Shearer: Why I Back Jose Mourinho's Side To Win Premier League Title

I am expecting a lot of transfer activity from last season's top six before the window shuts at the end of August but, as things stands, I would say the title is between the Manchester clubs.

Manchester City hired Pep Guardiola to win the Champions League and the Premier League and, despite spending a lot of money, his first year in England was a big disappointment.

Guardiola has spent a fortune on full-backs and a new goalkeeper to try to rectify some of the defensive issues City had in the first trophyless campaign of his managerial career and, if he fails again, there are no more excuses for him.

I think City will be there or thereabouts but, at the moment, I would go with Manchester United - just - to be champions.

'Lukaku is only going to get better at United'

Whatever you think of United manager Jose Mourinho, he won two trophies last season and got them back into the Champions League, and he has strengthened them again significantly this summer.

By buying Romelu Lukaku from Everton, United have signed a centre-forward who, at the age of 24, should be coming into his prime.

Lukaku has scored on a regular basis in the Premier League for the past five seasons, for West Brom and Everton.

He is only going to get better and, if United give him the amount of chances you would expect them to, he will score a lot of goals for them too.

'I am amazed Chelsea let United sign Matic'

Nemanja Matic is another excellent signing. I was amazed Chelsea let him join one of their rivals, a team that are trying to catch them up.

From what he has been saying this week, Blues boss Antonio Conte was surprised it was allowed to happen too - especially because Tiemoue Bakayoko is still not fit.

I know Matic is 29 and cost £40m, but he has got at least another two or three good years left in him, and he is exactly what United needed in midfield.

Having him in the team will give Paul Pogba more freedom to get forward and I am expecting to see an improvement from him.

We will see more from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford too.

We will have to wait and see whether Rashford gets the chance to lead the line or has to play to one side of Lukaku, but this should still be a big season for him before next summer's World Cup.

And then there is Mourinho himself. More often than not, he finds a way to win, which is another reason I make United slight favourites.

In Lukaku, Matic and centre-half Victor Lindelof, he has bought three more players to turn United into the team he wants them to be, and he is not finished yet - I think he is after one or two more this month as well.

Credit: BBC Sport