Michael Owen predicts final Premier League table for 2023-24 season as he backs Chelsea to miss out on top four
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes Chelsea will finish outside the top four in the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
The Blues had a torrid 2022-23 season as they finished 12th in the league table. They sacked two permanent coaches - Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. The west London side have now appointed Mauricio Pochettino as the permanent manager.
On his Twitter account, Owen shared his prediction for the English top-flight table next season. He has backed Manchester City to retain their title, making it four in a row and six in seven years.
The 2001 Ballon d'Or winner has predicted Arsenal to finish second again. He has backed Liverpool to jump to third after their fifth-place finish and Manchester United to complete the top four.
Owen believes Chelsea will finish fifth followed by Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford.
In the second half of the table, the former England striker believes West Ham United will finish 11th followed by Everton. Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Bournemouth will make the remaining places above the relegation zone.
Owen has predicted Wolverhampton Wanderers and two newly-promoted sides Sheffield United and Luton Town will get relegated.
Premier League 2023/24
Manchester City
Arsenal
Liverpool
Manchester United
Chelsea
Aston Villa
Newcastle United
Brighton
Tottenham Hotspur
Brentford
West Ham United
Everton
Nottingham Forest
Fulham
Crystal Palace
Burnley
Bournemouth
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sheffield… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
The 2023-24 Premier League season will begin on Friday, August 11, with champions Manchester City traveling to face newly-promoted Burnley.
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez makes Premier League title challenge claim
Chelsea had a tough 2022-23 campaign despite spending over £600 million on 17 players over two transfer windows. They signed midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British record transfer fee of over £105 million.
The Argentine recently opened up about bouncing back from the disappointment from last season, telling Bleacher Report:
"Now we have a new head coach, you have to say the expectations of us have changed. Obviously when I arrived, everything was difficult, there were lots of changes going on and everything happened so fast for me. But now the expectations have changed."
Fernandez also stated that Chelsea's ambitions are now set on winning the Premier League title next season:
"We want to be an aggressive team, a team that attacks and defends well, that goes into every game to win it whoever we're playing against and look to dominate every game we're in."
He added:
"And obviously we want to try to win the Premier League, that's our goal this year. As well as that, I think the cups in England start in January, but the main aim this year is to win the Premier League."
Chelsea haven't won the league title since 2017. They will begin their 2023-24 campaign against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on August 13.