Southampton - Adam Lallana
Southampton were another surprise package in the Premier League last season. They began the campaign with a strong mentality and were performing well until a shaky spell in mid-season. When they sacked Nigel Adkins for little reason, I felt they would go down considering the relative obscurity of his replacement. But, Mauricio Pochettino proved to be a better manager than would be expected due to the fact that he still can't speak English. He is young and is having to learn very quickly on the job, but he has a team that is full of young English talent and a chairman that is willing to spend considerable cash from players across the globe in order to ensure that Southampton don't suffer second-season syndrome. They haven't signed many players this window, but have spent £20 million on the pair of Victor Wanyama and Dejan Lovren to add experience and flair to his competent side. However, the strength of success in this season for the club will be reliant on preventing injuries in their comparatively small squad, the consistency in front of goal for Ricky Lambert, and the blossoming of their young, British defenders and midfielders into top-class players. Luke Shaw, James Ward-Prowse, Jack Cork and Jay Rodriguez will look to continue their footballing education alongside prodigious talents like Morgan Schneiderlin and Gaston Ramirez will have a considerable impact on their continued top flight existence. But for their key player I have chosen a man who has Southampton in his blood. Adam Lallana has been at the club since 2000, and the 25-year old captain proved to be well-versed to top flight football. His emergence in the first team coincided with Southampton being at their lowest ebb, as they were cash-strapped and relegated to League One. However, with help from Lallana's excellent performances in the last few years alongside new investment in the club, Southampton was able to rise from the ashes and emerge back in the Premier League for the first time since 2005, and look as if they still belonged. Lallana is a strong passer and leads his team by example, and though injury interrupted a portion of his season, he was consistently able to perform for his boyhood club. Whether he stays at the club for his entire career or moves onto to bigger and better things in the future, Lallana will be forever associated with Southampton's return to the elite league of England, and will certainly will be integral in steering Southampton away from relegation and looking towards the top half of the table.
Where will they finish? - 13th