Manchester United will host Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday evening to officially kick off the 2024-25 Premier League season.

Euro 2024, Copa America and the Olympics have helped fill the usual football-less summer void, but few things compare to the excitement and drama of England's top flight. Its return will be greeted with the usual mix of joy, hope and impending despair by the fans of each of the 20 clubs.

With August still likely to bring a few curveballs because of the ongoing summer transfer window, the complexion of the league could still shift in the coming weeks. But, for now, we can all look forward to nets rippling from St. James' Park in the north to the Vitality Stadium in the south.

But who's going to be bagging the most goals for each team? Read on for predictions for which player will be expected to take club honors for top scorer by the end of the campaign.

Arsenal: Bukayo Saka

Arsenal shared the wealth last season, with three players scoring in double digits and 15 players bagging at least once.

Bukayo Saka took the top-scoring title for the club in league play with 16, and it's tough to look past him again this year.

The Gunners still lack an out-and-out goalscorer, with Gabriel Jesus limited by injury and inconsistency and Eddie Nketiah not quite hitting the desired heights. The supporting cast can all chip in with vital strikes, but no one scores with regularity.

In the absence of making a deal in the closing stages of the transfer window, it looks like Saka will be shouldering the goalscoring burden once again—unless Kai Havertz builds on a redemptive season and takes another step up.

Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins

The goalscoring of Ollie Watkins was one of the main factors behind Aston Villa's unlikely charge to the Champions League spots last season.

A fixture list that will be swelled by Europe's elite club competition will add a bit more strain on the legs, but that shouldn't stop Watkins from leading the way in goals for his club.

The 28-year-old has been Villa's top scorer in the last four seasons, and the 19 he notched in the last campaign was good enough to put him joint-fourth in the Premier League's scoring charts.

While the Midlands club has bolstered its ranks ahead of the new season, it has not added a striker who will surpass Watkins as the primary goal-getter.

Bournemouth: Antoine Semenyo

Bournemouth waved goodbye to Dominic Solanke in August, with the striker leaving the south coast for Tottenham Hotspur.

It's a tough one to take for the Cherries. While the reported $83 million (£65 million) fee will be welcomed by a club that runs on a tight budget, the 19 goals he scored last season will be hard to replace.

The next player on the goalscoring list, Antoine Semenyo, only grabbed eight in league play, with Justin Kluivert following behind with seven.

Things started to click for Semenyo towards the end of the campaign, with four goals in five games during a hot streak between February and March. However, he'll need to deliver at a much more efficient clip this season to make up for Solanke's exit.

In the absence of a direct replacement for the new Spurs player, Bournemouth will be relying on the 24-year-old to take his game to the next level.

Brentford: Ivan Toney

Brentford's 2023-24 season was heavily impacted by Ivan Toney's eight-month ban for breaching the Football Association's betting rules. The absence of the team's talisman had the Bees flirting with relegation towards the end of the campaign.

Toney only scored four on his return, with a lack of match sharpness stopping him from reaching the heights we know he's capable of.

Unfortunately, Brentford might again have to live without his goals, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano linking the 28-year-old with a move to the Saudi Pro League. If he stays, though—and it's a big if—he'll be the club's leading scorer.

The player brought in to mitigate for the expected sale of Toney, Igor Thiago, has been ruled out until the end of the year following knee surgery, so he won't have time to close the gap to the scoring leader.

So, assuming Toney leaves, it will be up to Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo to grab the goals, with the latter the most likely to rack them up in greater quantities—as long as he can stay fit.

Brighton & Hove Albion: João Pedro

Is it finally the year when Evan Ferguson stays fit and proves he can be a consistent scorer? He might just need to wait a little while longer yet for his true breakout season.

No one scored in double digits for Brighton & Hove Albion last season, with João Pedro closest to breaking that barrier with nine league goals. But the Brazilian scored six in six Europa League games and bagged five in two FA Cup matches.

He should be on penalty duty again in the upcoming season, too, which will help to boost his goal tally.

Brighton have plenty of electric wingers who will no doubt grab themselves a clutch of goals, but it will be Pedro topping the club's scoring charts come the season's end.

Chelsea: Cole Palmer

Few would have predicted Cole Palmer's stellar season after signing from Manchester City. The 22-year-old finished second in the Premier League scoring ranks with, appropriately, 22 goals.

Chelsea has been throwing money around again ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, bringing in a baffling number of players in positions that simply don't need to be strengthened any further.

But buying a goalscorer has (so far) not been an area of investment. Perhaps there's hope that Nicolas Jackson can improve his consistency, while a fit season for Christopher Nkunku is a tantalizing prospect and he should bring a healthy amount of goals.

Palmer's consistency in scoring rate and his dead-eye from the penalty spot should see him grab the club's scoring title again, though. Having established himself as the Blues' key man, he could even push toward the 30-goal mark.

Crystal Palace: Jean-Philippe Mateta

The hiring of Oliver Glasner proved invigorating for Crystal Palace, who finished the season on a seven-game unbeaten run that included six wins and 21 goals scored.

No one was more of a beneficiary than Jean-Philippe Mateta, who scored 13 goals in 13 games following the Austrian's appointment.

After continuing his form for France at the Summer Olympics, scoring five in six games on the way to a silver medal, he looks set to continue his hot streak into the new league season.

The phrase "like a new signing" can be overused in football, but Mateta truly looked like a completely different player once Roy Hodgson left the club.

Everton: Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Goals were hard to come by for Everton last season, with their 40 league goals the second-worst in the league. The only team to score fewer was Sheffield United (35), who ended the campaign propping up the table and were relegated to the Championship.

Abdoulaye Doucouré and Dominic Calvert-Lewin shared the club's scoring honors with a mildly embarrassing total of seven each. In a season that should be more serene than the last, maybe those numbers could improve.

It looks more likely to be Calvert-Lewin who finishes top of the charts this season. New signing Iliman Ndiaye probably won't set pulses racing, while Beto didn't provide much optimism with only three goals in 30 games last season.

It'll be DCL or bust for the Toffees in 2024-25.

Fulham: Rodrigo Muniz

Losing goal-machine Aleksandar Mitrović to the Saudi Pro League was a tough one for Fulham to take. The Serb left fairly late in the 2023 summer window, and the club wasn't able to grab a replacement.

But it was someone signed in 2021 who ended up being the closest to filling Mitrović's shoes. Rodrigo Muniz had a loan stint with Middlesbrough in the Championship in the 2022-23 campaign, and he didn't show any huge signs that he had what it takes to make the step up to the Premier League.

After forcing his way into the first-team reckoning for Fulham in February, though, the Brazilian notched eight goals in an eight-game stretch before cooling off again.

The other striking options in Fulham's squad don't make for inspired reading, but if Muniz can tap into that magic again, he could push for 20 goals or so in the upcoming season.

Ipswich Town: Omari Hutchinson

Ipswich Town's ascent to the top flight has been remarkable. The club has secured back-to-back promotions and will return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.

If the Tractor Boys are going to remain in the league next year, they'll need the trio of Conor Chaplin, Omari Hutchinson, and Nathan Broadhead to rekindle a relationship that brought 36 Championship goals in their successful promotion season.

In fact, they'll need to be even more deadly to give the club any sort of chance of survival.

The signing of Liam Delap from Manchester City is intriguing, with the 21-year-old highly regarded by Premier League champions before his exit and coming off a season in which he scored eight for Hull City.

It looks like Hutchinson is the star, though, and the former Chelsea man will be required to inspire the league's underdogs in what is sure to be a challenging season.

Leicester City: Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy is a Premier League player again. While far from the talent he was in his Golden Boot-winning campaign in 2019-2020, you wouldn't put it past him to bag a few crucial goals.

At 37 years old, he still seems to have ceaseless energy and annoying wasp-like tendencies, but the step up in defensive class from the Championship might be a bit too much at this stage of his career, and he shouldn't score too many from open play.

However, tricky wingers Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu should earn plenty of penalties, and that will give Vardy the chance to rack up a solid total from the spot—and that could be enough to be the club's top scorer in their top-flight return.

Liverpool: Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah was again Liverpool's Premier League top scorer in 2023-24, claiming the honors for the seventh straight season with 18 goals.

Speculation about his Anfield future persists, with the Saudi Pro League expected to come knocking despite few indications of a move so far this summer.

If he stays on Merseyside, he should top the scoring charts again. If he doesn't, it's difficult to point to one particular player to fill the void.

Darwin Núñez remains an enigma, Cody Gakpo can't quite replicate his international scoring feats for the Netherlands in a red shirt, Diogo Jota cannot stay fit, and Luis Diaz should score more goals than his effort and trickery would typically provide.

But if the Egyptian does depart, let's be bold and say new boss Arne Slot's style ends up unlocking the version of Núñez that's seen in maddeningly infrequent bursts. Just maybe, so don't quote me on that.

Manchester City: Erling Haaland

This one barely needs any explanation.

Unless an injury stops him in his tracks, Erling Haaland will be Manchester City's top scorer for the third year running. Really, it's just a case of how many he gets.

His record of 27 in 2023-24 was relatively fallow considering the scorching-hot debut season that brought 36 in 35 games. But with injury keeping him sidelined for seven games, it's perhaps excusable he didn't hit the high standards he'd set himself.

With Julián Álvarez on the way out, even more responsibility is on Haaland to lead the line in every single game. You get the feeling that's just the way he likes it, though.

Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United had some problems in front of the net last season. Their total of 57 goals was the joint least among the Premier League's top 10.

It took a while for him to get going, but Rasmus Højlund did show glimpses of his talent, eventually ending the season with 10 goals to put him level with Bruno Fernandes.

But the Dane is already on the injury list before the season has even begun, and judging by last season, it might take him some time to build up momentum.

New signing Joshua Zirkzee will also need some time to settle, so it will likely fall on Fernandes to again carry the scoring burden.

Newcastle United: Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak is such a fun player to watch, and thankfully for Newcastle United, he backs up his skill and flair with a taste for goals.

The Swede hit the back of the net 21 times in 2023-24, 10 occasions more than the next highest-scorer Anthony Gordon.

The former Everton winger will likely take another step up this season, but it will be Isak who again bags the most goals. If the 24-year-old can stay off the treatment table, a 30-goal campaign isn't an outrageous prediction.

Nottingham Forest: Chris Wood

Nottingham Forest clung on to their Premier League status by the skin of their teeth last season.

Taiwo Awoniyi's injury problems didn't help matters, with the Nigerian suiting up just 20 times for the east Midlands outfit in 2023-24.

Thankfully for Forest, though, the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo unlocked New Zealander Chris Wood, who notched 11 goals after the Portuguese's arrival.

With Awoniyi unreliable because of fitness concerns, Wood should start the season as Forest's target man, and he should hit the goal trail much quicker this time around.

Southampton: Ben Brereton Díaz

Southampton squeezed into the Premier League via the Championship's playoffs, returning to the top flight after just a season away.

One of the keys to their success was the form of Adam Armstrong, who came second in the league's top scorer charts with 21 goals in 46 games (as well as 13 assists).

His Premier League experience has been seriously underwhelming, though, with just four goals scored across two seasons in the top tier. There will need to be a remarkable change for him to prove himself as a top-flight-caliber player.

The return of Paul Onuachu could be an interesting feature in Southampton's fight for survival. The Nigerian scored 15 goals in 21 games for Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig last season, and he scored 16 in 19 games for KRC Genk of the Jupiler Pro League the season before, which prompted a midseason move to the Saints in 2022-23.

It didn't go so well for him, enduring an injury-ravaged half-season that resulted in no goals. If he sticks around though, things could be so much different this year.

However, with all that uncertainty, the arrival of Ben Brereton Díaz provides Saints with a tonic. The Chile international scored six for Sheffield United after arriving on loan in January during the Blades' doomed top-flight campaign. That's two more goals than Armstrong has notched in the league in significantly fewer games—and it was done while featuring for a pretty dire side.

Brereton Díaz should slot in with ease to this Southampton side, and he'll be essential in any hope for survival.

Tottenham Hotspur: Dominic Solanke

That Harry Kane-shaped hole has not been plugged at Tottenham Hotspur yet.

After a slow start to the 2023-24 campaign, Richarlison burst into life with nine goals in eight games from mid-December to the start of February. Still, injury halted his momentum, and the England international was missed even more.

The signing of Dominic Solanke brings in a player who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, and with a better supporting cast, he could surpass that total in a white shirt.

Heung-Min Son led the way for the Kane-less Spurs with 17 goals, although that's fairly consistent with his historic scoring output at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the club's fans are crying out for another goal-getter.

Solanke could be that man, and after finally proving his top-flight caliber, he should score in bunches for his new team.

West Ham United: Jarrod Bowen

West Ham United have quality all over the park, but they've frequently lacked a 15-goal-a-season striker.

The signing of Niclas Fullkrüg is intriguing, and if he adapts quickly enough to English football, he could yet be that man.

But he'll still be surpassed by Jarrod Bowen in the scoring stakes. The 27-year-old grabbed himself 16 goals last season, and in a side managed by a more enterprising Julen Lopetegui compared to the solid but stunted David Moyes, he should benefit.

Mohammed Kudus should also build on his Premier League haul of eight last season, especially with European football not a factor for the Hammers in the upcoming campaign. But Bowen is still the man to beat.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Matheus Cunha

The rejuvenation of Hwang Hee-Chan and the improvement of Matheus Cunha helped Wolverhampton Wanderers surpass expectations last year, with many expecting at the start of the season that the club would end up in the relegation zone.

But that duo's 12 league goals each kept Wolves clear of the bottom three for the majority of the season, with only a late-campaign blip dropping the club down the table a handful of places.

With the loss of Pedro Neto to Chelsea, those two will be even more vital to Wolves' hopes in 2024-25. A lack of transfer business, though, might see those predictions of doom surface again.

Cunha will just about edge Hwang for the club's scoring title, but it might not be enough to keep them in the top flight when all is said and done.