Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Tottenham, Leicester manager Steve Cooper suggested that the club were hoping to make some attacking additions before the end of the window.
The Premier League is here. On Friday night, nine months of invigorating, heart-stopping drama begins and Leicester City will be in the thick of it once more.
Preparation has not been ideal for City, with a change in manager and continued financial constraints. But where does that leave them going into the campaign?
Here, our writers Jordan Blackwell, Josh Holland, and Amie Wilson give their predictions on the new season, where City will finish, their key players, and the challenges they face. You can let us know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Where will Leicester City finish and why?
JB: It would not be unreasonable to argue that City can finish anywhere between 12th and 20th. There look to be nine teams who could feasibly be in the relegation battle – the promoted trio plus the six sides who finished directly above the drop zone last season – and one or two results often make a big difference in the bottom half of the table.
However, I fear the worst, and that City will finish bottom. Simply, there’s more that could go wrong at the King Power Stadium than at the other clubs.
Mostly, that relates to the club’s potential sanction over their alleged breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules. I don’t think the club’s argument stands up that well and I can’t see them avoiding punishment. I doubt they’ll receive the good behaviour leniency that Nottingham Forest did, so I’d expect at least a deduction of six points.
Plus, they’re coming into the season with limited spending on their squad, especially given they have sold their best player in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. A few days before the season begins, it cannot be definitively said that the squad is better than it was at the end of last term.
The departure of Enzo Maresca, the arrival of Steve Cooper and the adjustment to new tactics naturally means City have taken a slight backwards step, even if lots of the ideas from last season persist. And while the new manager has shown at Forest he can get a fanbase on side and help create an atmosphere that wins points, it feels like he has a lot to do to reach that point at City. At Ipswich and Southampton, where the managers are loved, it feels like there will be more patience with bad results.
Lastly, the pre-season displays don’t bode well. Hopefully the Lens performance has given everybody a wake-up call, because if City play like that for the next nine months, they won’t finish outside the bottom three.
JH: The time has come and City are back in the Premier League. After the highs of last season in the Championship, things are about to get interesting in LE2.
Have a quick scan of season predictions from pundits or magazine previews and Leicester are nailed on to be relegated. Amid the uncertainty over the quality of the squad and looming fear of a points deduction, City are favourites to go down.
However, in what feels like a very unpopular opinion, I feel Leicester will have enough. The club’s ongoing legal battle with the Premier League means a points deduction blow may not come until 2025, meaning Cooper’s men will compete with their relegation rivals on a level-playing field.
The club thrives on being the underdog. Think to 2015 under Nigel Pearson, 2016 under Claudio Ranieri, 2017 under Craig Shakespeare and 2021 under Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester definitely need more players but there are two weeks before the window closes. A new forward and creative player would significantly improve their chances.
If they can make the King Power Stadium a fortress, collect points against teams around them and improve the connection with the supporters, City should be okay.
AW: I’m an eternal optimist when it comes to Leicester, but even I know that this season will be a challenge, even without the looming possibility of a points deduction. I do still think that City could have enough though, and Cooper has got experience of leading a club to safety when in a relegation battle.
I would take 17th right now and that’s going to be my prediction for where the team will finish. There’s no doubt that the squad does need additions, especially in the striking department and a replacement for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is still needed, although Facundo Buonanotte could potentially take that role.
Hopefully the club will be able to get some deals over the line in the final weeks of the transfer window. Some good business would leave the squad in much better shape.
Who will finish in the top four and who will be relegated?
JB: The desire at Arsenal to finally topple Manchester City and claim the title will see the Gunners crowned champions, I think, although it will be close. I believe Liverpool will do well under Arne Slot, and so I’ll say they will finish third, with Tottenham to pip Aston Villa to fourth on account Unai Emery’s side doing well in the Champions League and it becoming a distraction.
As for relegation, given they have all had at least two years in the Premier League, it would be a considerable underperformance if any of last season’s survivors finish in the bottom three at the expense of a newly-promoted club.
But I think Wolves, Fulham and Nottingham Forest could all struggle this season, and they will all finish below Ipswich and Southampton, who will keep the good feeling going. I’ll say Forest in 19th and Wolves in 18th to join City, with Fulham to narrowly survive.
JH: Unfortunately, we are no longer enjoying the days where Leicester would be in the conversation of finishing in the top-four places and dreaming of Europe. My prediction for these spots is Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Down the table, three teams will drop down to the Championship. Leicester, for me, will escape. Southampton, who I strongly believe will struggle to adapt to the top flight with Russell Martin’s tiki-taka style, are my favourites to go down. I also predict that Ipswich will join them, although their interest in Kalvin Phillips and Armando Broja does place doubt.
The final spot, which I’m predicting will go down to the wire, will be between Forest and Brentford. Whilst Forest have managed to keep hold of key assets Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo, they haven’t improved their squad and they’ve rode their luck in the past two seasons. I also think Nuno Espirito Santo will be the first manager sacked.
In Brentford’s defence, they have proved doubters wrong since they first arrived into the Premier League. However, Ivan Toney is their talisman and if the striker leaves, Thomas Frank’s men will be significantly weaker.
AW: I think Manchester City will make it an unprecedented five title wins in a row and they will be joined by Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham. But it’s the relegation fight we care about more, isn’t it?
I think two of the three newly-promoted clubs will go straight back down, so that’s Ipswich and Southampton. I then think it will be a bit of a battle as to who will join them.
After surviving relegation for the last two years, it could be Nottingham Forest’s time. I also think Everton will be down there again, but Sean Dyche will prove to be the difference.
Who will be City’s key player?
JB: Two seasons ago, Danny Ward looked like he struggled to cope with the pressure of being number one, and his poor showings were a factor in City’s downfall. He is a better goalkeeper than he showed that year.
It was impossible to avoid that Ward was struggling. Perhaps a lack of confidence in the Welshman emanated through the rest of the side and affected performances too.
In that case, how Mads Hermansen performs will be crucial to City’s bid to stay up. Last season, he impressed with his composure with the ball at his feet, but his ability in possession wasn’t at the expense of his shot-stopping capability. He did well with his hands too.
He’s going to face a lot more shots this season, and if he does well, there will be a few games where he is the difference between a point or three. Faith in the Dane should mean City have a less-panicked defence too.
JH: I have a feeling that Stephy Mavididi will be vital for Leicester this season. After leaving Arsenal to climb his way back to the Premier League, the 26-year-old is one of Cooper’s most dangerous players.
Last season, he was frustrating to watch at times but he was constantly faced with two defenders. This season, where you’d expect Leicester to have less of the ball, there will be more space for the winger to use his pace and skill to cause havoc.
If he can hit the ground running and be City’s Riyad Mahrez from the 2015 great escape then City will fancy their chances at picking up valuable points. I’ll give special mentions as well to Abdul Fatawu, Harry Winks and Conor Coady, who I think will be important too.
AW: I’m going to go for Mads Hermansen. Last year he showed that he is not only good with his feet, but he’s a brilliant shot-stopper too.
City are going to find themselves under pressure at times throughout the season, but if Hermansen can play as well as he did in the Championship in the Premier League, he could be a massive difference-maker in both individual games and throughout the season.
I’m also a massive fan of Ricardo Pereira, but there is uncertainty over which role he will play under Cooper this season. He has the Premier League quality that will be needed throughout the season.
Who is City’s best signing?
JB: Adam Hlozek would be a great bit of business if it gets done. But that’s a maybe for now.
So I’ll say Abdul Fatawu. Given the level he reached, especially towards the end of last season, given the thrills he can provide, given his understanding of the need for teamwork, and given he is only 20 and so has scope to get a fair bit better, a permanent deal of around £14m is actually pretty cheap.
He can still be over-enthusiastic in the tackle and he does have games where he’s anonymous. But when he’s on it, even the best full-backs will struggle to stop him.
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