Premiership Picks: Runners up

Runners up: Man Utd

Man Utd have won a hat trick of titles now and will be aiming for a 4th title in a row. No team has done that and they will have the added incentive of setting a new record of 19 domestic titles now that they have equaled Liverpool’s record of 18 titles.

Man Utd will have a great season and will again be hard to beat. They really have a great defense. That was what won them the title last season. Rio and Vidic really are a formidable top partnership and with Anderson and Carrick operating as covers.

The team has a real solid look to it, with Rooney now being deployed in his favorite role up front. I do think Rooney will be crucial to Man Utd. He really needs to up the ante and score more goals now that the team has lost both CR7 and Carlos Tevez. A palyer with great talent and enthusiasm for the game, he is often played out of position by Sir Alex and his scoring record has not be close to what you expect from a top stirker.



Owen could provide good ammunition up front as well. This season, we could see Dimitar Berbatov having a great season and answering his critics. He has all the talent and technical abilities to be a great, however he have often lacked the fighting spirit that a player in a top side requires.

Antonio Valencia will prove to be a good signing on the right side of midfield, although you cannot expect him to provide the goals like CR7 does.

Losing CR7 and Carlos Tevez could prove to be hard to replace. CR7 has so often been the much need spark the team needed when the going gets tough. He almost single handedly won them the title and the Champions League trophy with an amazing 42 goals in 07/08. Last season he chipped in with 25 goals although he was out for the initial parts of the season.

Tevez have often provided crucial goals for the team. His goals at Stoke, Wigan and against Porto were all crucial and great examples of what he can provide.

This season, if the going gets tough, especially in away games, we could see Utd struggling for that bit of spark and touch of magic. I think their midfield does not chip in with enough goals and now added pressure will be on Rooney to provide the goals. Making up for 67 goals in 2 season by CR7 is going to be an almost impossible tall order.



They have not been that great going forward last season, their title triumph was based on a great defense. Eleven 1-0 wins in the League last season is proves evidence of this. Which is why I think they could just fall short this season and finish as runners up.

However, I would not be too surprise if they win it again. Such is the greatness of Man Utd under the great Sir Alex Ferguson.