[Phang]

1. Man Utd
They're a proven striker and a dependable young right back away from having the best squad in the league, and free of injuries I can't see them being beaten over 90 minutes. There's no parallel universe in which Man Utd succeeding is something I want to see, but I can't see them losing it. I can see Ronaldo slumping pretty quick though.

2. Chelsea
It's going to be close. Carvalho finally made good last season and has cover behind him now, and the front half of the park has a ridiculous amount going for it; Ballack and Sheva will be benchwarmers for most of the season if Abramovich and Mourinho really have made up. They'll be drawing for no good reason far too often to win it, but I really can see them making the CL final.

3. Spurs
There's every chance they'll opt for the traditional springtime collapse but if they don't I can see an excellent and persistent challenge. Jol is one of the best managers in the division and this is a team with no Achilles heel - Kaboul will surprise a lot of people and Bent might just put Keane onto the left wing. Nowhere near a title, but it's in their hands to do well.

4. Liverpool
They're going to depend on Torres. If he stays fit and produces, they'll finish third. If he doesn't, they'll stagger into fourth. It's pretty much that simple.

5. Arsenal
Arsenal are so far away from world class it's laughable, but between Fabregas, Toure and Van Persie they've got too many match-winners to finish midtable.

6. Man City
If Mr Human Rights 2007 has any sense Eriksson will be punted on September 1; regardless of the Sven factor, though, he's most of the way through assembling a high-class, professional and above all balanced squad - Chiellini, Bojinov, Richards and Corluka playing with and learning from Dunne, Hamann, Petrov and Elano is the sort of thing Allardyce at Bolton could only dream of and if this team doesn't make it into Europe with room to spare I'll be shocked.

7. Blackburn
McCarthy and Santa Cruz ahead of Pedersen and Bentley will score for fun and finish high. If not seventh, then still high.

8. Newcastle
Too many top-half players to underachieve badly, and Allardyce has a real winning mentality. They'll do okay.

9. Everton
I don't really rate Everton, but between Moyes and a settled team they'll still make a comfortable top-half finish, missing out on Europe in April.

10. West Ham
I'm assuming a left back will appear from somewhere soon. If they do, there's enough consistency and quality at the club to make top half safely.

11. Villa
I don't buy into hype about O'Neill and I don't rate the squad as a whole, but midtable feels like a certainty.

12. Sunderland
I'm not sure about this one, at all, but ive got a gut feeling they'll surprise a lot of people. Can't really say why. Gordon is crucial though.

13. Pompey
The squad is deep enough to avoid getting sucked into a relegation battle. Muntari will do well. Other than that, not much to say.

14. Fulham
Lawrie Sanchez is a good manager and he'll nick enough home draws and away wins against bigger sides to keep a middling squad out of trouble.

15. Reading
Hahnemann at one end, Doyle at the other. An injury to either and a mediocre team is in trouble. No Sidwell will cripple them.

16. Bolton
No squad depth and Sammy Lee won't last a season. That said, if Anelka's still there they'll stay up. Shrewd signings in January will be vital.

17. Boro
Schwarzer, Huth, Woodgate and the Yak can't afford to miss twenty games between them. Southgate is clueless and the team runs out of quality before you get to eleven. Up against it this season.

18. Birmingham
O'Connor could do the business for them with a season to settle into the team. He doesn't have it. They'll go down. Simple as.

19. Wigan
Koumas and Landzaat won't be there on July 2nd. Trust in that.

20. Derby
I really can't add to what Deff said. Awful, awful. Less quality than Watford had last year and as soon as Barnes leaves they're ****ed. The money will have them back up, and strongly, under Davies in a few years though.