Alan Hansen’s Column: Chelsea or Manchester United to Win Title, Hughes to do Good Man City Job, Spurs the Team to Watch Out for!

The 2008/09 Premier League season kicks off this weekend and it promises to be yet another exciting campaign. Once again, football fans up and down the country are debating on just who’ll win the title, who, if anyone can break into the usual top four positions and just who will find themselves slipping out of the top division.

Just a quick glance at the opening weekend fixtures and you’ll see as I did that there’s a number of relatively close matches to call with the likes of Hull, Stoke and West Brom unknown quantities at this level. However, when picking my Premier 10 predictions this week I find it impossible to back against the big four opening their campaigns with all 3 points.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all playing at home and between them lost just one game on their own patches last season so for me they look extremely good choices to get a result. I don’t doubt Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth side will give Big Phil Scolari’s new team a serious test but I certainly wouldn’t expect the Blues 4-year unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge to end. The fixture list hasn’t been kind to poor old Tony Mowbray as I don’t envy his newly promoted side travelling to an often rampant Arsenal side at the Emirates. That’s a baptism of fire if ever there was one!

Sir Alex may be without two of his most potent weapons in young Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo this weekend but they still possess enough in their armoury to overcome Kevin Keegan’s side and who knows, they may well have another forward amongst their ranks by then. Looking through my selections for both the Premier 10 and Footy 15 games, I have only backed one team to win away and that’s Liverpool. This has nothing to do with my old allegiances but more due to the strength of their side now livewire Robbie Keane has joined. Despite expecting all four main title contenders to win their opening games, for me the ultimate title battle will be between just two sides…Manchester United and Chelsea.

I don’t doubt Arsenal and Liverpool will push last season’s top two close but when examining the strength of Sir Alex and Scolari’s squads, you’ll see they both possess the numbers, the talents and above all the experience required. After all, you’d don’t win anything with kids, apparently. However, I have no great conviction either way on which one of great sides will eventually triumph.

United old boy Mark Hughes faces a tough opening day fixture at Villa Park where Martin O’Neill has made some astute purchases. Despite many of the ‘experts’ expecting his new Manchester City side to struggle on the pitch due to the current much publicised off-field problems at the club, I am in no doubt, he’ll have no problems whatsoever. After all, Sparky has proven himself to be a good Premier League manager at Blackburn and has all the attributes to be a success at Eastlands.

The 3 newly-promoted sides face differing levels of opposition this weekend. As I’ve already mentioned West Brom face the unenviable task of a visit to North London. However, I feel both Stoke and Hull will gain points from matches against Bolton and Fulham respectively. These are ideal fixtures for these clubs as ideally they’d prefer to play teams from last season’s lower half of the table to build on their confidence rather than risk a morale-crushing hammering against one of the big boys.

Lastly, the team I am most intrigued by this season are Juande Ramos’ Tottenham who’ve made some interesting signings and of whom much of is expected by their fans. When you actually look at their first choice eleven it’s pretty good so I’ll be watching their progress closely though I only expect them to leave the Riverside with a draw on the opening weekend.

It all points to an interesting first weekend of the 2008/09 Premier League season. I’m feeling pretty confident in my Premier 10 and Footy 15 selections this week so pit your wits against me and see if you can do any better. Good luck.

Read Tony Cascarino’s Column here>>>

Find out what Alan has predicted this week as well as the choices of John Barnes, Tony Cascarino, Former Referee Graham Poll, Radio 1 DJ Chappers plus many more. Click here to read>>

Tags: , Alan Hansen, Arsenal, Blackburn, Chelsea, footy 15, Fulham, Hull, Liverpool, Man City, Manchester United, Portsmouth, Premier 10, Stoke, Tottenham, West Brom

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