The Premier League season might only be two weeks old, but already things are starting to take shape with Manchester City seemingly on the charge for a third title, while Sunderland look all at sea after two humbling defeats.
Racing Post digital football editor Mark Langdon puts his neck on the line each summer by making his predictions for the Premier League and beyond.
We caught up with him to see how his tips are faring and whether anyone has caught his eye that he might take a punt on.
City looking like a good choice
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At the Racing Post's Big Kick-Off event before the season in London, Langdon sang the praises of Manchester City and Manuel Pellegrini's men have started the season in style with a pair of 3-0 wins over West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea, the champions and initial favourites for the title.
"It's been a really impressive start hasn't it and they haven't even been easy games. West Brom away to a Tony Pulis team is a difficult opener and then hosting the champions at the Etihad.
"They looked so sharp against Chelsea and I'm glad I picked them for the title. Aguero was brilliant and but for Asmir Begovic it could have been much more comfortable than three, which is saying something against a team managed by Jose Mourinho.
"They scored 10 more goals than anyone else last season and they look better defensively this year. Mangala is playing well, Kompany's scoring goals. They look very good."
Chelsea are without a win and already five points behind City. Are they now second-favourites or further down the pecking order?
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"I still think Chelsea are the second-best team in the league. It's not been a good start, but they should recover. Having Courtois sent off against Swansea wasn't easy, but then Begovic came in and played really well against City.
"All the off-field stuff with the doctor hasn't helped, but Pedro is a great signing and I'd expect them to be City's main challengers."
Stubborn United to provide better challenge than Arsenal
Arsenal are around the same odds as Chelsea to end their 12-year wait, but Langdon thinks that Manchester United, the fourth-favourites, have looked better early on.
"They haven't been at their best from an attacking point of view, but Wayne Rooney will have better games and Memphis Depay should kick on after his performance in the Champions League.
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"I've been really impressed with their defence in the league. Smalling and Blind look good at centre-back and Darmian has been excellent down the road. They've also got loads of options in midfield this year and I think that could be crucial over the course of the season."
Swansea proving me wrong
Langdon initially picked Swansea City to finish 14th this season after their best-ever Premier League points total under Garry Monk last term. The Welsh side drew away at Chelsea on the opening day before seeing off Newcastle United comfortably at home.
"They're playing really well at the moment. Andre Ayew and Jefferson Montero are linking up well, there's a lot of pace in the team. If you were to put a negative on it, they have played against two teams who finished with 10 men.
"Things are going well for them and I think they're surprisingly playing a lot better than last season. I still don't think they'll be able to break into the top six or seven, but my early estimations for them do look wide of the mark it has to be said."
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When pressed to pick one team to break into the top six this season, Langdon still thinks that it will be Southampton, despite their slow start to the season.
"I wouldn't write Southampton off just yet. I don't think they're finished in terms of transfer dealings and they do have some key players out injured at the moment.
"The question mark against them is the Europa League and how much that could impact their season. I still think that they're the most likely team, but I'd give Crystal Palace a shout-out as well."
Sunderland are doomed
"I had them down for 20th in the Big Kick-Off and nothing I've seen so far has made me change my mind. They're poor in every position really, defensively a shambles - I couldn't believe they signed Younes Kaboul.
"They seem to lack balance in midfield and up front I just don't really like their options there either. It's a real mess and Dick Advocaat's quickly become the favourite in the sack race.
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"The betting markets told their own story on Saturday because Norwich were near enough favourites even though Sunderland were at home and you think, on paper, that's probably Sunderland's easiest match of the season, at home to the playoff winners.
"I think it's going to be a really long season unless they spend some money over the next 10 days or so."
Langdon has been impressed with all three promoted clubs and thinks that Bournemouth, despite losing their opening two matches without scoring, have the best chance of the three to stay up.
"They've been really unlucky. They could have easily had four points from their two games and even though they haven't scored, I don't expect them to be like Burnley and struggle for goals all season. They've got really good players and I think they'll definitely stay up."
Aguero the man to beat for the Golden Boot
The Argentine, who scored 26 goals in 33 top-flight appearances last season, made his first start against Chelsea on Sunday and opened his account this season with the first against the Blues.
"He's a deserving favourite and looked so sharp against Chelsea. I know he only scored one, but if it wasn't for Begovic it could have been three and that's against the champions. I think he could really go to town this year.
"It's been a disappointing start for some of his main rivals as well. Diego Costa hasn't had that many sights at goal so far and Wayne Rooney has looked well off the pace."
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How about behind the big names? Riyad Mahrez is the top scorer with three goals in two games, while Swansea duo Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew have two in two.
"Gomis is 40/1 with two goals already and if Swansea keep playing the way that they are, he might be a good outside bet. I've got my doubts - I watched him at Lyon for a number of years and he was capable of the odd good performance, but it never tended to last for too long.
"Alexis Sanchez might be a better shout, even though he's not going to be credited with the second against Palace. He looked really lively in that game and he could be Arsenal's biggest goal threat this season.
"I like Graziano Pelle at Southampton as well. He scored against Newcastle and I liked the way he played against Everton. He's 50/1 with most and could give you a decent run for your money."
Mahrez and Leicester have impressed, but Langdon isn't completely convinced.
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"People are getting little overexcited by Leicester. It was two excellent wins on paper, getting six points from those games, but it's always important to look at the opponent.
"Sunderland are the worst team in the Premier League and then beating West Ham - I think people expected too much of them after winning at Arsenal. Before that game everyone was saying how bad West Ham were in the Europa League.
"I wouldn't be banking on Leicester to continue what we've seen from them."
Boro the favourites to get out of "crazy" Championship
Ipswich Town, Hull City and Brighton & Hove Albion top the Championship with seven points from three games, but Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough, also unbeaten, are not far behind on five points after Tuesday night's draw with promotion rivals Derby County.
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"It goes to show how crazy the Championship is that no team still has a 100% record. The bookmakers are still pretty convinced that it'll be Middlesbrough that win it and I did tip them at the start.
"The signing of David Nugent will help and there's still money to spend. They didn't get Rhodes, but given how much they bid, there's still cash there.
"There's more question marks with Derby than Boro. I'm not sure about Paul Clement because it's his first managerial job and it's so different from being a coach, suddenly making all the decisions yourself."
Brentford are still fourth-favourites to go up, despite losing several key players, their manager and adopting a new approach this season.
Langdon admits that the Bees are well-liked by punters because they are owned by professional gambler Matthew Benham.
"They've certainly not played well so far, nowhere near well enough in fact. I'm a big fan of what they're trying to do behind the scenes with the analytics. It's worked in Denmark with Midtjylland and I think from a betting point of view, it's the way we all kind of work.
"Maybe there's a bit of bias from us punters who really want Brentford to do well. Owner Matthew Benham made his fortune from betting on football so I think they do know what they're doing, but there's a lot of foreign players and a new foreign manager and it won't happen overnight."
As for those who could drop out of the Championship, Rotherham United are one of four teams on one point and struggling at the wrong end.
"I think Steve Evans will do well if there are three teams worse than them this season. The problem this year is that it looks like quite a strong bottom half of the Championship. The teams that have come up are decent and they make it all the more difficult.
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"I don't like Bolton's chances either. They're going to really struggle scoring goals. I really like Zach Clough, but you're really asking a lot for him to do everything. Blackburn as well, if they lose Jordan Rhodes I really fear for them."
League One, Two favourites Blades and Pompey to live up to the hype
Coventry City are the only team in League One with a 100% record, but Langdon is concerned if they can keep it up over the course of the season.
"It's been a great start for Coventry, but they're a young team and a good footballing team so I just wonder about when the pitches get a bit sticky and it gets a bit rough whether they'll be able to have the same style of play.
"Sheffield United had a dreadful start away at Gillingham, but it was just set pieces, they couldn't handle them. They've bounced back easily enough and I think Che Adams is a fantastic League One talent who could play in the Premier League one day."
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In League Two, Langdon has been surprised by early pacesetters Leyton Orient but still thinks that Portsmouth are the ones to watch.
"It's pretty obvious, but I do think Portsmouth have made a very encouraging start. This was a team that couldn't win away last season, but they easily beat Plymouth and also beat Derby in the Cup despite making loads of changes.
"I've been surprised by Leyton Orient. I thought they were a club potentially in crisis but it sounds like they're playing really good football."
Barcelona still the team to beat in La Liga
Luis Enrique's men had a poor start to the domestic season by losing 5-1 on aggregate to Athletic Bilbao in the Supercopa, but Langdon thinks that they will be tough to topple.
"Barca will still be the team to beat in Spain. They played in Georgia on the Tuesday in the UEFA Super Cup, the game didn't finish until after midnight and by the time they got back and then had to prepare for a game in Bilbao on the Friday.
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"It wasn't ideal preparation and I wouldn't read too much into the result. They're superior to Real Madrid purely because of that front three."
Serie A will be the "best league" as Juve lose their grip
Having lost Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo, is Juventus's dominance of Serie A going to come to an end after four straight titles?
"Juve are very vulnerable. It did need a bit of regenerating, but to have to replace Pirlo, Vidal and Tevez in one season is going to be very difficult.
"The team I quite like the look of would be Napoli. I'm really impressed with their coach Maurizio Sarri who worked wonders at Empoli last year and he's taken a couple of players with him, including Valdifiori, a central midfielder who's about as close as what you can get to Pirlo.
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"I think it's probably going to be the best league in Europe this season actually. Roma have got Dzeko and Salah, Inter have spent money, Milan have spent money. There's a lot of good teams this year."
The Racing Post Big Kick-Off betting guide is available from racingpost.com/shop, featuring top tips and statistics for the 2015-16 season.
Pascal Lemesre
