Analysis

When most people think of the great Premier League strikers, names like Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney spring to mind. But, Sergio Aguero is better than all of them. Yes, the speedy little Argentine is the GOAT of Premier League goal scorers.

OK, so he might not be at the top of the goal scoring list. In fact, he's only just broken into the Premier League all-time top ten. His hat-trick against Huddersfield nudged him past Dutchman Robin van Persie, with Aguero now sitting on 146 goals in the EPL. 

How long is extra time in soccer? It's a question often asked by the sly neighborhood kid after realizing his or her team is losing. It’s the same kid who owns the ball and threatens to take the ball back inside and end all the fun. Luckily for you, we went the extra mile to explain this seemingly intuitive question, and for anyone who doesn’t know this already: you're not a noob, not at all.

To Salah or not to Salah? Can Alexis get back to being the cash cow that he was at Arsenal? Is Harry Kane in for a down year? Fantasy Premier League is back! And the questions are soaring. Throughout the season, we'll be posting our takes for the 38-week FPL season. 

The Premier League is the promised land for any team dwelling in the Championship. The riches that come with the bumper TV deals is what drives so many owners to do everything they can to get their clubs promoted and to then stay there.

The three promoted clubs — Cardiff City, Fulham and Wolves — have all been spending, and then some. Combined, the three teams have spent over $212 million. That is around 1/5 of the entire Premier League spending this transfer window. 

Last season saw Mohamed Salah crack the 30-goal mark and steer Liverpool to a fourth place finish, as well as the Champions League final. He had already had a taste of Premier League action before as he was on the books at Chelsea but rarely got a proper look in at the club. He landed at Fiorentina and then Roma before making his return to the EPL last season. Boy did he return in some style.

And he’s going to do it all over again.

Manchester United face Leicester City Friday, Aug. 10, at Old Trafford as the English Premier League commences with a Red Devils-Foxes showdown. The matchup will mark the 89th EPL meeting between the two and the 45th contest in United’s territory.

Manchester United finished second in the EPL table with 81 points last season. Leicester, on the other hand, finished ninth with 47. With the table flushed clean, both the Red Devils and Foxes have a shot at vengeance — their last EPL match in Dec. 2017 ended in a 2-2 draw.

The 2018-19 Premier League season promises to be one for the ages. Liverpool looks set to really give Manchester City a run for its money, while the mid-table battle is going to be too close to call.

For some players, this season is their time to shine. Whether it be composure at the back, working hard in the midfield or plundering in the goals, there are going to be players that take the division by storm. Here are our top five picks for the biggest breakout stars of the 2018-19 Premier League season.

Croatia shocked most of the soccer world with its run to the World Cup final, although we here at The18 saw it coming. In order to prove that was no fluke, I'm doubling down on my bold World Cup predictions, this time four years in advance of the tournament instead of one. If you're wondering who the Croatia of the 2022 World Cup will be, you don't need to look any further than their neighbor (and historical rival) to the east.