9	Leicester	Wolves	Fulham
10	Burnley	Fulham	Wolves
11	Crystal Palace	Leicester	Leicester
12	Fulham	Crystal Palace	Crystal Palace
13	Wolves	Newcastle	Burnley
14	Bournemouth	Brighton	Watford
15	Watford	Burnley	Bournemouth
16	Southampton	Watford	Newcastle
17	Newcastle	Southampton	Brighton
18	Huddersfield	Bournemouth	Southampton
19	Brighton	Cardiff	Huddersfield
20	Cardiff	Huddersfield	Cardiff

What They Said

Will: Liverpool's reinforcements, coupled with their taste of success after last season as well as there not having been a repeat champion in the league for ages, gives them an edge over City.

Wilf: Man City are a given at this point, so it's not even worth the discussion. The top four reflects each of their current squads, and although Chelsea may struggle to adjust to Sarri initially, I could see them going on a Conte-esque streak once they're accustomed to his methods. 

As for the relegation contenders, Huddersfield just haven't strengthened enough, and it just feels like Bournemouth's year after an inactive summer.

Joe: Same top six as last year; although Liverpool's summer business should see them come closest to Manchester City. West Ham to secure best of the rest with Fulham to better Wolves in mid-table. Cardiff to drop straight back down alongside Huddersfield and Brighton and, despite Rafa Benitez's challenges, Newcastle should survive - just.

Position	Jamie Spencer	Kavan Flavius	Sean Drury
1	Manchester City	Manchester City	Manchester City
2	Tottenham	Liverpool	Liverpool
3	Liverpool	Manchester United	Chelsea
4	Manchester United	Chelsea	Manchester United
5	Chelsea	Tottenham	Tottenham
6	Arsenal	Arsenal	Arsenal
7	West Ham	Everton	Everton
8	Everton	West Ham	West Ham
9	Leicester	Wolves	Leicester
10	Crystal Palace	Fulham	Wolves
11	Burnley	Leicester	Crystal Palace
12	Fulham	Crystal Palace	Burnley
13	Southampton	Newcastle	Fulham
14	Wolves	Brighton	Newcastle
15	Brighton	Burnley	Southampton
16	Bournemouth	Watford	Brighton
17	Watford	Southampton	Bournemouth
18	Newcastle	Bournemouth	Watford
19	Huddersfield	Cardiff	Huddersfield
20	Cardiff	Huddersfield	Cardiff

What They Said

Jamie: Manchester City won't walk it quite like they did last season but ought to become the first champions to retain the Premier League title in a decade. I still don't buy into all the Liverpool hype, nor do I believe that Manchester United are in as bad a way as is being made out.

At the bottom end of the table, It will be a swift Championship return for Cardiff, with Huddersfield and Watford following them through the trap door.

Kavan: Man City look the best-equipped side to win the Premier League title this season, although it's notoriously difficult to defend. Liverpool are expected to give them a good run while United are likely to finish in third place. 

I had Chelsea to finish outside of the top four initially, but their late signings leave them looking a formidable squad again and, with Maurizio Sarri now in charge, they could make a statement.

Clive Mason/GettyImages

The newly promoted sides, bar Cardiff City, have very impressive squads and did some great business during the recently shut window. I see Cardiff returning to the Championship right away and I imagine Huddersfield and Watford will join them as I can't see them finishing higher than anyone else - apart fom the Bluebirds.

Sean: It’s hard to see anyone usurping Manchester City, who looked better than ever in the Community Shield. Of last season’s top four, only Liverpool have strengthened enough to close the gap on Pep Guardiola’s side, but they lack City’s remarkable consistency and are still a few signings short.

Disappointing transfer windows from Tottenham and Manchester United mean that they will struggle to challenge for the title, but with Chelsea coming into the season off the back of an uncertain summer and Arsenal in transition, the top four is likely to remain unchanged.

Dan Mullan/GettyImages

Like most people, I can't see Cardiff surviving, because they lack the quality of their opponents and Neil Warnock's track record in the Premier League is poor. Watford's constant chopping and changing in the dugout has created an unstable environment which must come back and bite them eventually. As for Huddersfield, it's hard to see the miracle repeating itself.

Position	Club
1	Manchester City
2	Liverpool
3	Manchester United
4	Chelsea
5	Tottenham
6	Arsenal
7	West Ham
8	Everton
9	Leicester
10	Wolves
11	Crystal Palace
12	Fulham
13	Burnley
14	Southampton
15	Brighton
16	Watford
17	Bournemouth
18	Newcastle
19	Huddersfield
20	Cardiff