Page 20 - Soccer360 - Issue 103

Luton will have to defy the odds if they are to avoid relegation
How many goals will Erling Haaland score in 2023-24?
Luton Town
The fall and rise of Luton Town in the past 30 years or so is nothing short of extraordinary. A top-flight club in 1992; as recently as 2014 they were playing non-league football, but four promotions later and the Hatters are in the Premier League after winning last season’s Championship play-off final. Just about everyone expects them to go straight back down, but they’ll fight for absolutely everything and give nothing easy away, with home form crucial at their quaint stadium at Kenilworth Road.
Ross Barkley is their big-name summer recruit, while former Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong and Republic of Ireland international Chiedozie Ogbene have been signed to add quality to their wide areas, where providing good service to powerful strikers Elijah Adebayo and Carlton Morris will be key.
Manchester City
Immortal. That is what this Manchester City has become after lifting the treble in 2022-23. The question now is, who can beat them? Although it’s far from a foregone conclusion with the quality and determination of the sides they’re competing against, it would take someone very brave to predict anything other than a record fourth consecutive Premier League title for Pep Guardiola’s team. Even with the departure of two stars in Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez over the summer, City are still formidable and now look even more impregnable at the back with the arrival of outstanding Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol for £78m from RB Leipzig, who has joined alongside international teammate Mateo Kovacic. As for the other end of the field, you can only wonder exactly how many goals the irrepressible Erling Haaland will score this time.
NICKNAME:
The Hatters
MANAGER:
Rob Edwards
LAST YEAR FINISH:
EFL Championship, 3rd
Manchester United
Impressive progress was made during Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge at Old Trafford, and there’s significant optimism that further strides can be achieved in 2023-24 with the help of some high-profile signings. The most notable change
is in goal where the all-action Andre Onana has taken over the gloves from David de Gea, though the acquisitions of Chelsea star Mason Mount and £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund make Man Utd look much more powerful in attack. If the highly rated Hojlund can live up to his price tag and Marcus Rashford reproduces the same level he showed last term, the Red Devils will be coming along nicely, and may even narrow the gap to their city rivals.
NICKNAME:
The Citizens (Cityzens) The Blues
The Sky Blues
MANAGER:
Pep Guardiola
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Premier League, Champions
DID YOU KNOW?
Manchester City won the most Premier League points in a single season. In the 2017/18 season they won the league with 100 points!
NICKNAME:
The Red Devils United
MANAGER:
Erik ten Hag
LAST YEAR FINISH:
Premier League, 3rd
Manchester United spent £72m to bring Rasmus Hojlund to Old Trafford
DID YOU KNOW?
Manchester United’s Old Trafford had the highest capacity out of any Premier League stadium in the 2023/24 season, being able to accommodate up to 74,031 supporters. The smallest stadium belonged to newly promoted Luton Town, with a capacity of 10,265.
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2023-24 EPL SEASON PREVIEW