The Liverpool Offside 2022-23 Season Preview, Part Four: Season Predictions

Photo by Jan Kruger - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

In the final part of our season preview we predict how the season will unfold, making our top eight, relegation, and silverware picks.

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Part Four: Season Predictions

With another season set to kick off, we sat down to try to predict how 2022-23 will play out in England and Europe. Has this summer’s business pushed Liverpool past Manchester City as Premier League favourites? Are Chelsea still third best? Who’s getting relegated? And who will win the Golden Boot and make a deep run in Europe?

We’ve made our picks, but let us know if you think we’re being reasonable or living in red-tinted delusion—and add your own predictions for posterity in the comments.

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Zach

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, West Ham, Man United, Newcastle

We’re winning the league and I don’t think it’ll be particularly close. For one, we’ve seen how this group of players react to narrowly missing out (hint: usually by immediately rectifying that problem). Plus the bizarre midseason break will help us rest key players (hiya there, Mo), and we’ll likely be sending far fewer players away on international duty than City. I believe we go into that break top. And then I think we’ll really start to pull away in the second half of the season.

Also of note: St. Tottenham’s day is back, and as much as I tried, really tried, to get United out of the Top 8, I just couldn’t do it. There simply aren’t enough good teams in the league to put the utter mediocrity that is Manchester United in their place (thoroughly midtable).

Relegation
Everton, Bournemouth, Fulham

(To the tune of “Ole’s at the Wheel”) “The Ev are going down, going down, the Ev are going down…”

FA Cup
Arsenal

They love an FA Cup, in Northern London, don’t they? Well, at least one team in North London does.

League Cup
Manchester City

The most expensive squad ever assembled wins the least prestigious trophy.

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

Doubt Mo at your own peril.

Champions League
Liverpool

Finally. #7.

Europa League
FC Midtjylland

Why not? (Please don’t answer that).

Dexian

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United, West Ham, Crystal Palace

City’s squad looks pretty thin at the moment and I’m trying to figure out how to hex an injury crisis onto them. It’s their turn, I don’t make the rules. I also think Chelsea have no goals in them, an aging and injury-prone midfield, and an entire new backline to rebuild, so their former manager will move past them into third. It’s pretty funny how it’s come to this to be honest.

But I still think Thomas Tuchel is a better coach than Mikel Arteta so Chelsea still get fourth ahead of Arsenal. The rest is pretty boring, United improve but not enough. I like West Ham signing Scamacca so I reckon they’ll be sniffing around Europa League again. For eighth, I was leaning towards Newcastle and expect Leicester to continue their Brodgepodge and the good vibes of Brighton’s xG prowess to wean, but I don’t want the oil money to succeed so I’ll go with Palace as the surprise package.

Relegation
Fulham, Bournemouth, Everton

The vibes at Fulham are not great already , so they could go back down. Bournemouth seem bad, too. For the last spot maybe Brentford? They were pretty bad before Eriksen joined, and now he’s gone to United. But I really enjoyed Everton flirting with relegation last season, so maybe we can collectively will it into reality one more time.

FA Cup
Arsenal

League Cup
Manchester City

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

Champions League
Barcelona

Europa League
Real Betis

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Noel

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Man United, Brighton

For all the changes, barring the unexpected it’s still between us and City for first and then three sides fighting for the final two places in the top four. Of those, Chelsea were best last season but Spurs and Arsenal look to have improved more on paper. Behind that group, Erik ten Hag is a good coach but many of United’s problems remain, and Palace were actually sixth best last season based on underlying statistics—so I’m betting on them turning that into points this year. It’s a similar story with picking Brighton ahead of West Ham for me.

Relegation
Southampton, Bournemouth, Fulham

I wish it could be Everton, and it might be. Could be Leeds in for Southampton, too. As for the newly promoted sides, this year’s crop looks about as dead on arrival as any I can recall but Nottingham look like they might be best suited to grinding out just enough to survive.

FA Cup
Manchester City

The sportswashers probably can’t win nothing and should be out of Europe by this stage so they won’t have any distractions.

League Cup
Tottenham

Spurs. Conte. One good year before it all blows up but the top prizes are well out of reach. So. League Cup seems about right.

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

Ballon d’Or season incoming.

Champions League
Liverpool

We missed out on this and the league by three halves of football last season. Time to make it right.

Europa League
Arsenal

Europa’s always a crapshoot with teams dropping down, but of the current sides in it they’re comfortably the best and sometimes you just go with the obvious pick.

Gabe

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, Man United, Brighton

Relegation
Everton, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth

FA Cup
Chelsea

League Cup
Manchester City

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

Champions League
Liverpool

Europa League
A team from Spain

Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images

Mari

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Man United, Brighton

Nothing too exciting but I do hope Brighton can edge out United here.

Relegation
Everton, Fulham, Leeds

I am never one to begrudge Fulham their yo-yo identity, though this relies on the age-old question: will Aleksandar Mitrovic be able to score in the Premier League this time?

Everton look in real trouble, both in terms of finances and personnel. The chatter makes it seem like pulling teeth to get players to come to play for them. They lost Richalison. Their manager is not experienced and seems to love assigning responsibility elsewhere. None of this looks good. They’re going to have the best ground in the Championship should their new fella get finished, though.

Bournemouth are the boring choice, but I’ve gone with Leeds to make up the final slot. They concede for fun (had the first GA outside of the bottom three by over 10 goals) and the loss of Phillips is a big one for them. They’re the only fanbase who has ever sent me threatening DMs on Twitter en masse, so I can’t say I’ll miss them, whatever my respect for their fanzines.

FA Cup
West Ham United

I’m trying to be realistic saying we’re winning just the big two.

League Cup
Manchester City

They can have this one, the smallest of the trophies.

Golden Boot
Mo Salah & Erling Håland

Look, unfortunately Håland is going to be very good, there’s no denying it.

Champions League
Liverpool

It’s them Scousers again. After all, we love nothing more than coming back from losing the Champions League to win the Champions League.

Europa League
Arsenal

Though if Chelsea drop out of the Champions League I’ll take them over the Gunners.

Jordan

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man United, Leicester

Relegation
Fulham, Brentford, Everton

FA Cup
Arsenal

League Cup
Chelsea

Golden Boot
Mo Salah & Darwin Nuñez

Champions League
Liverpool

Europa League
Ajax

Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Tito

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea, West Ham, Newcastle

It should be a battle between Liverpool and City at the top of the league once again this season. They are both in such a different class from the rest. Antonio Conte is a winner and Daniel Levy has done well this summer but I just don’t think the quality compares, but they could get second if a less stacked than usual City squad has a rare down year. Ten Hag will improve a broken side, but I would peg the steady improvement Arsenal has experienced under Mikel Arteta to finally result in a return to the Champions League.

Chelsea, on the other hand, look a shitshow this summer. The number of transfers in and out of the club that are still in the works seem evidence of muddled squad planning and a club struggling with a tumultuous transition. Rounding it out, David Moyes and Eddie Howe are good at their jobs.

Relegation
Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Everton

The prospect of Everton going down last season before their miraculous escape was, in a pitying sort of way, a little sad, and the club is still a mess administratively. They no longer have their talisman in Richarlison, and Frank Lampard riding the vibes and nothing else is probably not going to be enough to keep them up. Elsewhere, Leeds without Raphinha are likely to be in trouble, and as one of the newly-promoted sides is statistically likely to go down I’m going to roll the dice on Forest.

FA Cup
Liverpool

This is mostly because I want Liverpool to push for a treble this year and this one still has a smidge of glamor left.

League Cup
Tottenham

They deserve to win something eventually.

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

Controversial, I know. I almost went full hype man and picked Darwin Nunez but I think he’ll likely be integrated slowly this year. Besides, Salah is the best player in the world getting an entire month of rest in the middle of the season, meaning he’ll be set up to tear the league to shreds in the back half.

Champions League
Liverpool

Because, that’s my justification. But if it isn’t us, then Bayern Munich look like they’ve strengthened impressively despite losing Robert Lewnadowski and will have another year to have settled into Julian Naglesmann’s tactical regime.

Europa League
Arsenal

No clue, really. Feels like a bit of a pot shot every year. Big Arteta fan though and think he should expect his young Gunners to take that next step this year.

Audun

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United, West Ham, Crystal Palace

Relegation
Bournemouth, Leeds, Southampton

FA Cup
Chelsea

League Cup
Arsenal

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

Champions League
Liverpool

Europa League
Juventus

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Will

Top Eight
Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa

I think the battle between Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, and United for the last two CL spots will be entertaining and I could see all of them finishing anywhere between 3rd and 6th. Do I honestly expect Villa to get eighth? Not really. Did I make this pick mostly out of hope Stevie will make a big step as a manager? Absolutely.

Relegation
Leeds, Fulham, Everton

Fulham just seem destined to never remain in the Prem, and Leeds were terrible in the second half of last season. I have no idea if Everton will actually get relegated, but they deserve it. It’s just a shame Richarlison isn’t still there, because seeing him get relegated would be very satisfying.

FA Cup
Manchester City

And their fans will find some way to convince themselves the FA Cup is actually the trophy that matters most.

League Cup
Arsenal

They’ll finally get their trophy after all their whining about our Covid issues last year.

Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah

He’s going to score all the goals. All of them.

Champions League
Liverpool

Salah will not be denied again.

Europa League
Manchester City

Seeing them lose the injury lottery in the first half of the season and crash out of their Champions League group would be very funny.

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The Liverpool Offside 2022-23 Season Preview

Monday — Part 1: Transfers & Squad Depth
Tuesday — Part 2: Season Priorities & Success
Wednesday — Part 3: Player Predictions
Thursday — Part 4: Season Predictions

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com