Outside of the “big six” and Leicester, there are actually quite a few Premier League teams to watch this season.
There’s no guarantee that they will make their way into the Champions League or Europa League spots, but we’ve definitely got a good feeling about the odds of the following five sides.
Whether it be due to their momentum or the quality of their squad as a whole there’s a feeling of anticipation in the air amongst their respective fanbases and it’s not hard to understand why.
Everton
Carlo Ancelotti couldn’t quite get Everton over the hump – so why not give former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez a try? The Toffees have some of the best players in the league at their disposal including a revived Jordan Pickford after Euro 2020. They’ve got huge plans for their immediate future and finishing in the top six, or coming close, should be the bare minimum that they aim for.
Leeds
Second season syndrome is always going to be a big concern but Leeds United are just oozing confidence right now. Marcelo Bielsa is an absolute mastermind and after guiding the club to a top-half finish just a few months ago, it’s easy to understand why the expectations are high. Their squad is solid, they’ll have a strong Elland Road advantage and their relentless style is unbelievably fun to watch.
Aston Villa
When you sign someone like Emiliano Buendia it’s clear to see you’ve got high expectations, and when partnering that together with the presence of Jack Grealish, there are plenty of reasons to be excited if you’re a Villa fan. Whether or not they can hold onto their main man could be a defining moment in their recent history but as of this writing, they’re on track for an interesting few years.
Wolves
Bruno Lage is the new man in charge at Molineux and you can bet he’s going to do everything in his power to bring attacking football back to Wolverhampton. Raul Jimenez is back in the mix alongside the returning Pedro Neto and Adama Traore, with the addition of Trincao from Barcelona making this Wolves side look like an even bigger threat than they have been since bouncing back up to the top flight.
West Ham
Under the guidance of David Moyes we saw West Ham United return to the big time by qualifying for the Europa League last season. Now, with that experience under their belt as well as a manager who knows how to balance the risk of multiple competitions, it feels like this Hammers side has what it takes to really kick on and finally attract the quality of players that their grand stadium deserves.
Featured image credit: Getty
