beIN SPORTS

By Graham Ruthven (@grahamruthven)

After so much bluster and hype, the 2016/17 Premier League season finally kicks off on Saturday. Never before has a league campaign been so intensely anticipated, with England’s top-flight packed full of narrative and plot-lines. It should be a compelling year!

No matter where you look, there is intrigue throughout the division. From the foot of the table to the top, there are compelling stories. But who will finish the season as champions? And who will struggle to survive? Here are five things to look out for.

Manchester United dare to Zlatan

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was destined to make the move to the Premier League at some point of his career. Indeed, he has this summer made the switch to Manchester United, where he will be reunited with former manager Jose Mourinho. The duo form the axis of the Old Trafford club’s new identity. And that identity is a winning one.

The Swede might be entering the twilight of his career, but he remains one of the most potent strikers in the European game. Ibrahimovic is expected to lead United’s renewed charge at the top of the Premier League table. He has put his reputation on the line, when he could have picked up one final pay-check in China or the Gulf, but will that move pay off for him?

Will Pep Guardiola’s philosophy take root at Manchester City?

An unprecedented success in Spain and Germany, Pep Guardiola will now test himself in the Premier League as the new manager of Manchester City. But will his famed ideology take root at the Etihad Stadium? City boast an expensively-assembled squad, but this isn’t Guardiola’s squad. Major reconstruction will be needed as he tailors the team to his specifications.

There are those at Bayern Munich who believe he didn’t progress the Bavarian club as he should have, and so Guardiola has a task in his hands to prove that he can succeed in his trademark style in England. He doesn’t just want to win, he wants to win with style, and City are counting on that.

Will North London’s static duo be squeezed out?

Competition at the top of the Premier League table has never been stiffer, with as many as seven clubs targeting a top four place this season. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United have all made big-name, big-money moves in the transfer market this summer, while Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have so far been relatively quiet. Will that cost them?

Arsene Wenger’s side have finished in the top four for 19 successive seasons, but that record could be under threat this term. What’s more, this could be the Frenchman’s last campaign in charge of the North London club. This could be a landmark year, but not in a particularly good way, for both Arsenal and Spurs.

Can Antonio Conte translate Italian supremacy into Premier League success?

Following a common theme in the Premier League this season, Antonio Conte also has something to prove as he takes charge of Chelsea. The Italian is a seasoned winner in his homeland, winning countless titles with Juventus and also leading the country’s national team at this summer’s European Championships, but he has never tested himself abroad. Now he has the chance to do so.

In many ways, Conte is seen as a manager in the Mourinho mould. He forms an emotional bond with his players to draw the absolute best out of them, organising them well at the back to give them the best possible opportunity to spring forward on the counter attack. He might not be the Special One, but Conte is special in his own right.

Could Hull City be the most futile Premier League team in history?

Derby County hold the Premier League’s unwanted record for the fewest points garnered over the course of a season, with the Rams picking up just 11 points in the 2007/08 season. A ball might not have been kicked yet, but Hull City are already making a case to threaten that record. They could be the most futile team in Premier League history.

With the new season kicking off on Saturday, the Tigers are still without a manager following the resignation of Steve Bruce. They have yet to sign a single player in the transfer market this summer and sold their best player, Mohamed Diame, to Newcastle United. At this point, relegation looks a near certainty.