Friday 1 January 2016 09:04, UK
As 2015 draws to a close and we usher in the New Year, there are a number of players, managers and teams who find themselves in the spotlight.
Can Arsene Wenger guide Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2004? Can Wayne Rooney find a way to improve his form ahead of Euro 2016?
Here, we take a look...
Arsene Wenger
Will Arsenal's long wait for a Premier League title end in 2016? In a season in which the rest of the top sides are struggling, the Gunners are well-placed to take advantage. Their 2-1 win over Manchester City made them the bookmakers' favourites, and they bounced back from their 4-0 defeat by Southampton on Boxing Day to end 2015 with a 2-0 win over Bournemouth.
It puts Arsene Wenger in a good position going into the New Year. The Frenchman has delivered back-to-back FA Cups to end their silverware drought since moving to the Emirates Stadium, but the Premier League title has eluded him since 2003/04 - and now might be the best chance he gets to bring it back to north London.
Chelsea
Last season's Premier League title win feels like a distant memory for Chelsea after their dreadful start to the season under Jose Mourinho. But with the Special One now gone and Guus Hiddink in place until the end of the campaign, can they get back on track in 2016?
Mourinho had given up on the possibility of achieving a top-four finish in the weeks before his departure, but Roman Abramovich has charged Hiddink with lifting the Blues as high as possible - and the Dutchman said at his first press conference that he won't give up on Champions League qualification until it's mathematically impossible.
There is plenty of work to do to win over the supporters, who showed their disgust at Mourinho's exit during the 3-1 win over Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, and their draws with Watford and Manchester United showed they have plenty of work to do on the pitch. Hiddink needs to oversee a dramatic upturn in form to change the complexion of their season.
Wayne Rooney
It might seem unfair to question Wayne Rooney after a year in which he became England's leading goalscorer and edged closer to Sir Bobby Charlton's Manchester United record, but it has been impossible to ignore his diminishing contribution and ineffective performances.
Over the course of 2015, Rooney scored just six goals in 31 Premier League appearances despite plenty of opportunities to lead the line. The 30-year-old has come under intense scrutiny as a result, and with United in dire need of inspiration and Euro 2016 just around the corner, now would be a perfect time for the 30-year-old to raise his game and silence the doubters.
If his underwhelming performances continue in 2016, it will become increasingly for him to justify a starting spot for club or country.
Leicester
Over course of 12 months in 2015, Leicester rose from the bottom of the Premier League to the very top. Can they keep their amazing run going in 2016? Claudio Ranieiri insists the Foxes' only focus is avoiding relegation, but with 38 points on the board already, it might be time to start readjusting his targets.
Leicester's shallow squad will be tested in the second half of the season, but if they can keep hold of the likes of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez and bolster their squad in January, there is no reason why they cannot stay in and around the top four. Whatever happens next, their achievements will go down in Premier League history.
Dele Alli
Will 2016 be another year of milestones for Dele Alli? The teenager started 2015 by scoring for MK Dons in a 2-2 draw with Crawley Town, but ended it as a key player for Champions League-chasing Tottenham. He is still four months shy of his 20th birthday, but he has also earned four caps for England having added Roy Hodgson to his lengthy list of admirers.
In 2016, the talented midfielder has targets to aim for at both domestic and international level. Alli's rapid development will need to continue if Spurs are to clinch a top-four finish, and if he continues to impress he is likely to feature prominently at Euro 2016.
Hodgson's midfield is far from settled ahead of next summer's tournament, and Alli did his prospects no harm by scoring on his full debut against France in November. More of the same and Alli's rise is likely to hit new heights.
