Betting Tips and Previews: Premier League 2021

Shahid Khan is Fulham's new owner, we expect a Premier League mid table finish.

Billionaire Shahid Khan is Fulham's new owner, but don't expect to see Messi moving to Craven Cottage anytime soon.

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Season preview 2013/14 part two: Meet the middle-men



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Aston Villa

Manager: Paul Lambert

First six fixtures:       Sat 17th Aug: Arsenal (A)

Wed 21st Aug: Chelsea (A)

Sat 24th Aug: Liverpool (H)

Sat 14th Sep: Newcastle (H)

Sat 21st Sep: Norwich (A)

Sat 28th Sep: Man City (H)

While Lambert’s great escape last season and success in keeping Christian Benteke may have led some Villa fans to believe they might feature higher up this list, we reckon it will take a couple more seasons before his squad-building and faith-in-youth pays off with a top-half finish.

They should be safe this season though, so a conservative mid-bottom-half finish looks likely. Lambert has been raiding the Danish and Dutch leagues yet again, and has poached tricky winger Leandro Bacuna from FC Groningen and gigantic striker Nicklas Helenius from Aalborg BK. Both should be welcome additions to a squad who could do with easing the load on the club talisman Benteke.

Key Player: Christian Benteke

Predicted position: 15th

Top Tip: Nicklas Helenius Aston Villa top league goalscorer – 9/1 with William Hill

Newcastle

Manager: Alan Pardew

First six fixtures:       Mon 19th Aug: Man City (A)

Sat 24th Aug: West Ham (H)

Sat 31st Aug: Fulham (H)

Sat 14th Sep: Aston Villa (A)

Sat 21st Sep: Hull (H)

Mon 30th Sep: Everton (A)

After a fifth-place finish in 2011/12, last term’s 16th was a bitter disappointment for Newcastle fans. While Pardew did have a number of injuries and dissenters to deal with, such a talented squad really should have done better.

Unfortunately for Toon fans, we think they may be feeling frustrated at the end of next season too. The appointment of Joe Kinnear as director of football for the new season is baffling, and may lead to friction between Pardew and his superiors. While no real transfer activity has been noted of late it is imperative they strengthen their backline, due to Steven Taylor’s injury problems and Fabricio Coloccini’s public desire to move back to Argentina. They must also resist overtures of other clubs for their top performers such as Papiss Cisse and Yohan Cabaye.

Key Player: Yohan Cabaye

Predicted position: 14th

Top Tip: Alan Pardew next Premier League manager to leave post – 11/4 with William Hill

Fulham

Manager: Martin Jol

First six fixtures:       Sat 17th Aug: Sunderland (A)

Sat 24th Aug: Arsenal (H)

Sat 31st Aug: Newcastle (A)

Sat 14th Sep: West Brom (H)

Sat 21st Sep: Chelsea (A)

Sat 28th Sep: Cardiff (H)

It’s the start of a new era next season for Fulham, as Mohamed Al-Fayed has sold the club to American billionaire Shahid Khan. While they won’t be leaving their sacred Craven Cottage in a hurry, there could well be bright times ahead for the Cottagers.

However, with Financial Fair Play soon to come into effect, it may take a while for Khan to transform Fulham. While they will most likely be safe next season, the investment will probably be slow and steady, solidifying Fulham’s Premier League status while improving the club in small steps.

Mainly free transfers have been made so far, with Derek Boateng and Fernando Amorebieta arriving in time for next season, but Maarten Stekelenburg was bought from Roma in a deal believed to be around £3 million. Whether any more pricey signings will follow them remains to be seen.

Key Player: Dimitar Berbatov

Predicted position: 13th

Top Tip: Fulham to finish higher than Newcastle – 5/4 with Coral

Southampton

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

First six fixtures:       Sat 17th Aug: West Brom (A)

Sat 24th Aug: Sunderland (H)

Sat 31st Aug: Norwich (A)

Sun 15th Sep: West Ham (H)

Sat 21st Sep: Liverpool (A)

Sat 28th Sep: Crystal Palace (H)

While it may have first seemed like madness, Sparta… sorry, Southampton’s replacing of Nigel Adkins with Mauricio Pochettino midway through last season actually proved quite a successful gamble: the Saints finished in 14th place, and never really looked in danger after his appointment.

They have made some clever investment for the new season as well, bringing in badly-needed centre back Dejan Lovren from Lyon and the Kenyan powerhouse Victor Wanyama from Celtic. If they can keep Gaston Ramirez, Southampton could impress a few neutrals next term and earn another season in the Premier League.

Key Player: Ricky Lambert

Predicted position: 12th

Top Tip: Gaston Ramirez Southampton top league goalscorer – 7/1 with Ladbrokes

West Bromwich Albion

Manager: Steve Clarke

First six fixtures:       Sat 17th Aug: Southampton (H)

Sat 24th Aug: Everton (A)

Sat 31st Aug: Swansea (H)

Sat 14th Sep: Fulham (A)

Sat 21st Sep: Sunderland (H)

Sat 28th Sep: Man United (A)

Surprising everyone last year, West Brom managed an eighth placed position even after placing managerial novice and stressed-geography-teacher-lookalike Steve Clarke in the driver’s seat at the Hawthorns.

While they will almost certainly be safe next season, they may not finish as highly as they did last year simply because their rivals have invested more than they have. Nicholas Anelka has arrived on a free transfer in what is arguably one the coup of the window, and Goran Popov has returned on loan again from Dynamo Kyiv. Apart from that, there has been no activity, and they will definitely miss Romelu Lukaku who has returned to Chelsea after a successful loan spell at the Black Country club last year.

Key player: Nicholas Anelka

Predicted position: 11th

Top Tip: West Brom to finish 11th or better – 11/10 with Stan James

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Sam publishes regular feature and tips pieces for Howtobet4free. He has a blog, crackingjabulanis.blogspot.co.uk, and can be found on Twitter by following @Gaytski.

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Howtobet4free's Top Tips

Nicklas Helenius for Aston Villa top league goalscorer (9/1)
Alan Pardew next Premier League manager to leave post (11/4)
Fulham to finish higher than Newcastle (5/4)
Coral
Gaston Ramirez for Southampton top league goalscorer (7/1)
Ladbrokes
West Brom to finish 11th or better (11/10)
Stan James

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