The 10 questions still to be answered this season ahead of the Premier League's return

1. Can City break the Premier League's record points haul?

City are on 81 points and need 15 more – five wins from their final eight games – to beat the record set by Chelsea in 2004-05 which, remarkably, was their first Premier League title triumph and came in Jose Mourinho’s first season as manager. But City should beat that, and deservedly so. They have taken an incredible 2.7 points per game on average so far so, over a 38-match season, if they keep that up, will top 100 points. They have tricky fixtures – Tottenham Hotspur away and Manchester United at home – though their biggest opponent may be whether they are distracted by the Champions League or, perhaps, step off the gas when the title is won. But it does not feel like manager Pep Guardiola, who wants records as well as trophies, will allow that.

2. Can Mourinho banish the uncertainty over his tenure at Manchester United?

United desperately hope so but it is far from clear. Mourinho extended his contract earlier this year but is already showing familiar signs of discontent, unhappiness with his squad, murmurings over transfer dealings and that sense the world is conspiring against him. Right now, Mourinho is also doing little to dispel the theory that football has moved on and he has not and that, ultimately, United is not the right job for him. It does not feel right. The Champions League exit to Sevilla was damaging and will not be easily forgotten but if he can win the FA Cup and finish second in the Premier League he can save face. Mourinho will start next season in charge of United, but will he finish it?

3. Can Liverpool finish as the best of the rest?

Jurgen Klopp’s side have a growing sense of momentum. The Premier League win over Manchester City in January was a significant bridgehead in their progress. It showed they can be the best of the rest and, maybe, with the right recruitment in the summer, City’s nearest challengers next season. It will be fascinating to see what happens with the Champions League quarter-final between the two clubs. If – and it is a big if - Liverpool get through that, belief will soar.

Salah is outscoring Messi and is on course to re-write the Premier League record books

Mohamed Salah’s freakish goal-scoring  feats have possibly skewed Liverpool’s campaign, but they appear to be are on the right track and are building something sustainable. And playing some very good, attacking football along the way.

4. Can Chelsea salvage their hopes of Champions League qualification?

If - and it's a nother big if - Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, they have a chance. Otherwise, it seems they will finish outside the top four and miss out on the Champions League. If they were to lose to Spurs, it would be all over and Chelsea’s decline since they sat in second place not so long ago has been alarming. Even so, and despite the fact that he is expected to leave at the end of the season, the team is still playing for manager Antonio Conte - as was shown in the recent FA Cup win over Leicester City. If anything, Chelsea have been a little unlucky this season especially with their forwards. But the Spurs game is key - and even then victory might not be enough.

5. Who will win the Golden Boot?

Harry Kane’s ankle injury has meant that Mohamed Salah is now the clear favourite to deny the Tottenham Hotspur striker a third successive Premier League Golden Boot award. Salah has pulled four goals ahead of Kane – with 28 – and with Sergio Aguero the nearest challenger on 21 goals.

Given the remarkable scoring runs, all three players are capable of going on then with eight games to left – seven for Liverpool – it is not yet over. But it is hard to see either Kane returning from injury in time to catch Salah or the goals drying up for the Egyptian in Liverpool’s final few fixtures. If anything, his goal-scoring rate is accelerating as the season progresses. The numbers for all three forwards are remarkable.

6. Can Burnley finish above Arsenal?

The gap is five points with eight games to go, although, with back-to-back wins, Burnley have arrested the sense that their season was becoming becalmed after their extraordinary start to the campaign. Arsenal should stay ahead of them although Burnley only have two fixtures left against teams who are above them – Chelsea at home, who they beat on the opening day of the season, and, interestingly, Arsenal away. Given Arsene Wenger is going to prioritise the Europa League to try and salvage Arsenal’s campaign and, he will hope, save his job, then he could well continue to field weakened teams in the Premier League. It would then be up to Burnley to see whether they have enough to take advantage of that.

7. Can Allardyce prove he deserves a full season at Everton?

The disenchantment among the supporters about Allardyce quickly re-surfaced, and having pretty much banished fears of relegation in his first few games in charge, his job was done at Everton. Performances have been poor and Allardyce’s tactics have been criticised. The expectation is that the club will look for a new head coach, with the Portuguese pair of Marco Silva – who Everton tried to lure away from Watford before appointing Allardyce – and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Paulo Fonesca appearing to be the favourites to take over.

It also seems that Everton might, in a wider clear-out, replace director of football Steve Walsh, who has overseen some poor signings, with PSV Eindhoven’s Marcel Brands. Feels like a fresh start is on its way.

8. Will all three promoted sides stay up for just the third time in Premier League history?

With West Bromwich Albion appearing doomed and Stoke City grimly clinging on, it would seem there will eventually only be one relegation place to settle. Southampton occupy it at present but, surely have enough to stay up under new manager Mark Hughes.  None of the promoted clubs – Brighton, Newcastle United or Huddersfield Town – are safe yet but Brighton appear the closest to making sure they stay up and are superbly organised by Chris Hughton. Rafa Benitez should also get enough out of Newcastle which makes Huddersfield, three points ahead of Southampton, the most vulnerable. Even so, they have a happy knack of pulling off results and, with their manager David Wagner, their fans and their sense of togetherness, they have a chance.

9. Will the unrest at West Ham cost them their Premier League status?

We will know on Saturday. West Ham face Southampton at home and the loser, if there is one, will be in deep trouble. Even a draw is tricky. In terms of the squad available to West Ham, they should not be in trouble but the toxicity around the club has taken its toll. Five home games from of their last eight should be an advantage but it does not feel like that. Maybe, just maybe, the scenes during the defeat to Burnley will be a line in the sand moment.

West Ham fan protests boils over at the London Stadium

But what happens if West Ham fall behind against Southampton? It does not bear thinking about in terms of the fans reaction. Saturday, even with seven games after that, could be make or break in deciding whether they can stay up. Even if they do, a lot has to change in the way West Ham is run and not least with their stadium.

10. Can Hughes spark Southampton into life?

Hughes may have been an underwhelming appointment for some Southampton fans but there is no doubt he is a highly-experienced and capable manager with an equally seasoned coaching staff. Appointing Hughes to the end of the season, initially, appeared a shrewd move for a club who have lost their way under Mauricio Pellegrino who, frankly, seemed out-of-his-depth. Southampton simply have too many good players to be in this position – although it has happened to teams before – but scoring goals remains a problem. Another concern is that they do not have the easiest of run-ins. It could still be touch and go for them and Saturday’s fixture away to West Ham United should be an indicator as to which way it is heading.