Premier League preview: More of the same at the top as PSR bites

Here we go again. Just 33 days after Spain ensured that it wasn't coming home again at Euro 2024, the 24/25 Premier League campaign gets underway.

Manchester United, fresh from their Community Shield defeat on penalties to Manchester City, are this season’s curtain raisers as they welcome Fulham to Old Trafford for the first game of the new season.

United, who spent all last season seeming as if they’re just one big defeat away from a crisis, start this campaign in almost the exact same situation.

Erik ten Hag’s FA Cup win and a lack of alternative options or decisive action from United’s self-proclaimed saviours INEOS bought him another season before Jim Ratcliffe decided to extend the manager’s contract out to 2026 for reasons only known to him.

A new sporting director in the shape of Dan Ashworth and a couple of new coaches for Ten Hag to work with - Rene Hake and Ruud van Nistelrooy – appear to be a step in the right direction but United’s summer signings don’t look likely to change things overnight – particularly with Leny Yoro out injured for the first three months.

Yoro’s injury is a case of unfortunate timing but even following arrival of Matthijs de Ligt, United look set to start the season with Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire at centre back and Casemiro in front of them. Not ideal.

United’s ceiling this season looks like being a battle for fourth place again, while at the top, defending champions Manchester City and Arsenal are set to battle it out again.

With speculation continuing to surround Pep Guardiola’s future, and his contract expiring at the end of the season, there’s an uncertainty about City that hasn’t been there before.

Guardiola could very well surprise everyone and sign a new deal but with his long-term