Premier League POWER RANKINGS - PART TWO: Arsenal finally nabbed their No 9 and Chelsea splashed their Club World Cup winnings, but who had the best summer of all? And where does YOUR club land in the

While a number of clubs have struggled through a difficult pre-season and sticky transfer window, there are some Premier League fans who will be absolutely delighted for the return of top-flight football this weekend.

Liverpool supporters may have missed their first chance of silverware last Sunday with their Community Shield, but the glimpses of new signings such as Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Jeremie Frimpong in competitive action will have lifted spirits longer term.

But how do the rivals looking to put a dent in their title defence aspirations measure up?

Here, Daily Mail Sport's experts review every club in the top flight's pre-season travails, and single out who has made the most of their time before the restart - and whose fans might be watching the first match of their campaign hiding behind their hands.

After reading through who came out best of the worst in part one, why not have a read through part two, to find up who is on top ahead of the start of the new campaign.

Liverpool's signing-stuffed summer is looking to help the club defend their Premier League title

Burnley's ambitions might be slightly more modest but recruiting experienced hands like Kyle Walker could help them stay up

10. Burnley

Pre-season record: 2-0 v Huddersfield (A), 2-2 v Shrewsbury (A), 0-1 v Stoke (A), 0-1 v Lazio (H)

How has it gone: Instead of exotic trips to America and the Far East, Scott Parker’s promoted side haven’t been further away than Shrewsbury following a training week in Portugal. The manager has prioritised work on the grass above air miles to prepare for the challenge ahead.

Burnley kept 30 clean sheets last season and Parker’s approach to survival will be less gung-ho than predecessor Vincent Kompany. He won’t have minded single-goal defeats to Stoke and Lazio as he beds in 13 new players.

Parker used wing-backs against the Italians and looks set to stick with the formation at Tottenham on Saturday. England’s Kyle Walker is key on the right of three central defenders.

Goalkeeper Max Weiss has done well filling the gloves of James Trafford who joined Manchester City. The German saved a penalty last weekend to deny Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni.

Stand-out performer: Quilindschy Hartman

Joe Bernstein

9. Crystal Palace

Pre-season record: 1-0 v Millwall (H), 3-0 v Crawley Town (A), 1-1 v Mainz (A), 2-3 v Mainz (A), 3-1 v Augsburg (A), 0-1 v Augsburg (A), 2-2 (3-2 pens) v Liverpool (Wembley, Community Shield)

How has it gone? What should have been a summer spent revelling in the joy of a first major trophy quickly turned sour the moment the notification dropped that the spoils of that deserved victory - namely, Europa League football - were in jeopardy. Instead, Eagles fans spent the summer clinging to the fading hope of remaining in Europe’s second-tier competition, only to lose out on that dream - along with the £20 million windfall it would have brought.

The mooted departures of Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze further darken the outlook, but that gloom is tempered somewhat by an encouraging pre-season under Oliver Glasner - and more Wembley glory to bookend the new campaign.

Stand-out performer: Justin Devenny

Tara Anson-Walsh

Crystal Palace may have had their Europa League hopes crushed but claimed their second trophy in four months

8. Manchester United

Pre-season record: 0-0 v Leeds United (A), 2-1 v West Ham (A), 4-1 v AFC Bournemouth (A), 1-1 v Everton (A), 1-1 v Fiorentina (H)

How has it gone? Greater intensity about United during pre-season and a new line-up has more match winners on the pitch with the additions of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. There are still familiar concerns about big gaps opening up too often in midfield and the lack of a reliable goalkeeper is a big concern for supporters.

Ruben Amorim himself has admitted that while they have taken steps forward, he is still expecting his side to ‘suffer’ in the Premier League, which perhaps underlines how United’s rebuild is still a work in progress.

Stand-out performer: Leny Yoro

Nathan Salt

Arrivals like Benjamin Sesko have filled fans with a glimmer of hope after Ruben Amorim's first pre-season at Old Trafford

7. Aston Villa

Pre-season record: 0-1 v Walsall (A), 1-3 v Hansa Rostock (A), 2-2 v Eintracht Frankfurt (A), 2-1 v St Louis City (A), 2-2 v Nashville (A), 4-0 v Roma (N), 1-3 v Marseille (A), 2-0 v Villarreal (A)

How has it gone? Villa have started to hit their stride at the end of pre-season and looked sharp in all three of their final games, against top-level opposition. It was a slow burner before that but Unai Emery is more interested in trying out tactical innovations - such as a back three - than he is in results, during this period.

The one concern is Morgan Rogers, who took a knock to his ankle against Roma, but Villa are hopeful the England forward will be fine for the opener against Newcastle. Ollie Watkins has looked in good shape and seems to have benefited from a full pre-season.

Stand-out performer: Ollie Watkins

Tom Collomosse

Ollie Watkins is looking in rip-roaring form for Aston Villa after a decent summer break away

6. West Ham

Pre-season record: 3-1 v Grasshoppers (A), 1-2 v Manchester United (PL Summer Series, New Jersey), 2-1 v Everton (PL Summer Series, Chicago), 2-0 v Bournemouth (PL Summer Series, Atlanta), 1-1 v Lille, won on pens (H)

How has it gone? Much better than expected. Morale was at rock bottom after a dismal end to the season and little signs of a squad overhaul during the first half of the transfer window. Slowly, though, things are just starting to click into place for Graham Potter. El Hadji Malick Diouf looks an exciting prospect down the left and young keeper Mads Hermansen slots into a position the Hammers desperately needed filling.

The less said about Callum Wilson’s arrival on a free transfer the better but Niclas Fullkrug has come back leaner, fitter and sharper than ever. He’s scored in every pre-season game so far and is linking up well with Jarrod Bowen.

Pre-season performances have been decent but they still need some midfielders if they are to succeed and are pursuing a deal for Matheus Fernandes from Southampton.

Stand-out performer: Niclas Fullkrug

James Sharpe

Niclas Fullkrug has returned to West Ham sharper, with it making the difference in pre-season

5. Arsenal

Pre-season record: 1-0 v AC Milan (A), 3-2 v Newcastle (A), 0-1 v Tottenham (A), 2-3 v Villarreal (H), 3-0 v Athletic Bilbao (H)

How has it gone? Arsenal have finally brought in a No9 in Viktor Gyokeres, to the excitement of fans, and have strengthened their squad across the pitch. The Gunners underwhelmed against Tottenham and Villarreal, though showed their class in the other fixtures.

There is a feeling that the north London club still need a left winger to be fully complete, with Gabriel Martinelli’s position under much scrutiny. The big talking points are on whether Gyokeres can bring his goalscoring exploits from Sporting Lisbon to the Premier League, and if the impressive 15-year-old Max Dowman could feature for the first team this season.

Stand-out performer: Martin Zubimendi.

Isaan Khan

Arsenal finally got their hands on their No9 target Viktor Gyokeres after weeks of negotiating

4. Manchester City

Pre-season record: 1-0 v Preston (H), 3-0 v Palermo (A)

How has it gone? A low-key pre-season after the Club World Cup, where focus has been on training rather than matches. City’s first friendly was behind closed doors - Rico Lewis scoring - before new signing Tijjani Reijnders stole the show out in Sicily with a second-half brace.

There are injury worries going into the campaign, with Pep Guardiola saying Rodri won’t be fully fit until September. Attack-wise they looked potent at Palermo (Erling Haaland scoring off his weaker foot) and in America but there are defensive issues and general solidity to sort out. And although the outgoings are ramping up, with Jack Grealish and James McAtee leaving this week, there will be more to come.

Stand-out performer: Tijjani Reijnders

Jack Gaughan

Manchester City are another club who have spent big and signings like Tijjani Reijnders are already proving their worth

3. Brighton

Pre-season record: 6-1 v Wycombe (H), 3-1 v Stoke (A), 2-0 v Los Palmas (A), 2-0 v Coventry (H), 1-0 v Southampton (A), 2-2 v Southampton (A), 2-0 v Wolfsburg (H), 2-1 v Wolfsburg (H)

How has it gone: How hard Brighton fans must be finding it to tell themselves that it does not do to dwell on pre-season results. Eight games, seven wins, a draw, and 20 goals for Fabian Hurzeler’s side. And that’s all after they sold star striker Joao Pedro to Chelsea.

It helps you’re your pre-season goals came from 13 different players. Veteran front man Danny Welbeck netting four in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Wycombe, Yankuba Minteh has two goals and an assist from the campaign, Georginio Rutter notched one and set up three more. New left-back Maxim De Cuyper has settled in well as the replacement for Pervis Estupinian.

Brighton have impressed even without ball-winning midfielder Carlos Baleba, a target for Manchester United, for much of pre-season with a mysterious fitness issue. Baleba is the latest cab off the brilliant Brighton midfielders rank after Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and co. If Baleba does go, Brighton have shown many times they know how to replace them.

Standout performer: Yankuba Minteh

James Sharpe

Brighton have showed their attacking range with goals from 13 different players

2. Liverpool

Pre-season record: 3-1 v Preston (A), 5-0 v Stoke (H), 2-4 v AC Milan (Hong Kong), 3-1 v Yokohama F Marinos (A), 4-1 v Athletic Club (H), 3-2 v Athletic Club (H), 2-2 (2-3 pens) v Palace (Wembley, Community Shield)

How has it gone? This pre-season has all been centred around getting the new players up to scratch after a busy transfer window. The likes of Florian Wirtz has excelled while teenagers Rio Ngumoha, 16, and Trey Nyoni, 18, have made significant cases to be in the first-team picture.

The only worry has been the defence with only one clean sheet and teams seemingly able to pick holes in the Liverpool back four.

Stand-out performer: Florian Wirtz

Lewis Steele

As well as shrewd recruiting experienced players, academy stars like Rio Ngumoha have shone in the build-up

Chelsea's summer signings like Joao Pedro are keen to impress in the league after winning the Club World Cup

1. Chelsea

Pre-season record: 2-0 vs Bayer Leverkusen (H), 4-1 vs AC Milan (H)

How has it gone? It all happened so fast - two friendlies in three days amid a pre-season lasting less than a fortnight. Levi Colwill’s ACL injury suffered on day one was a blow, but the vibe is purely positive otherwise.

All of their goals scored versus Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan came from new arrivals in Estevao Willian, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, who has looked lethal since arriving from Brighton.

While a fair few fans want to see them competing for the Premier League title, the concern is at some stage, their extraordinary long 2024-25 season which culminated in Chelsea being crowned world champions may catch up with them in 2025-26.

Stand-out performer: Joao Pedro

Kieran Gill

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