Premier League 2023/24: What to look out for

Alex Keble looks at 10 key questions ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season which begins on Friday 11 August. 

The new Premier League season is finally here.

It’s been 75 days - or 1,800 hours - since a Premier League ball was last kicked and the curtain came down on a campaign that will for ever be remembered for Manchester City’s Treble, Newcastle United’s gate-crashing of the top four, Brighton & Hove Albion’s first qualification for European competition and Leicester City’s relegation only seven years after lifting the Trophy.

In fact, it was perhaps the most eventful season we’ve ever had.

From Arsenal’s title challenge that faded away to Chelsea’s struggles; from Nottingham Forest’s 30 new signings to Aston Villa’s incredible resurgence under Unai Emery; from Erling Haaland’s new record of 36 goals scored; to the Premier League’s own new goal record - 1,084.

The 2023/24 season has a lot to live up to, yet already there are enough stories taking shape to assume it will be no less entertaining.

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest questions.

Can City win four in a row?

Stretching all the way back to 1888, nobody in English football history has ever won four championship titles in a row. That, surely, is motivation enough to prevent Pep Guardiola or Man City suffering a comedown from the successes of last season.

In the Premier League era, Manchester United fell one point short of the quadruple, bested by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009/10, but aside from that, nobody has even come close. This Man City side have the chance to stake their claim as the greatest English team of all time.

See: Who will challenge Man City for title?

They are clearly well placed to do it. Granted, for the second summer in a row, Guardiola has overseen a surprisingly high turnover of players, but after their late surge to the title – inspired by a formation change in February – it would be foolish to predict that Man City will be any weaker this year.

Can Arsenal challenge for whole season?

No matter whether you think Arsenal "threw away" their title challenge last season or that Man City were simply too good for a young team overachieving, Mikel Arteta will be dissatisfied his side were so much worse in the second half of the campaign compared with the first.

They won 50 points in the first 19 Premier League matches and only 34 points in the second 19, which is exactly the same points-per-match ratio (1.79) they hit across 2021/22.

That huge regression can be largely explained by a lack of squad depth, which made their tactical ideas a little predictable towards the end and meant they could not maintain form when Gabriel Jesus or William Saliba were injured.

Arteta has added three big signings this summer and all three can play in multiple positions. Arsenal supporters are understandably hopeful this can be the difference between finishing runners-up again and winning the competition for the first time in 20 years.

Are Man Utd or Liverpool ready to push for the title?

There is rarely room at the top for a three-or four-way title battle but both Man Utd and Liverpool supporters are starting to believe their teams are ready to challenge again.

Liverpool’s 11-match unbeaten run to the end of last season was precipitated by a formation change that unleashed Jurgen Klopp’s attack, but his hope of building upon these foundations with new midfield reinforcements has been undermined by the losses of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

There are too many unknowns to confidently predict Liverpool will rise again, although historically Klopp teams run off momentum, so a good start could put them in the picture. After all, their last five points tallies are 99, 69, 92, and 67. They are due another surge.

United have added impressively again this summer, and after an excellent transitional year in which Erik ten Hag changed the culture of the club, they are ready to embrace his tactical ideology.

We can expect a more cohesive and sophisticated Man Utd this season, especially with Mason Mount adding intelligence between the lines, Andre Onana improving their ability to play out from the back, and Rasmus Hojlund providing a new goal threat.

Sustaining a title challenge might prove too much for either side, but both are definitely moving in the right direction.

Will Pochettino and Postecoglou bring revival?

New appointments at two of London’s "big six" clubs have dominated the pre-season headlines, as Mauricio Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou clear the ground for new projects at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.

Neither coach has had it easy. Chelsea endured their lowest league finish since 1994 last season, while 10 senior players have departed this window, leaving Pochettino with a potentially lopsided squad in need of reinforcements.

Spurs supporters are relieved to see attacking football again after years of conservatism and Postecoglou’s new signings fit the agenda, but breaking back into the European places will be tough – especially if the club’s forward line has to be reprogrammed without Harry Kane.

How will Luton do after 31-year wait?

The Premier League welcomes its 51st club to the division this season, as Luton Town end a 31-year wait to return to the top flight after their relegation in 1991/92, just a few weeks before the competition was formed.

They bring plenty of colour. Luton are the Premier League’s most direct team, and their long-ball football and set-piece reliance will make them an interesting counter-point to the modern trend towards possession.

Luton will probably be something of a throwback, because although Rob Edwards’ side pressed boldly last season, a technical gap means they may be forced into a more hunched defensive position this year.

Luton have not had much money to spend this summer, and if they are to stand any chance of safety, they must make Kenilworth Road, the smallest stadium in Premier League history, a daunting place to visit.

Are Villa or Brighton ready to challenge for top four?

Aston Villa’s turnaround under Emery was beyond what anybody thought possible. The club were mired in a relegation battle when he arrived in early November, but since taking charge, Villa earned more points (49 from 25 matches) than all but four other clubs – including two more than Newcastle.

On that basis alone, Villa stand a chance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, especially after a full summer learning Emery’s methods, and with promising additions in Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, and Pau Torres.

Playing a Thursday-Sunday schedule in the UEFA Europa Conference League might get in the way of that goal – but it might also be the route to Villa’s first silverware since 1996.

Brighton aren’t as well placed as Villa, not least because they have lost Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool and may soon lose Moises Caicedo. Nevertheless a summer under Roberto De Zerbi gives them a fighting chance of closing in on Newcastle.

Newcastle are in a more difficult position. Eddie Howe’s team are on the up (Sandro Tonali is a good signing, while Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak are still finding their feet) but Newcastle haven’t been able to spend wildly this summer, meaning the gap has widened above them as much as the one below has narrowed.

Will Iraola manage to change Bournemouth’s DNA?

In the bottom half of the table, there is no more interesting club than AFC Bournemouth, who sacked Gary O’Neil over the summer despite him achieving his target. The reason? They knew they could attract one of the most exciting coaches in Europe.

Andoni Iraola got Rayo Vallecano promoted in 2021/22 before finishing 11th in LaLiga, beating both Real Madrid and Barcelona in an eye-catching year, defined by the coach’s Bielsa-like high press and quick transitions.

See: How 'winning machine' Iraola will inspire Bournemouth

Bayern Munich were the only club in the top five divisions in Europe who completed more shot-ending high turnovers than Rayo Vallecano’s 68 last season, while their 9.5 PPDA (passes per defensive action) was lower than every Premier League club.

Needless to say Iraola, represents a dramatic shift in style from O’Neil or Scott Parker – and comes with big risks. Justin Kluivert and attacking left-back Milos Kerkez are good signings, but it remains to be seen whether Bournemouth have the right squad profile for a full-scale revolution.

Can Kompany transformation keep Clarets up?

Vincent Kompany meets his mentor in the first fixture of the new season and Guardiola’s trip to Turf Moor should be very instructive.

Burnley are not the team you might remember. Kompany has radically redrawn the club, using a possession-based system on the way to winning the Championship last season with an impressive 101 points.

See: Kompany: I want my players to relish City test

But the one criticism we can level at Kompany is that he will not budge from his beliefs. This was evident in Burnley’s 6-0 defeat to Man City in the FA Cup quarter-finals last season, when Kompany tried to play Guardiola at his own game, only to find the difference in quality far too great.

What Burnley will learn, if they haven’t already, is that transitioning from Championship favourites to Premier League underdogs requires a more pragmatic approach. In other words, keeping the Guardiola-inspired tactics could prove costly.

Who will be dragged into relegation battle?

Early signs suggest the bottom half of the Premier League may struggle more to avoid a relegation fight than last season.

Limited spending at Sheffield United has not only prevented them from strengthening but forced them to sell star player Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille, while Tommy Doyle and James McAtee – their midfield fulcrum of last season – will not be coming back on loan.

Nottingham Forest have had a calmer summer this year than last, and yet despite looking a little short on new signings, they appear more stable than most.

Fulham may fear second-season syndrome, especially if they lose Aleksandar Mitrovic. Crystal Palace could shrink back towards defensive football under Roy Hodgson now that Wilfried Zaha has gone and Michael Olise is linked with a move away.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a difficult summer, with the need for financial compliance meaning that key players have left, few have signed and head coach Julen Lopetegui has also gone.

Everton have been unable to kick on in the transfer market. Reports say that David Moyes is already under pressure at West Ham United.

Even a stable club such as Brentford look light in the final third after Ivan Toney’s suspension.

Can Haaland break the record again?

Terrifying as it sounds for Man City’s rivals, Haaland hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.

City players tend to improve in their second season under Guardiola, whose unique demands often require 12 months of intense learning before things click, and therefore Haaland’s all-round game should go up a notch in 2023/24.

Even his finishing might improve. Haaland topped the Premier League charts last season for "big chances" missed, with 28, suggesting that once he feels more comfortable in Man City set-up, he will become even more prolific.

Last year he scored 36 goals, smashing the Premier League record. This season he could be the first to reach 40.