Preparing for a first class strike (Image: Getty/Metro.co.uk)

If featured leaders are outdated (as Fantasy League managers attest), the best teams are working on balance this summer. No contract captures the imagination more than the arrival of Erling Haaland at Manchester City.

The 22-year-old striker’s astonishing goalscoring record with Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and the Norwegian national team may be enough to inspire Pep Guardiola’s love for the False Nine.

But Liverpool’s victory in the Community Shield last weekend saw Haaland replaced on an £85m deal for Darwin Nunes. Gabriel Jesus, who started pre-season at Arsenal, and Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling are looking to show that Guardiola should have trusted him more by introducing his new club.

Harry Kane, who was sidelined by City 12 months ago, seems fully committed to Tottenham and ready to run this time around.

It may not be the best advertisement for a league that claims to be the most competitive in the world, but you can’t miss City and Liverpool, especially with their superstars. The signing of Diaz and Mohamed Salah should give Liverpool a boost.

In addition to Haaland, City have signed Julián Álvarez, Calvin Phillips and Stefan Ortega Moreno. They relied heavily on Kevin De Bruyne last season, but does Guardiola still regret leaving Sterling, Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko?

Hope centered on London

Football: July 16 Arsenal vs Everton

Martin Odegaard leads a team full of young talent (Image: Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

City and Liverpool have finished in the top two in three of the last four seasons.

Antonio Conte seems to have fallen in love with Tottenham, who finished fourth last season. Meanwhile, a big signing at the club means Arsenal are now Mikel Arteta’s side, captained by Martin Odegaard. Yes. Full of youthful energy.

Thomas Tuchel may have raised concerns about whether Chelsea are particularly prepared defensively for the new season, but they still have a good team.

A difficult task for Eric

Surprisingly given that Manchester United finished second last season, new manager Eric ten Hag is the latest person tasked with rebuilding the club in the midst of crisis, with Cristiano Ronaldo starting the season with his future hanging in the balance.

Not much can be read from a 4-0 pre-season win over Liverpool. Key to Ten Hug’s success has been the signing of last season’s underperforming players, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and captain Harry Maguire.

new knowledge of toon

Few clubs have changed their mood in the last 12 months like Newcastle. In Newcastle, fan protests against hated owner Mike Ashley have been replaced by hopes of glory awaiting the Saudi-backed club.

The source of this investment is that the Magpies may be hated elsewhere, but Eddie Howe seems like the ideal coach for lasting success. Goalkeeper Nick Pope, defender Sven Botman and former loanee Matt Target bolstered their backline in January by signing Kieran Trippier and Dan Barnes.

more changing times

Liverpool - Strasbourg - pre-season friendly

Klopp finally settles into a new replacement role (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The innovation of 1992 was not limited to the Premier League. A rule was introduced prohibiting goalkeepers from moving back, and for the first time three substitutes and one goalkeeper were appointed, but only two were available.

For the first time this season, the club will be able to substitute five players from nine teams in one match. This is what Jürgen Klopp has talked about. This only widens the gap between the top and bottom: superstar teams expose underpowered teams.

Even with only three trading windows in a match, expect to see teams trying to make the most of their extra time-wasting opportunity.

almost closed

Joining an elite group of referees is as difficult as the race for the title. Only one man was leading the way this summer. Sheffield referee Tom Bramall took charge of the first Championship match just 18 months ago.

But the 32-year-old rookie is the only new addition to the roster of just 20 referees, following the retirements of Mike Dean, Martin Atkinson, Kevin Friend and John Moss.

Dean remains a VAR official and it is difficult to see him outside of the match, but for greater transparency, the video conversations between the video officials and match officials were recorded and released as audio files after the match.

Pressure

Everton press conference

The former Chelsea legend is under pressure (Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Frank Lampard was appointed Everton manager in January and Jesse Marsh joined Leeds in March, but is popular as the first manager to leave alongside Southampton’s Ralph Heysenhuttle after a dismal first half of 2022.

Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers also had a difficult summer with the departure of captain Kaspar Schmeichel and Yuri Tielemans, Wesley Fofana and James Madison heavily involved in the transfer, with no sign of Fox drawing the check. After that, you should be a candidate.

Despite promotion to Bournemouth, the Scott Parker-led side have so far gone from strength to strength, with only a handful of low-profile players including Middlesbrough’s Marcus Tavernier.

ambition and motivation

Norwich have been criticized for their lack of ambition in their last two visits to the Premier League, but Nottingham Forest are going in the opposite direction and West Ham have signed Jesse Lingard for 12 this summer, also Britain’s Got Dean Henderson goalkeeper. . Loaned from Manchester United on loan.

Steve Cooper is not the only manager who wants his players’ extra motivation to go unrewarded ahead of the Winter World Cup in Qatar.

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