No CL last year, they heavily over-performed in the first half of the season vs their stats and so far the jury is out on how much they have strengthened. I don't think they will have a bad season but I think last season was a bit of an anomaly. Liverpool will be back this year, Chelsea will be much better as well.
Just can't see it. Just an opinion but I'm just surprised so many think Arsenal will be second.
I think the thing is that the jury is going to be out on a lot of teams at present.
United should be better but much will depend on Hojlund, and I think how frequently Casemiro is available and whether he starts to slow down with age, and whether their first choice centre backs stay fit.
Liverpool should be better, partly as they simply won't have as bad a first half of the season as last year, but I think they really need to sign a 6.
Chelsea I think will be much better, and I could see them being dark horses (insofar as it's possible for a team that's spent as much of them to be a dark horse).
Arsenal should be better. As you rightly say, dealing with the CL is the big unknown for them, but on the flip side they have a largely young team which has now had a gruelling season and a difficult title race behind them.
I actually think that City will be slightly worse without Mahrez and Gundogan although the time was right to move them both on, and I still think they're just far too strong for anyone else.
I think Newcastle will be about the same as last season, which is to say very solid but I think they'll just get overtaken by Liverpool (provided Liverpool's midfield copes).
In short, all of the top teams have big question marks over them, but I think that City and Arsenal are the least "unknown" of them which is why I've put them top 2.
