Who will make the top four of the Premier League out of the big eight? - Part 3
Part three of the series looks at one of the Biggest clubs in the world, Manchester United and their charismatic manager Jose Mourinho as well as high flyers last season, West Ham United.
Manchester United
2016 League position – 5th
It's been a difficult few years for the Red Devils since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. The managerial failings of David Moyes, Ryan Giggs and Louis Van Gaal have meant 3 seasons of failure for the fans of one of the most famous clubs in the world.
With the introduction of 'The special one' however, the Man United faithful have at long last something to look forward to. Jose Mourinho promises that supporters will love his plans to get the Old Trafford club back to the top.
His transfer acquisitions so far are starting to fulfill the promise of attacking football. Mkhitaryan, an attacking midfielder from Dortmund as well as 'Mr. Ego' Zlatan Ibrahimovic demonstrate the pulling power of the Portuguese.
He has also just managed to pull off one of the most protracted transfer deals in the history of the Premier league to land French midfield superstar, Paul Pogba for a World record £89 million.
This leaves Mourinho with an embarrassment of riches in attack and midfield. One of his most crucial decisions will be where to play the enigma that is Wayne Rooney. Often played out of his preferred position, the United striker and club captain will be wondering where the new manager will be able to fit him into his first 11.
The only question mark left for the United manager is how quickly he can stamp his authority on the club and blend the newcomers with the existing squad. His man management has been of the highest quality throughout his career with the exception of his last turbulent season with Chelsea.
If things start to go wrong, will we see the confident Mourinho of old or the arrogant, headstrong manager we saw during his last tenure?
With just one loss in pre-season and Zlatan Ibrahimovic already looking at home, (scoring within 10 minutes of coming on for his debut) , United will be strong favourites for silverware this season.
Top 4 verdict? - Yes. Runners up.
West Ham
2016 League position – 7th
It's exciting times for the Hammers, their highest league finish in 15 years means that the club and their manager Slaven Bilic are looking at this coming season with much optimism.
With their move to the Olympic stadium bringing larger gate receipts and therefore the ability to attract better players, it should mean that another successful Premier league campaign is possible. Should Bilic still be able to call on the likes of Dimitri Payet while adding to the squad with quality such as Manuel Lanzini and Andre Ayew then it's possible they could be challenging for the places come May 2017.
With a first team squad of just 26, however, there is a question mark over whether the Hammers will be able to compete on multiple fronts. Will they be able to sustain the high level of performances that they have now set themselves and that their fans no doubt expect?
They had a slow start during their pre-season. With no wins in their first 4 games, they then managed a victory against Karlsruher, before the Europa League campaign began. They managed to win their qualifying match over 2 legs before a 3-2 reverse against Juventus.
The Europa league is sometimes seen as a distraction, but with the Olympic stadium now the Hammers' home, the West ham supporters will be relishing the opportunity to watch their beloved club up against top European teams. Will Bilic be able to juggle the fans hunger for performances in Europe against the competitiveness of the Premier league?
Top 4 verdict? - No, they'll struggle this season