Didi Hamann’s Premier League Top Six Prediction
Here at BoyleSports We caught up with Didi Hamann who gave us his Premier League Top Six prediction.
It has been a fascinating start to this season’s Premier League with Tottenham exceeding expectations, Man United struggling and Liverpool back to their best.
The former Liverpool, Newcastle and Man City player gave us his take on who he expects to make the top six, and perhaps more interestingly who he expects to miss out.
Hamann also chatted to us about Newcastle’s recent defeat to Dortmund, Champions League prospects for English teams, this year’s Ballon d’Or and who he expects to contest for the award in the coming years (including one young English star).
Premier League Top Six Prediction
I’d go for City, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Newcastle to finish in the top six.
I just don’t like the look of Manchester United. I don’t like their defence, their midfield, or their forwards. I think it’ll be a tough season.
I see them finishing somewhere around seventh or eighth. I think the other teams I mentioned are all better than United.
They shouldn’t have won the games they have. Sneaking victories can be a quality, but that doesn’t last forever.
According to the latest football betting odds at BoyleSports, Man United Manager Erik ten Hag is 8/1 to be the next Premier League Manager to leave his post.
Dortmund Defeat Disappointing
‘Newcastle Never Got Going’
I wasn’t at St James’ Park for the Dortmund game, but seeing Newcastle play in the Champions League is certainly on my list. I can imagine the atmosphere.
I was a bit disappointed, I have to say, as people said to me they couldn’t see Dortmund winning as it’s a tough place to go.
Newcastle never got going, and Dortmund played ever so well. They controlled the game and restricted Newcastle’s chances, even if they hit the bar a few times.
I was a bit disappointed. I expected more, and now they’re on the back-foot. They’ll be in trouble if they lose the return leg.
Lacklustre Team Performance
I’d say it was a collective thing. Newcastle normally comes out of the blocks really well, but they never got going and it was a collective issue.
I never had a feeling that they’d threaten enough to score until the last five or ten minutes when Dortmund were tired. I thought it was a bit lacklustre.
Perhaps Newcastle thought they had too much to lose. It was a strange performance.
Chances of English Champions League Teams
Manchester City remain the benchmark in the Champions League. We’ll see if United get out of the group, but I can’t see them getting past the quarters.
I can’t see Arsenal getting past the semis, and if Newcastle get out of the group, they could be a dark horse.
City can win it, of course, but I don’t think that about United or Arsenal.
I think Newcastle are a team who, if they reach the quarters, nobody will want to play if they’ve got a fit squad.
Man City are 2/1 favourites to win the 2023/24 Champions League and you can add them to your football bets at BoyleSports.
Newcastle Don’t Need Extra Motivation
I don’t think Newcastle need any more motivation! They haven’t been in the Champions League for so long.
It’s great to see them there, and the atmosphere against PSG was something else. They’re so emotional and fanatical, and the fans crave success. It’s great to see them back.
Mbappe And Haaland To Dominate Ballon d’Or In Coming Years
I kept an eye on the Ballon d’Or coverage, but it’s an individual award that doesn’t carry a lot with me.
I didn’t watch the main ceremony because I don’t really care who wins it. It was between Ronaldo and Messi for so long, but there was a strong case for Haaland to win it. He didn’t win it, but he probably should have.
Moving forward, I think the next two will be Mbappe and Haaland. You’ve won it if you finish ahead of those two.
Why A German player hasn’t won the award since 1996
A German player hasn’t won the Ballon d’Or for so long because other countries had better players!
Ilkay Gundogan was the highest-ranking German player this year, and that’s where we are!
We got knocked out of the last two World Cups in the group-stages and reached the last-16 of the Euros – what did you expect?
Bellingham Has Potential To Win Ballon d’Or
Jude Bellingham can go anywhere. He’s scored so many goals this season and he’s scoring winners every week.
I mentioned Haaland and Mbappe before, and if Jude carries on like this, he’ll be a player who can win the Ballon d’Or one day.
I didn’t think he’d adapt to life in Spain this quickly.
The latest football odds at BoyleSports have Jude Bellingham as a 7/2 co-favourite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Expectations At Real Madrid
Expectations are huge when you come to a club like Real Madrid and the price tag can be a burden.
Jude is only 20, and it feels like he carries this huge football club where so many great players have been in the past. I’m surprised to see him have this impact so quickly.
We all knew he was exceptional, but Real Madrid is different from Dortmund. He’s done so well.
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