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      Team guide to Premier League 2023/24 as Man City chase historic fourth title in a row

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      NEVER in 135 years of League football has any club been crowned champions of England for four consecutive seasons.So as a new campaign dawns, the question is . . . who can stop Manchester City from making even more history?
      The title race could be a classic
      Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners have won three titles in a row and five of the last six and with Erling Haaland to the fore, they look unstoppable.
      Last season’s runners-up Arsenal have snapped up Kai Havertz and Declan Rice.
      Yet the suspicion remains Mikel Arteta’s men blew the best chance they may ever have when they topped the table for the vast majority of last term.
      Newcastle, with the wealth of Geordie Arabia behind them, are clearly the great long-term threat to City’s dominance.
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      But can Eddie Howe’s men juggle the demands of a Champions League campaign with a title bid?
      Liverpool, City’s only genuine rivals for most of the Guardiola era, have launched a major midfield refresh, starting with the arrival of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.
      If Jurgen Klopp’s revamped forward line — including Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz — can click they may well stage one of their epic duels with City again.
      Boardroom takeover talk has dominated Manchester United’s summer but Erik ten Hag impressed during his first year in charge and is determined to go closer to City.
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      Chelsea and Tottenham are both under new management after disastrous seasons.
      Mauricio Pochettino is a proven overachiever here but he has a serious job on his hands making sense of owner Todd Boehly’s scattergun recruitment policy at Stamford Bridge.
      Ange Postecoglou, the first Australian to manage in the Premier League, was a surprise choice to take over at Spurs.
      Expectations are unusually low but the team should at least be playing more attractive football than at any time since Pochettino’s departure in 2019.
      Might there be any surprise packages to upset the big boys — such as Unai Emery’s revitalised Aston Villa or self- proclaimed champions of Europe, West Ham?
      Can promoted Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton emulate last season’s trio of Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest by avoiding immediate returns to the Championship?
      Whatever happens in the next ten months, it is unlikely to be dull — and SunSport will be there every step of the way.
      ARSENAL
      Dream Team MVP – Bukayo Saka (£6m)
      By Mark Irwin
      IT has taken Mikel Arteta the best part of four years to turn Arsenal around but now he faces his biggest challenge.
      Because it is one thing to close the gap to Manchester City but something else to overtake probably the best team in the world.
      For the fourth summer in a row, boss Arteta has been given the financial backing of owner Stan Kroenke to strengthen his squad.
      But this time the work came at the very top end of the transfer market, spending £200million to bring in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber.

      And that has only been made possible by the remarkable progress under ruthless Arteta.
      The Gunners finished 43 points off the title in his first season. 
      Yet last term they ended up just five adrift of Treble winners City after leading the race for 248 DAYS before fading badly.
      Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United will all come at them hard — but Arteta has plenty of cause to believe Arsenal will be better than them all.
      Whether they are ready to catch City remains to be seen.
      Man Utd have topped the league for 4,486 days – or more than 12 years
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      ASTON VILLA
      Dream Team MVP – Ollie Watkins (£4.5m)
      By Graeme Bryce
      BRUMMIES will proudly tell you Birmingham boasts more canal miles than Venice and Amsterdam combined.
      And Aston Villa fans swear Unai Emery walks on them.
      He turned Steven Gerrard’s relegation candidates into Europa Conference League qualifiers.
      Villa have talked the talk for years about returning to the days when they were kings of Europe in the 80s.

      Now they have a boss who is capable of walking the walk . . . on water or otherwise.
      Only Manchester City won more points after the turn of the year as Villa reached Europe for the first time in 13 years.
      Now they have made the inspired signing of Youri Tielemans, added the best defender Emery has worked with in Pau Torres and grabbed jet-heeled French forward Moussa Diaby.
      Emery is after a trophy this season but the top four may not be out of the question.
      BOURNEMOUTH
      Dream Team MVP – Justin Kluivert (£2m)
      By Jack Rosser
      HAVING defied the odds to stay up last season, Bournemouth took a huge punt on their future this summer.
      American owner Bill Foley, out of the blue, decided to axe boss Gary O’Neil and appoint unknown Spaniard Andoni Iraola.
      Foley wanted a change in the style to give them a better chance of survival once again, while giving a new man every chance of success with a full pre-season.
      It is a big bet from the billionaire, who will pray his ruthless call pays off.

      Whatever happens, the south coast should provide some exciting football.
      Iraola may not be known to many English fans but he has made a name for himself in Spain by playing some intense football and upsetting the odds on a shoestring. The Cherries have lost out-of-contract Jefferson Lerma.
      But winger Justin Kluivert — son of Patrick — arrived for £9.5million from Roma, while midfield man Hamed Traore turned his loan into a £20m deal.
      And landing exciting Hungarian left-back Milos Kerkez, 19, from AZ Alkmaar for £14m was a real coup.
      BRENTFORD
      Dream Team MVP – Bryan Mbeumo (£3.5m)
      By Isabelle Barker
      BRENTFORD are out to prove that no Ivan Toney is no problem.
      The Bees must cope without their star striker as he serves his EIGHT-MONTH ban from football for breaking betting rules.
      Fans will see him in action again in January.
      The 27-year-old cannot even train with his team-mates until September 17.
      But boss Thomas Frank has the likes of Yoane Wissa, Kevin Schade and Bryan Mbeumo to call upon going forward.

      He also now boasts £23million centre-back Nathan Collins after his switch from Wolves.
      Brentford have punched well above their weight in their two Prem seasons.
      And last term they finished ninth — just two points off seventh and a Europa Conference League spot.
      They also beat Treble winners Manchester City (twice), Manchester United and Liverpool in a memorable campaign.
      The Bees are expected to burst out of the traps with Frank taking no prisoners in pre-season.
      Once again, he has used a gruelling one- kilometre fitness drill to get his hive buzzing.
      BRIGHTON
      Dream Team MVP – Kaoru Mitoma (£3.5m)
      By Jack Rosser
      BRIGHTON supporters are getting excited as they look forward to their first ever European adventure.
      After a record-breaking season, with Roberto De Zerbi replacing Graham Potter in September, the Italian is targeting more magical moments.
      They may have lost Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool but there are a host of young players ready to step up.
      Julio Enciso, 19, and Facundo Buonanotte, 18, look massive prospects.
      Freebies James Milner, 37, and Mahmoud Dahoud, 27, provide experience.

      Striker Joao Pedro has arrived for £30million from Watford, while £16.3m keeper Bart Verbruggen looks another gem from Anderlecht — as does Fiorentina centre-back Igor Julio.
      But the big excitement may come from seeing Evan Ferguson, 18, get a full season under his belt up front.
      And then there is the Europa League — their displays against the Prem’s big boys indicate they could have a long run.
      De Zerbi has made history but he will not stop chasing more.
      The fastest players from last season’s Premier League
      BURNLEY
      Dream Team MVP – Josh Brownhill (£2m)
      By Martin Blackburn
      WHEN Burnley went down in May 2022 few expected them to bounce straight back.
      In fact many feared they were heading for oblivion due to the financial model set out by owners ALK Capital.
      Yet those worries were washed away as their new boss Vincent Kompany got to work.
      And, 12 months on, they are back in the Prem — after an almost breathtaking transformation.
      Kompany ripped up Sean Dyche’s long-held blueprint.

      A squad largely made up of English and Irish players was moved on.
      Kompany kicked functional football into touch and used his contacts at Manchester City and around Europe to overhaul the place last summer.
      He has been busy in this window, going back to the Etihad to sign England’s impressive Under-21 Euros keeper James Trafford.
      Kompany was linked to the Spurs and Chelsea jobs before he opted to sign a new five-year deal with the Clarets.
      Pep Guardiola thinks the Belgian is destined for his job.
      And the pair get to go head to head on Friday night at Turf Moor.
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      CHELSEA
      Dream Team MVP – Nicolas Jackson (£2.5m)
      By Andrew Dillon
      MAURICIO POCHETTINO admits there are no excuses and no time for Chelsea to pick up the slack from the shocker of last season.
      The new boss can do nothing else but back himself with such a huge rescue mission looming.
      Coming 12th was their lowest Prem finish since 1994. There will be no European football for the first time in seven years.
      A squad revamp with an addition of mainly untried rookies is a huge gamble for a club used to high expectations.
      Poch is banking on youthful ambition and energy but injuries to new man Christopher Nkunku and defender Wesley Fofana are a hammer blow.

      At least the likes of Noni Madueke will be confident. He and Levi Colwill won the Under- 21 Euros with England.
      N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Kalidou Koulibaly, Cesar Azpilicueta, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic and Edouard Mendy have all gone.
      But Poch says he took the job because he loves the risk.
      If that is true, he is in for a happy year.
      CRYSTAL PALACE
      Dream Team MVP – Eberechi Eze (£3m)
      By Jack Rosser
      CRYSTAL PALACE’S revolution is right back where it started, with Roy Hodgson.
      The manager, 76 this Wednesday, signed on for another year after returning to keep the Eagles up.
      Hodgson’s sights are higher than just 40 points and survival — he wants a top-half finish.
      New England man Eberechi Eze will be the key to hitting that lofty goal. 

      He struggled under Patrick Vieira but flourished with Hodgson and finally made his Three Lions debut in June.
      Wilfried Zaha’s decision to leave Selhurst Park opens up a vacancy for club talisman — and Eze appears to be the heir to the Palace throne.
      Jefferson Lerma, a free transfer from Bournemouth, comes into midfield, and there has been more ambition in the boardroom to invest.
      Even in the space of ten games at the end of last season, Hodgson showed his sides can be capable of attacking play when the tools are there.
      While there is still goodwill around his return with fans, the challenge is to deliver results with a flourish.
      EVERTON
      Dream Team MVP – Jordan Pickford (£3m)
      By Charlie Wyett
      EVERTON have got away with it for the last two seasons.
      So you can understand the pessimism among fans in the blue half of Merseyside, who fear this could be third time unlucky as the club continues to self-destruct.
      While most football supporters have been counting down to the new season, Everton’s faithful are dreading it.
      Since surviving on the final day of last term with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth, not much has changed.
      The club remained in a dire state cash-wise after years of overspending.
      Their decision not to exercise Conor Coady’s £4.5million option was largely a financial one.

      While picking up Ashley Young on a free and Arnaut Danjuma on loan, at the second attempt, hardly breaks the bank.
      There are still questions over the squad — so the hope is boss Sean Dyche delivers another miracle.
      Club chiefs aim to move into their new £760m stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in early 2025. By then, it is anyone’s guess which division Everton will be in.
      FULHAM
      Dream Team MVP – Willian (£2m)
      By Jack Rosser
      MARCO SILVA worked wonders to finally shed Fulham’s yo-yo label.
      They even finished above neighbours Chelsea in tenth.
      The Cottagers fell just short of a place in Europe but their first priority will, once again, be avoiding the drop.
      There is always the danger of a second-season slump.
      And the last thing they needed was the Saudi Arabian saga concerning boss Silva AND forward Aleksandar Mitrovic.

      Mitro’s 14 Prem strikes in 2022-23 were crucial and while there were goals spread about the squad, no other player hit more than five in the league.
      Joao Palhinha was always going to attract attention after a stellar year.
      And losing winger Manor Solomon to Tottenham is a blow.
      But they have tied down left-back Antonee Robinson to a new deal and kept hold of Willian, 35, following protracted talks.
      They will also need the Raul Jimenez from his first two seasons at Wolves, when he smashed 44 goals, not the last three.
      The job is only going to get harder as Fulham look to avoid that sinking feeling again.
      LIVERPOOL
      Dream Team MVP – Mo Salah (£7m)
      By Charlie Wyett
      JURGEN KLOPP hopes his major midfield reboot can turn Liverpool back into contenders.
      The Anfield boss made changes after a hugely disappointing season saw them win nothing and finish fifth on 67 points — the lowest tally in a full season under Klopp.
      Dominik Szoboszlai has arrived for £60million from RB Leipzig, while Alexis Mac Allister joined from Brighton in a deal which could cost £52m.
      All eyes will be on how Szoboszlai adjusts to the Prem. He scored six and had eight Bundesliga assists in 2022-23 and can boost their creativity.

      James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left for free while, for the first time since 2015, Liverpool’s attack will not feature Roberto Firmino.
      But with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah, they have plenty of options in that area.
      Liverpool are back in Europa League action for the first time since losing the final in 2016 and will be expected to go deep.
      And the May 22 final is in Dublin, where Liverpool enjoy massive support.
      LUTON
      Dream Team MVP – Carlton Morris (£2.5m)
      By Isabelle Barker
      PREM fans have been waiting for this Luton Town fairytale.
      It has been a ten-year odyssey from non-league football back to the big time.
      And, in May, the Hatters sealed a first top-flight campaign since 1991-92 by beating Coventry in the Championship play-off final.
      The fact Kenilworth Road is a century-old, 10,000-capacity old-school ground, tucked in among back alleys and gardens, only adds to the fun of it.
      Rob Edwards’ side are off to a bumpy start with their opening home Prem match postponed due to a revamp to the stadium.

      They were to host Burnley on Saturday week but now West Ham will be their first Prem visitors.
      Luton are set to move to a new 19,500-capacity ground just a mile from their current home in 2026.
      They have made signings as they prepare to face the likes of Mo Salah and Erling Haaland.
      Danish centre-back Mads Andersen has joined from Barnsley, while winger Tahith Chong arrived for £4million from Birmingham.
      And popular midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is back after a loan spell.
      MAN CITY
      Dream Team MVP – Erling Haaland (£8.5m)
      By Martin Blackburn
      THE big question now is where do Manchester City go from here?
      On a magical night in Istanbul in June, City finally lifted the trophy they coveted most.
      And Champions League glory sealed a historic Treble — with a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.
      So the test for Pep Guardiola is to have his men ready to go again when their new campaign kicks off at Burnley.
      City start as title favourites but rivals will have reasons to believe it could be the season they slip.
      Their epic run-in must have taken a lot out of the squad.

      And City’s focus could be taken off domestic matters early on by their participation in the Uefa Super Cup, then the Club World Cup in December.
      Guardiola lost two of his backroom staff after Rodo Borrell went to the US and Enzo Maresca joined Leicester.
      Skipper Ilkay Gundogan’s exit leaves a huge hole and Mateo Kovacic has big shoes to fill.
      Yet Pep has made a habit of finding new ways to win in seven years at City — and he will have spent the summer hatching a plan to do it all again.
      MAN UTD
      Dream Team MVP – Marcus Rashford (£6.5m)
      By Neil Custis
      MANCHESTER UNITED go into this season reflecting on how far they have come . . . and how far they still need to go.
      That Carabao Cup win last term was a giant step forward — their first silverware since 2017.
      Yet an FA Cup final loss to Manchester City laid bare how far behind the very best they remain.
      The fact City went on to match United’s Treble feat of 1999 only rubbed salt into the wound.
      While fans were left wondering if the takeover saga to rid the club of the unpopular Glazer family would ever end.

      Still, there were positives from Erik ten Hag’s first season after the mess of the previous 12 months.
      He has got a firm grip on the club, knows where he wants to go — and how to get there.
      Ten Hag let David de Gea go and signed Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana as well as Mason Mount from Chelsea to energise his midfield.
      But their best business was finally sorting Marcus Rashford’s new contract.
      The problem is City chief Pep Guardiola does not look ready to be knocked off his perch. 
      NEWCASTLE
      Dream Team MVP – Kieran Trippier
      By Oscar Paul
      SANDRO TONALI is the new poster boy as hope, excitement and expectation fill the Tyneside air.
      Newcastle boss Eddie Howe can do no wrong but now he must build a squad capable of fighting on four fronts, given Champions League football is back following a 20-year hiatus.
      And you better believe they will go for everything.
      The arrival of £55million midfielder Tonali, 23, from AC Milan was an early warning the Saudi-owned Magpies mean business.
      The Gennaro Gattuso-like terrier’s best years are ahead of him.
      And the prospect of seeing him in midfield alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton has fans salivating.

      The Toon Army will also hope local lad Elliot Anderson, 20, gets the chance to demonstrate he is the real deal.
      Up top, Callum Wilson is still deadly while Alexander Isak will be a threat.
      Anthony Gordon could fly into the campaign after being named the best player at the Under-21 Euros.
      Harvey Barnes can also provide the scoring threat from wide areas the fans have been craving.
      NOTTINGHAM FOREST
      Dream Team MVP – Morgan Gibbs-White (£3m)
      By Graeme Bryce
      AFTER the euphoria of last season’s bonkers Prem return, you might think Steve Cooper would welcome a season of steady progress.
      But do not bank on it.
      Premier League snobs sneered when the new boys chucked cash around like Jack Grealish on a night out in Ibiza.
      In total, boss Cooper was presented with 30 new signings across two frenetic transfer windows.
      What is overlooked is he also had to contend with 45 separate injuries.

      Yet he pulled it all together — like an expert cocktail maker — to produce an intoxicating brew which knocked everyone’s socks off.
      He may not have as many ingredients this time but signing Anthony Elanga from Manchester United looks a smart deal.
      And with classy Morgan Gibbs-White pulling the strings, Forest will fear no one at their City Ground fortress.
      The key to whether they thrive, instead of simply survive, is can they finally crack the code of how to win on the road?
      SHEFFIELD UNITED
      Dream Team MVP – Anel Ahmedhodzic (£2m)
      By Oscar Paul
      FEW Sheffield United fans hold out much hope of repeating their first-season heroics from four years ago.
      Bamboozling the Prem with funky overlapping centre-backs, the Blades finished ninth following promotion.
      This time? Take 17th now and run. Cash is tight amid takeover uncertainty, with boss Paul Heckingbottom eyeing loans and free agents due to a limited budget of around £20million.
      The squad is almost identical to the one relegated after that miracle 2019-20 term under Chris Wilder.

      Question marks hang over strikers Oli McBurnie and Rhian Brewster, who hit ONE goal in 50 outings between them when they went down.
      Norwegian Sander Berge offers class in midfield alongside Oliver Norwood but they will badly miss Manchester City loanees Tommy Doyle and James McAtee.
      Anel Ahmedhodzic proved a good addition at the back beside John Egan and Chris Basham.
      Three of their first four games are at Bramall Lane — so a fast start is vital for the Blades.
      TOTTENHAM
      Dream Team MVP – James Maddison (£4m)
      By Tom Barclay
      OPERATION ‘make fans fall in love with Spurs again’ starts now for Ange Postecoglou.
      Supporters were bored stiff at times by the dull fare served up by predecessors Antonio Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho.
      New man Postecoglou has promised football that will excite — music to the ears of the regulars in N17.
      The back three Conte was so wedded to is set to be axed for 4-3-3 and a playmaker has finally arrived in the form of £40million James Maddison.
      Keeper Guglielmo Vicario — signed from Serie A side Empoli — may not be a household name over here but glowing reports from Italy suggest he could be one day.

      Dejan Kulusevski was snapped up from Juventus permanently for £25m, while Harry Winks left for Leicester.
      And free transfer Manor Solomon adds another option on the wing.
      Ex-Celtic chief Postecoglou, 57, is known for being a builder of teams.
      That is why Spurs need the Aussie — regardless of the Harry Kane saga — due to the mess left by Conte which sees them out of Europe.
      Fans do not expect instant success . . . just a chance to enjoy some g’days again.
      WEST HAM
      Dream Team MVP – Jarrod Bowen (£4.5m)
      By Jordan Davies
      TEARY-EYED and wistful, West Ham must move on.
      Not a man, woman nor child had dry cheeks that June night in Prague when Declan Rice lifted the Europa Conference League trophy on his final outing for the club.
      The fans knew it was their captain’s way of saying goodbye — now his name will be chanted by Arsenal supporters at the Emirates.
      But this is no time for the Hammers to bask in what has been and gone. This season, more than ever, is a chance to push on.

      David Moyes will not survive another woeful start, regardless of his new place among the list of all-time great West Ham managers.
      With another Europa League journey to contend with, a top-ten finish should be the aim but that requires this side’s usually reliable faces to step up in Rice’s absence.
      Jarrod Bowen needs to recapture the net-bulging touch. Nayef Aguerd needs to stay fit at the back. Lucas Paqueta needs to sparkle.
      Rice is gone but hope remains in East London.
      WOLVES
      Dream Team MVP – Jose Sa (£3m)
      By Graeme Bryce
      THERE were plenty of moans and groans at Molineux last season.
      And that was before pundit Gary Lineker was hilariously upstaged by a blue-movie soundtrack during Wolves’ FA Cup replay with Liverpool!
      But having flopped early on under Bruno Lage, Wolves rediscovered their mojo with Julen Lopetegui when the top flight returned after the World Cup. 
      At that point they were rock bottom — but ended up 13th.
      Boss Lopetegui boosted his limited options with a few key January deals.
      Unlike Leicester, Wolves managed to live with the fact stars Joao Moutinho and skipper Ruben Neves already knew they were set to leave in the summer.

      Mario Lemina added steel to midfield and Craig Dawson tightened things up in defence, where Max Kilman shone.
      Old favourite Matt Doherty is back but another one, Raul Jimenez, has gone.
      It remains to be seen if Matheus Cunha can provide the goals Wolves desperately need.
      Qualifying for Europe looks a tall order but Lopetegui should keep them up for another term.
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      Luton back in the top flight it’s… UNBELIEVABLE JEFF
      WHEN Luton were last in the top flight, Chris Kamara was right in the middle of a survival scrap.The much-loved pundit and sidekick of Jeff Stelling was pictured squaring up to Notts County’s Paul Harding in the final match of the 1991-92 season.Luton lost it 2-1 and were promptly relegated, missing out on the first season of the Premier League.Now 31 years on, the Hatters are back in the promised land.That fateful day in May ’92 brought to an end a ten-year stay in the top flight which saw Luton regularly defy the odds.From Raddy Antic’s survival- securing goal to David Pleat’s dancing and, later, Brian Stein’s League Cup winner, it was a period of success played out in a quirky ground on a plastic pitch.And it helped turn the likes of Ricky Hill and Mick Harford (left) into household names and England internationals.Now the current crop have a chance to make their own Hatters history. More

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      Ten major Premier League changes this season including Champions League qualification, winter break and tough new laws

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      THERE will be huge changes to the Premier League this season, including for European qualification and tough new laws.Prem action returns on Friday night when Treble winners Manchester City head to newly-promoted Burnley.
      Luton will be the 51st team to play in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
      More time will now be added to cut out time-wastingCredit: Getty

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      With many new things for fans to keep a look out for, SunSport run you through the biggest changes…
      New team in town
      Luton will become the 51st different side to play in the Premier League since it was formed in 1993-94.
      New balls please
      Players will be kicking around a new ball this season – the Nike Flight has black lines and “splashes of orange” on it.
      There will be an extra “multiball” cone stand on the half way line opposite the dug-outs.
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      The new Nike Flight Premier League ball comes into play this seasonCredit: Nike
      Numbers and fonts
      This is the fourth redesign of the official Premier League font for numbers and names.
      All sides must use the same font and from this season it will be “bolder” with bigger numbers being used.
      There is also now a standalone Premier League lion badge on shirt sleeves.
      The new numbers have been shown offCredit: https://www.premierleague.com/news/3109195
      There will also be a lion badge on sleevesCredit: https://www.premierleague.com/news/3109195
      Whistleblowers
      Tim Robinson and Darren Bond are new full-time referees following the retirement of Andre Marriner.
      Most read in Football
      Changing times
      All stoppages except for bookings must be calculated “exactly” by officials.
      PGMOL chiefs expect it to mean an average of just under 12 minutes of additional time per match.
      Already it’s causing a major stir, with Manchester United defender Raphael Varane releasing a statement over the changes.
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      Lay down the law
      Two major law changes will be implemented this season.
      A player adjudged to be “challenging for the ball” when they “deny an obvious goalscoring opportunity” in the box will only be yellow carded even if they are not attempting to play the ball.
      Fifa and Ifab have also clarified what is now deemed “deliberate play” by defenders with regards to offside.
      If a player is considered to be in control of the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance, this would be a ‘deliberate play’ and the attacker in an offside position should not be penalised for offside.
      An inaccurate or unsuccessful action does not change that the defender “deliberately played” the ball.
      Behaviour clampdown
      Tough new rules for players and bosses include yellow cards for any time-wasting and automatic bans for three yellow cards for any coach or manager.
      Bookings must be handed out if two or more players surround an official.
      There is a lower bar for dissent as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta found out in the Community Shield, as he was booked for waving an imaginary card and protesting a decision.
      Mikel Arteta was stung by the new rules at WembleyCredit: PA
      VAR from over
      An extra two VAR cameras at each end will mean the end of “blind spots”.
      This should help with tight offside calls and highlight any before missed incidences.
      Winter break
      The winter break is back, probably for one season only, with a full set of ten fixtures split across two weekends in mid-January to give the players a guaranteed rest.
      Time for Manchester United’s Anthony Martial to get those winter gloves out.
      Fifth Champions League spot
      The team that comes fifth will likely get an automatic seat in the Champions League for the following season.
      Read More on The Sun
      But only if English teams teams are among the top two performers across the three Uefa club competitions.
      They have been for six of the past seven seasons – last term both the Champions League and Conference League were won by Prem sides Manchester City and West Ham respectively.
      There could be an extra place in the Champions League for English teamsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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      The Premier League hasn’t even started yet and there’s already too much football

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      THE PREMIER League season hasn’t even kicked off yet and already there’s too much football.Matches are too long, fixture lists are too crammed, players are burnt out, managers are overworked and fans are reaching saturation point.
      Football matches take too long to finish these daysCredit: Reuters
      Will matches ever end? Will players ever get a proper rest? Will football ever stop?
      At this rate, there will be so much football that people will have to stop launching new football podcasts because there will be too much actual football for anyone to ever listen to any of them.
      Which is perhaps the only  positive in all this.
      Sunday’s Community Shield lasted for 106 minutes, including first-half injury-time, and Saturday’s League One fixture between Northampton and Stevenage went on for 112 minutes and 36 seconds.
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      Two-hour matches will soon be commonplace and, if knockout games go to extra-time and  penalties, we’ll have a three-hour contest before long.
      But that’s only part of it.
      On August 19, Manchester City face Newcastle at 8pm on a  Saturday — a new regular Premier League kick-off time that nobody ever asked for.
      From next season, a club reaching the Champions League final must play between two and four extra matches — and good luck in working out the new ‘Swiss-style’ format in that competition.
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      In 2025, the World Club Cup — already a schedule-clogging  irrelevance — will become a 32-team summer tournament.
      When the Premier League was launched, it was originally supposed to be reduced to 18 clubs as, even 30 years ago, people realised there was too much football.
      And yet still we have two-legged League Cup semi-finals, the ‘Premier League Summer Series’ and England playing qualifiers against Malta, San Marino and the forest moon of Endor.
      Pep Guardiola — whose City side face a 10pm kick-off in the European Super Cup against Sevilla in Athens next week — was vocal about all this after the Community Shield, which saw his team concede a 101st-minute equaliser.

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      And that is despite the fact the Premier League season hasn’t even startedCredit: Rex
      Kevin De Bruyne and Raphael Varane have also spoken out about elite players’ increasing workload.
      It might be tempting to urge very rich men to stop moaning about working longer hours for more money, when the rest of  society is working longer hours for less and less money.
      But we’ve hopefully gone past the stage where we assume footballers are robots who should be able to cope with endless pressure.
      And anyway it’s not just about them.
      While broadcasters demand more and more ‘content’, has anybody wondered whether actual people want to consume it all?
      An ever-growing number of us do not regularly watch ‘linear’ television, while younger audiences are less likely to watch 90 minutes of football, let alone 120 minutes, preferring to watch highlights packages. And, presumably, listen to podcasts.
      Those extended playing times come from an edict for referees to crack down on time-wasting and dissent.
      The new packed schedule will add to fans’ woes as matches are becoming endlessCredit: Rex
      We might all agree that time-wasting is cheating and therefore  needs stamping down upon.
      But unless a countdown clock is introduced, with a standard amount of ball-in-play time — 60 minutes has been suggested but 50 minutes might be more apt — there will still be frequent arguments about the amount of time added on, so this won’t solve the problem.
      While you might be delighted to see an excessive amount of injury-time  if your team is 1-0 down, you don’t go into matches thinking ‘I really hope this goes on for far longer than 90 minutes’.
      If you’re at the game, particularly for an evening kick-off, you’ll want to get home or catch last orders.
      If you’re watching at home, you might want to actually speak to your family or friends, or do  whatever else you used to do before football took over every waking hour of your entire life.
      Match-going supporters certainly don’t want matches that finish at 10.15pm on a Saturday, or any other night.
      Players’ schedules will become even more grueling, while fans may lose their weekendsCredit: Rex
      And presumably even most armchair fans have social lives.
      Football is going against the grain here.
      Cricket is getting shorter and shorter, and one of the great attractions for golfers to join the rebel LIV Tour — apart from sack-loads of Saudi money — was the reduction of tournaments from four rounds to three, giving them extra days off.
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      Sport is supposed to be about escapism. Following football, in particular, is meant to be a release from our daily lives.
      It isn’t supposed to actually  dominate our existence. And I feel so strongly about this issue that I solemnly swear not to launch a podcast to discuss it any further. More

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      Fans convinced there has been a mistake in Europa League draw as baffling new rule is introduced

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      FOOTBALL fans were left baffled with UEFA’s new rule in the Europa League draw.The European governing body has decided that this year there will be no country protection in the play-offs before the group stage.
      Fans are baffled by the new Europa League rule that excludes country protectionCredit: Getty
      That means Zorya Luhansk may face fellow Ukrainian outfit DniproCredit: Getty
      That means two teams from the same nation can actually play against each other in Europe.
      Thus, Zorya Luhansk could face fellow Ukrainian outfit Dnipro in the final qualifying round.
      Dnipro are playing Slavia Prague in the third qualifying round and the winner will square up against Zorya.
      However, fans have yet to adapt to the new rule and some even wondered if UEFA completed yet another blunder during today’s draw.
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      One fan tweeted: “Is the top fixture even allowed to stand btw?
      “Dnipro and Zorya are both Ukrainian and could play each other. Unless I’m wrong about something.”
      Another commented: “Why Zorya can play against Dnipro? I need an explanation.”
      A third said: “In the Uefa Europa League draw, #Dnipro was drawn against the winner between Slavia Prague and #Zorya Luhansk.
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      “Unlike the Champions and Conference League, the 2023/2024 Europa League regulations do not provide so-called “country protection” for the playoff round. Weird. #UELDRAW.”
      This fan wrote: “Dnipro vs Zorya ? How ?”
      And that one wondered: “What is @UEFA doing?”
      Liverpool and Brighton may meet the winner of that exchange in the the Europa League group stage after finishing fifth and sixth respectively in the Premier League last season.
      The Reds and the Seagulls will be joined by West Ham, who won the Europa Conference League. More

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      Gunners legend Ramsey tips ex-club to take next step and win Premier League

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      AARON RAMSEY reckons Arsenal are primed to take the next step and win the Premier League.The Gunners last lifted the top-flight trophy in their Invincibles season of 2003-04 – under boss Arsene Wenger.
      Arsenal beat Manchester City in Sunday’s Community Shield after a penalty shootoutCredit: AP
      Ramsey delivered three FA Cups for Arsenal in an 11-year Gunners career and reckons Arteta’s men can land more silverwareCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      But Mikel Arteta’s side qualified for the Champions League after finishing second last term and Emirates legend Ramsey says they can now kick on.
      Arsenal have spent £204.5million on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber so far this summer and won the Community Shield by beating Manchester City in Sunday’s penalty shootout at Wembley.
      And Rambo, 32, said: “You’ve seen their intent for this year as well by getting players in early.
      “The calibre of the players that they’ve brought in is really good.
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      “You can’t deny they’ve taken a huge step forward and hopefully now they can go that extra bit further and really have a go at trying to win the league again. 
      “They’ll be better having gone through last season, when they got so close.”
      Arsenal held an eight-point lead over eventual champions Manchester City in March but could not sustain their title challenge.
      Now at Cardiff, Ramsey won three FA Cups in an 11-year Gunners career from 2008 to 2019.
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      He added: “They had an unbelievable season last year.
      “To be back in the Champions League, having finished second to arguably one of the best teams ever in the Premier League, is no mean feat.
      “It’s going to be great to see Champions League football back at the Emirates.
      “Hopefully they can have a bit of a go in that.
      “There are obviously still a lot of people that I know at that club and speak to from time to time. I’m delighted to see them back up there competing again.”
      Arsenal kick-off their Prem season at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. More

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      Gary Lineker makes shock prediction for Premier League title and confident mega-money signing justifies price tag

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      GARY LINEKER today gives SunSport his lowdown on the new Premier League season.The Match of the Day host was a prolific England striker, a World Cup Golden Boot winner, a star at Barcelona — and even won a major trophy with Tottenham.
      Gary Lineker has spoken to SunSport about the upcoming Premier League seasonCredit: Getty
      The Match of the Day host is predicting Arsenal to win the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
      Here he tells us exactly why Erling Haaland is such a lethal goalscorer, why he thinks Arsenal can win the title and the Saudi Arabia threat to the Prem.
      To mark the launch of his new podcast ‘The Rest Is Football’ — with Match of the Day pals Alan Shearer and Micah Richards — Lineker gives us some of his exclusive takes.
      Gary on… Arsenal
      I’M tipping Arsenal to win the title this season — maybe just to avoid being predictable but I do think they have had an impressive summer in the transfer market.
      Rather than demoralising them, going close and missing out last season will benefit Mikel Arteta’s side. Being in the title race has given them an experience that they didn’t previously have.
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      A lot of players who move for big money struggle to cope with their price tag but I don’t think that’ll be the case with ex-West Ham skipper Declan Rice.
      He is an exceptional player — a holding midfielder but also far more than that. Rice is a real leader, who will run all day, a player who can break the lines and make things happen with the ball at his feet.
      Of course, £105million is a massive fee but he will not have the same pressure as a forward player who moves for big money because they are constantly judged on their scoring record.
      I’d like to see Rice add more goals to his game but nobody is expecting that of him.
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      I’m also intrigued to see where Kai Havertz fits in because he is a wonderful talent.
      Despite scoring Chelsea’s winner in the 2021 Champions League final, I don’t think we’ve seen the best of the German yet. He looks to me like his best position might be as a No 10 but Arsenal have the excellent Martin Odegaard there already.
      Havertz may start the season at centre-forward as Gabriel Jesus is injured but he could also operate wide on the left or right or in a deeper role.
      He certainly adds depth and I’d expect Arsenal to add to their squad even further before the deadline.
      Losing William Saliba to injury during last season’s run-in was a massive blow for them — possibly a decisive one — but with more depth Arsenal are capable of going one better this coming season.
      On.. Erling Haaland
      Erling Haaland netted 36 goals in the Prem last seasonCredit: Getty
      MOST strikers don’t actually know how to score goals — the fact that Erling Haaland does is the key factor in making him so successful.
      I don’t agree when people say goalscoring is about instinct. It’s about mathematics, it’s about the law of probability — and you have to learn the art.
      Haaland has pace, power and stature, he puts the fear of God into defences, who tend to drop deep to combat him but it’s almost impossible to stop him.
      What really sets him apart, though, is his intelligence.
      A goalscorer will attack space and nine times out of ten, the ball might not arrive exactly where you want it to — but when it does, you know you have an easy chance to score. Haaland gets this.
      When I played, people often said that I’d done nothing all game but then scored the winner.
      But for the rest of the match, I’d be making 15, 20 or 30 runs with the ball rarely going where I’d want it — and with Haaland there are many similarities.
      I’d seen plenty of him at Borussia Dortmund and when he arrived I knew he was an absolute banker to score a lot of goals for Manchester City.
      They are such a creative team who get the ball to the byline more than any other team I’ve ever seen.
      City won the title without an authentic centre-forward the previous season but they didn’t win the Champions League until Haaland arrived and even though he didn’t score in the final or semi-final, the threat of him being there makes such a difference.
      The genius of Pep Guardiola has helped him. I believe Pep is the greatest manager of all time — an obsessive, who is constantly evolving his tactics.
      But this season represents a real challenge. Pep will be as dedicated as ever but will his players experience a dip after winning the Treble?
      On.. Liverpool hopes
      Lineker is expecting big things from Darwin Nunez this seasonCredit: Alamy
      MY sons are all obsessed with fantasy football teams and when they ask me for tips, I tell them to sign up Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez as I think the forward will have a massive season this time around.
      The Uruguayan certainly isn’t the only player to take his time to settle into the Premier League but he’d improved by the end of last season and he has great strengths.
      Sure, he missed a lot of chances but I don’t mind strikers missing chances. It shows he is getting into the right positions.
      This should be a much better season for Liverpool.  Jurgen Klopp’s sides have often had a difficult season every three or four years but come back stronger.
      They needed a midfield refresh and that is happening.
      Alexis Mac Allister is an excellent signing and they have also added Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian whose name I am going to learn to pronounce before the first Match of the Day!
      On.. Chelsea new era
      Mauricio Pochettino will take charge of Chelsea for the new Premier League seasonCredit: Getty
      CHELSEA have made a really great appointment in Mauricio Pochettino —  and they needed to as last season was an absolute shambles.
      I got to know Mauricio well when he worked with us at the BBC during the World Cup in Qatar and he is a very smart and engaging man who did a great job at Tottenham.
      I don’t think any player at Chelsea — those who have left and those who are still at Stamford Bridge — should ever be judged on what happened last term because it was a mess of the club’s making.
      They have slimmed down their squad, which was absolutely necessary, and signed a fair few as well.
      One of the reasons Thomas Tuchel left early last season was because he clashed with the owners. I hope they learn from that and listen to Pochettino.
      He needs time to get things right and Chelsea are the most difficult to predict in the season ahead — although they can’t finish as low as 12th again.
      On.. Man Utd buys
      Andre Onana will be Man United’s No.1 this seasonCredit: Getty
      I’M really looking forward to seeing Manchester United’s new goalkeeper Andre Onana.
      The Cameroonian, from Inter Milan, is excellent with the ball at his feet and I’m interested to see how that changes the way Erik ten Hag’s side build up from the back.
      Onana’s greatest strength was David de Gea’s real weakness.Sure, Onana will make some cock-ups but the benefits of having a keeper who can play will outweigh those moments when he gets things wrong.
      Mason Mount is another good signing. He’s an under-rated player because a lot of what he does goes under the radar — he presses so well and works hard.
      He dipped at Chelsea last year but so did everyone at Stamford Bridge. He needs this fresh start.
      United have spent a lot of money on 20-year-old Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund from  Atalanta and I can’t say I have seen a lot of him.
      Perhaps they see him more as one for the long term but I’m not convinced he’s going to make the difference for them.
      On.. Saudi cash splurge
      Karim Benzema is one of the stars to join the Saudi Pro LeagueCredit: Getty
      SAUDI Pro League clubs have been throwing around a vast amount of money this summer.
      But until they sign Kylian Mbappe, or another genuine world star in his prime, then the major European clubs will remain relaxed about it.
      Right now, it’s just the latest league where older players go to die their footballing deaths — like Karim Benzema joining Al-Ittihad — for one last earner.
      It’s the same with Major League Soccer in America, it was the same with China for a while, and I did it myself in Japan at the end of my playing career.
      I don’t want to sound holier-than-thou but Saudi Arabia has a deeply troubling human rights record — last year 80 people were executed in one day, most for what we would regard as minor offences.
      There are many other serious human rights concerns.
      It is easy to say, ‘I would never go there for any money’, until millions and millions are dangled in front of your face — then that dilemma becomes very real.
      Players can guarantee the financial security of their family for generations to come. It can’t be easy to turn down that sort of offer.
      The Saudis, and their sportswashing project, are not going away — in football as in golf, boxing, tennis and other sports.
      They have ambitions to host World Cups and Olympics and they have such vast wealth. But until they can land an Mbappe, they will not be seen as a major threat by the top European leagues.
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      Some clubs, such as Chelsea, are even seeing the emergence of the Saudi Pro League as a major positive.
      They have been able to offload unwanted players for big money, instead of having to loan them out while still paying half of their wages.

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      Mauricio Pochettino on feeling the heat at Espanyol, being proud of Tottenham’s ‘wins’ and his long-term Chelsea vision

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      TAKING on the impossible is part of Mauricio Pochettino’s managerial DNA.He arrived on English shores with Southampton in January 2013 as a nobody, and left in November 2019 having led Tottenham to a Premier League title challenge and a Champions League final.
      Mauricio Pochettino is starting a new era of his managerial career at ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Pochettino admits he struggled with the pressure during his days at EspanyolCredit: Getty – Contributor
      He took on the superstars and egomaniacs while at Paris Saint-Germain, and now, back in the UK, is tasked with leaving a long-lasting legacy at Chelsea – an institution that sacks coaches for fun.
      Pochettino is used to pressure. In fact, at this stage of his career, he thrives off it.
      Yet that was not always the case. A month after receiving his UEFA Pro License in December 2008, the Argentine was handed the reins at his old club Espanyol – his first senior post – at the age of 36.
      Pochettino explained: “It was like all or nothing. You feel: ‘If we don’t win tomorrow or tonight, my career is going to be a disaster’. It was difficult.”
      This fear of failure clearly had a positive impact. In his first season in charge in La Liga, the Argentine led Espanyol to a top 10 finish, including a famous victory away at Pep Guardiola’s Treble-winning Barcelona.
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      In the fourteen years since, Poch is now recognised as one of the most respected managers in the game, sticking to his principles regardless of position, form or hostility.
      So, how does he deal with the pressure now? Poch smiled: “Maybe I sleep better.
      “When I started at Espanyol it was massive pressure because we were fighting relegation. Southampton was similar, Tottenham was for different reasons.
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      “PSG yes, and now with Chelsea it is different. Always you are under pressure. You always feel the adrenaline but after you disconnect and say: ‘Now I need to rest. I need to sleep’.
      “That experience has helped me to have better sleep and to enjoy time with my family and my friends, with the staff and the players. Before it was more bam, bam, bam, bam.
      “We use the experience to learn the passion is there, the adrenaline is there, the discipline.
      “But it is about knowing when to be in this process and when to have time to enjoy yourself – when to liberate the players from all this pressure.
      “How we behave as a coaching staff will transmit itself to the players.”
      At the age of 51, Poch insists he is far from the same coach he was back in Spain. Triumphs have shaped that, as have disappointments.
      He said: “We have changed in many things. We’re older now and when you’re 50 you need to be careful, because your change is quick! We got experience in different leagues.
      “We are more mature and we learned a lot in different situations. We always judge ourselves and want to improve. The experience gave the possibility to improve.
      “We are much better people now.”
      Pochettino enjoyed a successful period at Spurs, despite not winning a trophyCredit: Getty
      His five-year stint at Spurs was often tainted with the notion that the club did not have the desire nor the mentality to win silverware – something Antonio Conte accused them of during his chaotic tenure.
      Poch argued: “When I was at Tottenham it was a different period but I think the mentality to win was there. We won. Maybe we didn’t lift a trophy, but we won in many, many ways.”
      And during his 18-month spell with PSG, the burden of accommodating big names such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe took its toll.
      Poch added: “We won the cup, we won the league, but when you arrive at a club like Paris Saint-Germain it is about winning the Champions League.
      “If you don’t win the Champions League, like the coaching staff last season, you need to move on. I hope that changes because Paris deserves to be more consistent, and needs time to build something.”
      And so to Chelsea, where Poch truly believes he can build something “special” with the right amount of patience and trust from an owner in Todd Boehly who has already had three permanent managers since his takeover in June 2022.
      Foolish hope from Poch? Only time will tell, not that the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, as well as interim boss Frank Lampard, would necessarily agree.
      Poch is not naïve. He knows he needs to win, and win now. He said: “Chelsea is a different club, different period, different process, different project. If we don’t win we will struggle.”
      All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the Premier League season as Chelsea host Liverpool – a team and model of consistency and quality under Jurgen Klopp that Poch would like to emulate one day.
      There remains work to be done in order to achieve that. Another hectic transfer window means Poch, like Potter, will have to juggle and get the best out of an unbalanced and inexperienced squad with time firmly not on his side.
      Poch said: “I’m excited to start something medium and long term, but in football you never know. We try to work in this way, that’s important.
      “Then, we will see if we will have good pressure and see if it’s going to help to believe. We all need to be together to see if we can develop something special here.
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      “We need to have a plan and we need to have a guide that says: ‘We need to arrive there’, and if we arrive before, perfect.
      “But if not, we know that we are going to arrive at the destination.” More

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      Erling Haaland fans call him ‘the only Barbie I’ll watch’ as he returns to Man City training with pigtails and RAW MILK

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      ERLING HAALAND has been hailed as a “Barbie” by his fans after he returned to training with Manchester City.The Norwegian striker rocked up to the training ground in a colourful jumper and braided pigtails.
      Erling Haaland returned to Man City training with some raw milk and pigtailsCredit: Instagram @mancity
      Haaland, 23, also gave a hint at what might be helping him be such a devastating striker in the Premier League.
      The former Borussia Dortmund man was carrying a bottle of raw milk with him as he was pictured by the Man City media team.
      And fans were mixed in the comment section with many discussing his look, while others could not help but notice the raw milk.
      One commented: “The only Barbie I’ll watch.”
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      A second wrote: “I think his girlfriend really makes him do all hairstyles.”
      A third said: “Barbie 😂😍.”
      While a fourth joked: “Raw Milk gives Him the RAW POWER that he has.”
      And another added: “Raw Milk😂.”
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      Last season, Haaland made history in the Premier League during his free-scoring debut campaign.
      He netted an astonishing 36 goals in 35 appearances as he smashed the Prem goal-scoring record for a 38-game season as well as the record for most goals in a 42-game season.

      The previous record had jointly been held by Andy Cole (1993/94) and Alan Shearer (1994/95) who both netted 34 goals in the extended season.
      Haaland also excelled in Europe as he fired in 12 goals in the Champions League as Man City completed a historic treble.
      Erling Haaland will be targeting even more goals this seasonCredit: Getty
      During his time off this summer, Haaland has had a great time as he was revealed to be the cover star of EAFC 24.
      He is also thought to have penned a £2million deal with fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana.
      He attended a D&G event and was snapped alongside Kim Kardashian, who is also an ambassador for the brand. More