Odds on Arsenal, Utd Again
Premiership
Arsenal and Manchester United will probably battle for the Premier League title while ever-changing Chelsea remain "an unknown,'' according to Middlesbrough defender Gareth Southgate.
The experienced England international centreback, who missed Euro 2004 because of injury, also thinks the chasing pack - his team included - will be more competitive in the new season, which begins on Aug 14.
Arsenal went undefeated in winning the league in 2003-04, finishing 11 points ahead of Chelsea and 15 better than United. The fourth-place team, Liverpool, was 30 points back. Southgate expects it to be closer, although he says it's difficult to look further than Arsenal and Man United as title contenders.
"Certainly in terms of the strengths of their squads and their experience in pushing for championships, United and Arsenal will take some beating,'' Southgate said over the weekend.
Chelsea have spent more money in the off-season, signing strikers Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman, and Portuguese defender Paulo Ferreira. Dutch winger Arjen Robben and Czech keeper Petr Cech are also new faces signed before coach Jose Mourinho took over.
Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Dutch defender Mario Melchiot Danish winger Jesper Gronkjaer and Argentines Hernan Crespo and Juan Veron have left - the last two on loan.
Mourinho, who guided FC Porto to the Champions League title last season, replaced the fired Claudio Ranieri in June.
"It's very much an unknown,'' Southgate said when asked about Chelsea's chances. "The manager who's just taken over, I know we know his background, but his way of working and the effect he'll have in this league remains to be seen.
"The same for the players they've brought in. Again, so many changes that's it's difficult to know until we're a few months into the season how they're going to shape up.''
At one point last season, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Charlton, Birmingham, Fulham and Middlesbrough all challenged for the fourth and final Champions League spot. All six have made at least one major off-season signing, with Boro and Birmingham leading the way.
"I think the league is going to be a lot more competitive this year than it was last year,'' Southgate said. "Maybe not in terms of the teams who can win it, but below that.''
He added that clubs such as Middlesbrough should aim "I feel over the last few years, people have been satisfied to aim for fourth place or satisfied to aim for a top-six finish. Clubs like us have to establish ourselves into those sort of positions. There was almost only three teams last year who were even aiming to win the league.
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