The new Premier League season kicks off on Friday, August 15, when champions Liverpool entertain Bournemouth.Arne Slot’s Reds will be favourites to lift the trophy once more, but can Arsenal improve on three consecutive second-placed finishes? Manchester City are expected to bounce back from an uncharacteristically quiet season under Pep Guardiola, while Chelsea are the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) champions.Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the likely candidates.LiverpoolSlot’s side stormed to a record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season. The Reds finished 10 points clear of Arsenal – and that after taking their foot off the gas in a winless four-game run to finish.Florian Wirtz is the big name summer arrival from Bayer Leverkusen and comes with a hefty price tag of $156m. The German midfielder follows French forward Hugo Ekitike and Dutch wide man Jeremie Frimpong through the Anfield gates.The latter will be utilised both in covering for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has joined Real Madrid, and Mohamed Salah, who will depart midseason to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.Securing the ongoing services of both Salah and Virgil van Dijk, however, was undoubtedly the biggest piece of business the Reds needed.Egyptian forward Salah was heavily linked with the Saudi Pro League and, having topped the goalscoring charts against last season with 29 goals, would have been a huge loss. Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates with the trophy after winning the Premier League as the now-departed Trent Alexander-Arnold, centre, watches on [Phil Noble/Reuters]Dutch defender and Liverpool captain van Dijk has been the rock upon which …
