Who will be the 2024-25 Premier League's biggest disappointment? GOAL writers make their predictions

Mark Doyle: Manchester United fans are buzzing again, with INEOS having signed a couple of potential stars in Joshua Zirkzee and Lenny Yoro. In reality, though, United’s squad isn’t much stronger than last season, whey they registered their worst-ever Premier League finish. The FA Cup win over Manchester City earned Erik ten Hag another year at the helm and Sir Jim Ratcliffe & Co. are reportedly aware that a title challenge is too much to expect from the coming campaign. However, even a top-four finish looks unlikely, with so many doubts still surrounding the form, future and fitness of so many key men.

Amee Ruszkai: Disappointment is a harsh word to use, especially because it's somewhat anticipated, but I expect a drop-off from Aston Villa. It would only be natural given the need to balance Champions League football and the inexperience a lot of players in the squad have in the competition. However, there are other factors, too. Douglas Luiz's departure is a huge blow and there are a lot of new signings that Unai Emery needs to bed in, which won't be easy.

Richard Martin: Manchester United usually respond to a bad season by having a good one and returning to the Champions League. But many signs point to them having another frustrating campaign as they have not fixed a lot of the problems that afflicted them last time around. Their injury crisis has already begun with Leny Yoro and Rasmus Hojlund set to miss the first chunk of games while their midfield still feels lethargic, even if Casemiro showed signs of encouragement during the Community Shield. INEOS could very quickly live to regret their leap of faith in keeping Erik ten Hag as coach.

Tom Maston: Todd Boehly's highly-entertaining lesson in how not to run a successful football club has entered its third chapter, and the signs are that all non-Chelsea fans are in for yet another laugh-a-minute riot when it comes to events at Stamford Bridge. While the Bues have again been busy in the transfer market, some of their business has bordered on baffling as they continue to flood certain areas of the pitch with big-money buys while neglecting others. This once again bloated squad has been handed to Enzo Maresca to mould into something approaching serviceable, but his lack of top-flight coaching experience means this is a project that is destined for failure.

Stephen Darwin: After their incredible 2023-24 campaign that saw Unai Emery steer Aston Villa into the Champions League against all the odds, it feels like that particular bubble is about to burst. We saw it with Newcastle last season and it feels a similar bridge too far to expect Villa to muscle their way into the top four again. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them occupying a mid-table spot this time around, and any injury to Ollie Watkins would be fatal.

Matt O'Connor-Simpson: After deciding to toss Mauricio Pochettino in the bin for having the audacity to challenge the club's seemingly-infallible sporting directors, Chelsea will be starting entirely from scratch again this campaign. Their pre-season has been pitiful too, with the Blues clearly struggling to get to grips with Enzo Maresca’s complex tactics. What happens between the white lines is not the Blues’ biggest problem, though. Any manager would struggle to make concerted progress to the backdrop of the Clearlake circus, so it’s difficult to see Maresca getting a tune out of this unbalanced, disharmonious squad - even if it is filled with some clearly talented players.

Krishan Davis: Tottenham are building an exciting young squad, one that is certainly capable of challenging in the future, but it's not one that necessarily feels ready for the present. A lot could change between now and the end of the transfer window, but Spurs' inconsistent form in the second half of last season suggests things could easily go awry unless some significant improvements are made. It's hard to see them making the top four, and they could easily slide towards mid-table.

James Westwood: Chelsea jumped from 12th to sixth on Mauricio Pochettino's watch and seemed to be making real progress by the end of last season, only for Todd Boehly to throw it all out the window in trademark fashion. Enzo Maresca is also a fine coach in his own right, but the Blues will once again pay the price for a lack of continuity and slip back towards mid-table, regardless of how much more money they splash before the transfer window shuts.

Joe Strange: A glorious FA Cup final win papered over the cracks for Manchester United last season, but there will be no hiding place for Erik ten Hag this time around after he just about held onto his job. Whether the Red Devils can be deemed a disappointment after finishing eighth last term is debatable, but after spending big on Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro - with more signings to come - they simply must deliver a top-four finish. The underlying stats suggest they’re miles away from that, though, and another underwhelming season at Old Trafford beckons.