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The 2008/2009 season for the English Premiership could be one of the most exciting ever if last year is anything to go on.
When such a long season goes down to the final day it can always be classed as a classic year and although United played the best football and deserved to win, Chelsea and Arsenal played their part. And it is important to look at last year's events to see if it can give us any clues to the forthcoming season.
Old Trafford is still waiting on the Ronaldo situation but he is set to miss a big chunk of games anyway through injury so his goals will be missed.
Other targets are still in the pipeline and it will be essential they find an alternative goal scorer as Tevez and Rooney while fantastic are not prolific in front of goal.
Chelsea meanwhile can look back at last year as what might have been as they could have been starting this season, and deserved to, as European Champions.
At one point when Morinho had left it looked as if the season would fall apart but Avram Grant kept them going and chased United all the way in difficult circumstances.
This year they will be starting with Scolari, a World Cup winner with Brazil, as the man in charge and with some new additions particularly of note Deco and Botswinga. Their midfield looks exceptional but an additional striker is still required and if Robinho finally makes the move then they will look stronger still. A choice in midfield of Ballack, Lampard, Deco, Cole, Essien and Wright Phillips is a fantastic array and if Big Phil can get the right combinations to the right matches they may well be difficult to stop.
This strength in depth is something that Arsene Wenger can only dream of and is the main reason his team fell short last year. It is widely acknowledged the Gunners played the best and most attractive football last year but they were found out with some injuries most notably to Rosicky and key players like Adebayor and Fabregas tired.
The close season has seen Hleb already leave and Adebayor constantly linked with Milan without any real indication new talent will arrive. Wenger, in a recent radio interview, outlined his plans which included his expectations that Adebayor would be playing in London next year now he has publicly agreed to extend his current three year contract. However, unless new players arrive over the next two weeks it is difficult to see how next year's season will differ from the last.
This leaves Liverpool and their annual hope of challenging for the title which has eluded them for so long. Apart from the signing of Keane, which may prove significant along with his partnership with Torres, nothing much has changed yet so there is no reason to believe they will prove more of threat than before and this may be a problem for manager Benitez. This will be a defining one for him and unless he keeps his side in the race until at least April many will begin to wonder whether the real problem lies with the Spaniard rather than the players.
The rest of the league will of course either be chasing minor honours or avoiding relegation, this is what they themselves expect now which is somewhat dispiriting. Spurs have been busy in the market after losing Keane but it is difficult to see them chasing a top four place, which is similar to Everton and Portsmouth. Maybe Newcastle could surprise at the start of the season particularly if they get a good result at Old Trafford on the opening day but it is doubtful this could be sustained.
If Martin O'Neil can keep Barry then it is the midlanders who may well make most impact. They made enough progress last year to suggest they have the potential but as with everything at the moment it will be the late signings that will decide who actually achieves and who fades away.
So where will the league title go? Well, I expect the season to follow a similar pattern to last year with Arsenal challenging but falling short leaving United and Chelsea to battle it out but this time the quality that now exists at Stamford Bridge, including their management, will be the little bit extra that tips it in their favour.
However, the teams are so close now it will eventually depend on which of the best players in each team play the best and that is exactly how it should be.
