Team-by-team guide

ARSENAL (4th): Arsene Wenger's side ended a nine-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup in May. Wenger hopes his squad, bolstered by the summer addition of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona and with record-signing Mesut Ozil settled, can now last the distance in the Premier League title race.

Key player: Alexis Sanchez.

ASTON VILLA (15th): Manager Paul Lambert was hamstrung by a lack of investment from an owner, Randy Lerner, who is trying to sell up, and troubled by backroom issues last season. But Lambert has the nucleus of a promising side.