2019/20 Premier League preview - West Ham: Manuel Pellegrini's men set for top-half finish

Richard Jolly runs the rule over West Ham ahead of the new season, including key player, new signing to watch and predicted league finish

Felipe Anderson, left, enjoyed an encouraging debut season for West Ham. Getty Images

Manuel Pellegrini’s debut season began with three straight defeats and ended in three consecutive wins, but if that suggests they are going in the right direction, 10th place, coupled with an embarrassing FA Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon, felt an underwhelming return for a £100 million (Dh455m) outlay.

Ten away defeats and a host of injuries felt familiar failings: releasing Andy Carroll and Samir Nasri means the treatment table should be less crowded and the average age lower while Pellegrini concluded Marko Arnautovic’s wanderlust made him a disruptive influence and sold a match-winner.

West Ham have spent less this summer but the arrivals of Villarreal attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals, who cost £24m, and Sebastien Haller showed ambition.

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Who finishes where in 2019-20?

20. Sheffield United. Chris Wilder, pictured, has achieved a great deal in getting the Blades up, but staying in the top flight could be a task too far. PA Photo

19. Brighton & Hove Albion. Graham Potter, pictured, faces a tough ask after taking over as manager from Chris Hughton. Getty

18. Newcastle United. A tough set of opening home fixtures could be difficult for Steve Bruce, pictured, and his side to recover from. Getty

17. Norwich City. They need to tighten up defensively but the goals of Teemu Pukki, pictured, can keep them up. Getty

16. Aston Villa. Jack Grealish, pictured, will have a key role to play in Villa's survival hopes. Getty

15. Burnley. Sean Dyche's, pictured, team to have a steadier time of things after last season's early struggles. Reuters

14. Bournemouth. Eddie Howe's side to maintain their attacking ethos though they will help Lloyd Kelly, pictured, can help shore things up at the other end. Getty

13. Crystal Palace. Once again will be dependent on the goals of Wilfried Zaha, pictured. Reuters

12. Watford. Concerns over a leaky defence but the quality of Gerard Deulofeu, pictured, should leave them in mid-table. AP Photo

11. Southampton. Stability should come the Saints way under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, pictured. PA Photo

10. Wolverhampton Wanderers. Balancing Europa League with domestic games may prove tough. Will look to more fine form from captain Conor Coady, pictured. Getty

9. West Ham United. Should be another solid season with the hope Felipe Anderson, pictured, can kick on. Getty

8. Everton. Bringing in Moise Kean, pictured, is a coup and should help Marco Silva's side continue to progress. Getty

7. Leicester City. Signing Youri Tielemans, pictured, permanently will boost Leicester's hopes of a real push at the top six. Reuters

6. Arsenal. Unai Emery will hope the record signing of Nicolas Pepe and the goals of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, pictured, can push them closer to the top four. EPA

5. Chelsea. New manager Frank Lampard needs big things from Christian Pulisic, pictured, if they are to excel. Reuters

4. Manchester United. Signings such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, pictured, will tighten things up and should get United back in top four. Getty

3. Tottenham Hotspur. Third place again for Spurs, though more is needed from Dele Alli, pictured. Getty

2. Liverpool. Mohamed Salah, pictured, will be pivotal again but Jurgen Klopp's men to finish behind City again. AFP

1. Manchester City. Hard to see beyond another title success for Pep Guardiola's, pictured, side. Getty

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Key player: Felipe Anderson

There was a spell in autumn when the Brazilian scored eight times in nine games. He only mustered one league goal in 2019. That inconsistency may make him a typical West Ham player. That ability renders him a match-winner at his best. Yet the Hammers could do with more of that form.

Signing to watch: Sebastien Haller

Partly because a £45m fee brings expectation and a haul of 19 goals last season for Eintracht Frankfurt bodes well. But also because a club-record buy is charged with replacing the departed Arnautovic. He was not West Ham’s first choice: Maxi Gomez rejected them for Valencia.

Talking point: Can West Ham keep their key players fit?

They may have the most talented group outside the top six but last season, while Lukasz Fabianski, Issa Diop and Declan Rice were excellent constants, Jack Wilshere was limited to four league starts, Andriy Yarmolenko five and Manuel Lanzini eight.

If everyone is available, Pellegrini has enviable options in the attacking midfield roles, also including Anderson, Michail Antonio and his pet project Robert Snodgrass. But last season, he fielded too many patched-up sides amid injury crises and, if some of the fault lies with the club for signing injury-prone players, there were times when they felt luckless.

Prediction: 9th