2025/26 predictions: Champions, top four, best promoted team and more

With the 2025/26 Premier League season just a few days away, here are some predictions for the new campaign

Who will win the title?

Adrian Clarke: Arsenal

After knocking on the door for three seasons in a row, Arsenal will be fired up to make sure this is their time. The squad investment has been strong this summer, and the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres could be a game changer. The Gunners are capable of topping 90 points.

Adrian Kajumba: Liverpool

From an already strong position as champions, Liverpool have only improved further with impressive, big-money summer buys such as Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong. With more arrivals potentially to follow, they are the team to beat again.

Alex Keble: Manchester City

Pep Guardiola has dramatically shaken things up this summer with a string of new signings that ought to make Man City faster and sharper than the passive team we saw in 2024/25. Coupled with Rodri’s return and former Liverpool coach Pep Lijnders rejuvenating their training sessions, that should ensure City blow the cobwebs away – and maintain Guardiola’s record of never going more than a single season without lifting the league title.

Ben Bloom: Man City

Of course Liverpool are the obvious choice and, frankly, there’s very little reason to think they won’t successfully defend their title. But it’s easy to forget just how dominant Man City have been under serial winner Guardiola, who has strengthened in key areas this summer and has Rodri back from injury.

Dan Edwards: Man City

I believe four teams have what it takes to win the Premier League this season and this increases the probability that the winner won’t be crowned until very late in the campaign. During the Guardiola era, it’s in these periods of intensity that Man City have flourished. It’s also worth mentioning that Guardiola has managed in 16 top-flight seasons to date and has never failed to win the league in successive campaigns.

Ninad Barbadikar: Arsenal

Arsenal get my vote for this season. They’ve added real quality in depth this summer and addressed their need of firepower up front, so this feels like the year it will come together for them.

Who will finish in the top four

Clarke: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea

I don’t see a change in the top four this season, only in the order they finish. All of these clubs have spent big money on quality reinforcements and I feel it’s highly likely that City and Chelsea will improve on last campaign. Liverpool are an outstanding side and after adding Wirtz and Ekitike they are very capable of winning back-to-back titles but history shows that is not easy at all. Can Mohamed Salah be as brilliant yet again? It is a big ask.

Kajumba: Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City

Last season’s top four will retain their places having all significantly strengthened to keep themselves ahead of the chasing pack. However, Chelsea’s finish to 2024/25 suggested they are capable of improving again and bettering last season’s fourth-place finish.

Keble: Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea

Liverpool and Arsenal have both strengthened brilliantly and, with Man City, could give us our first proper three-horse title race in a decade. After winning two trophies last season, Enzo Maresca should keep Chelsea's train on track, at the very least ensuring they make the top four.

Bloom: Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal

Barring something surprising, it looks a fairly closed shop for the top four this season; the big question is in which order they will finish. Arsenal have their sights set on going one better than their three successive second-place finishes but I think Chelsea are building something proper under Maresca and can shock some people.

Edwards: Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea

Each of these teams have already upgraded their squads over the summer and in my opinion have pulled further away from the other 16 teams in the division. I don’t believe there will be a great deal to separate their underlying performances, and each is capable of claiming top spot.

Barbadikar: Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea

Given the state of play across the top four contenders, these four teams have added valuable depth to a pre-existing solid core of players.

Surprise package?

Clarke: Nottingham Forest

Would it be a surprise to see Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest flying high again? In the eyes of many, I suspect the answer is yes! New signings Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus look like great fits to me and having held onto all their key men except Anthony Elanga, I don’t see why a major drop-off is being predicted. Yes, coping with European football will be tough but Forest are a well-oiled machine who are capable of pushing for the top eight again in 2025/26. Under Nuno they will always be hard to beat, especially at the City Ground.

Kajumba: Everton

Everton produced top-six form following manager David Moyes’ return in January. Heading into their new era at Hill Dickinson Stadium, they should be aiming to have a season looking up rather than down.

Keble: Brighton & Hove Albion

Despite losing Joao Pedro, a player with 16 goal involvements in 2024/25, Brighton are better placed than anyone to break into the European qualification spots. Head coach Fabian Hurzeler will have learnt a lot from his debut year in English football, and he – like the £250-million of new signings last summer – will be bedded in for 2025/26. Tellingly, Brighton won 27 points from the first 19 matches of last season and 34 from the second 19.

Bloom: Fulham

The truth is there weren’t really many surprises in the last Premier League season, aside from Manchester United and Spurs' lowly positions. Even Forest eventually failed to muscle their way into the top six. Do I see anyone doing so this season? No. But I think Marco Silva continues to do good things at Fulham. I also have a hunch about Moyes’ Everton

Edwards: Chelsea

I realise Chelsea are hardly minnows but what I believe will surprise the average spectator is just how quickly the Blues could transform from top-four hopefuls to title contenders. The average age of Chelsea's starting XI in the Premier League last season was 24 years and 36 days - the youngest ever by a team in a single campaign in the competition. They finished fourth, while winning both the Uefa Conference League and the Fifa Club World Cup. Expect them to flourish in year two under Maresca.

Barbadikar: Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are my surprise package for this season. They’ve appointed the right successor to take Ange Postecoglou’s work forward and I think they will be in and around the top six come the end of the campaign.

Promoted team to finish highest

Clarke: Leeds United

Daniel Farke’s side scored 95 Championship goals last season, which is way more than Burnley (69) and Sunderland (58) managed. That threat inside the final third sets them apart from the other promoted teams. In terms of the squad, they have the most Premier League-ready players. Signing strong, physical stars this summer, they seem to have recognised the need for a tactical change and in my view that is a positive sign.

Kajumba: Sunderland

Their transfer business has been eye-catching, adding a mix of exciting talents and experience to their squad. Their ambition cannot be faulted as they look to avoid the problems making the step up that have plagued promoted sides in recent seasons.

Keble: Sunderland

Like Forest and Aston Villa before them, Sunderland have splurged well over £100m straight after promotion, impressively adding both quality and experience. Staying up is going to be a monumental challenge, although Forest and Villa, who also came up via the play-offs, managed to survive.

Bloom: Leeds

Their respective summer transfer dealings have shown that none of the promoted sides are going to die wondering. Huge sums of money have been spent by all three to stay in the top flight. Much will depend on how those new boys settle but Championship winners Leeds have the highest starting point in terms of pre-existing squad depth. They look like the team who are most Premier League-ready.

Edwards: Sunderland

Sunderland’s transfer window would be impressive for a club of any stature, never mind one that had just been promoted. The likes of Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra and Granit Xhaka aren’t just brilliant players, they are brilliant players who fit Sunderland’s needs perfectly and will instantly raise their floor.

Barbadikar: Leeds

Leeds get my backing on this one. They’ve already got a squad that is physically well equipped for the top flight and have done well to bring in a number of useful summer recruits that will make them hard to beat.

Three teams to be relegated

Clarke: Brentford, Burnley, Sunderland

Promoted teams find it hard to bridge the gap and I just don’t know if Burnley and Sunderland will score enough goals. Tipping Brentford to go down is a reluctant shout but with a rookie coach (Keith Andrews) now in charge, Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard gone and possibly Yoane Wissa to follow, this could be a really challenging campaign. Seeing your head coach and three best players depart has to be considered a nightmare summer.

Kajumba: Brentford, Leeds, Burnley

I fear for Brentford due to the damaging losses of key players and head coach Thomas Frank. Burnley have also been badly hit too and I suspect they and Leeds will come up short in their attempts to buck the recent trend of promoted sides going straight back down.

Keble: Brentford, Burnley, Leeds

Most likely, Sunderland will finish in the bottom three and it’ll be three consecutive years of the newly-promoted clubs going down but for the sake of making things interesting, let’s imagine the scenario in which Brentford’s summer of upheaval proves too much to bear. Burnley’s brilliant defensive record in the Championship is unlikely to translate in the top flight, while Leeds just don’t have enough quality to compete with an extremely strong Premier League bottom half.

Bloom: Burnley, Brentford, Sunderland

Despite splashing a vast amount of cash on new signings, Sunderland will do extremely well to stay up. Given the leaders they have lost this summer, I fear for Brentford. I think Burnley stand a fair chance of survival but have gone for them to occupy the final relegation spot.

Edwards: Burnley, Brentford, Leeds

Burnley have a strong scouting department and a keen eye for talent but I don’t think they’re currently able to attract the level of player that is needed to survive in the Premier League. Brentford are in an incredibly tough spot, in that they are set to lose a group of high quality players in addition to losing one of the best managers in the league and it is a huge ask for Andrews to step in for what is his first managerial role. Leeds do have the potential to be competitive, and their signings so far have been smart but without the addition of a quality striker, winger and attacking midfielder, they could suffer in attack.

Barbadikar: Burnley, Brentford, Wolves

Burnley had the strongest defensive record in the EFL Championship but I think they’ll absolutely struggle to lean on that in the Premier League. Brentford have lost big personalities this summer in addition to Frank, it will not be easy for them to sustain life in the Premier League. Wolves came dangerously close to the relegation fight last season and without sufficiently replacing Matheus Cunha, they could be in serious trouble come the end of the season.

Bold prediction for the season

Clarke: Salah will not get more than half of the 29 Premier League goals he scored last season.

It feels outrageous to say it but I would not be shocked if Liverpool’s superstar, at 33 years of age, sees his form tail off a bit. I’m predicting 14 or less league goals from the Egyptian maestro.

Kajumba: Cole Palmer to match Thierry Henry's record.

Palmer finished last season with a flourish and will pick up where he left off to become just the second player in Premier League history to record both 20+ goals and 20+ assists after Thierry Henry in 2002/03.

Keble: Brentford to be relegated.

Andrews is a complete novice when it comes to management, so much so he was reportedly overlooked for the MK Dons job earlier this year. But he is tasked with navigating the loss of Mbeumo, Norgaard and possibly even Wissa. If so, that’s 39 Premier League goals that need replacing. Take off the 10+ points Frank’s tactical brilliance added and Brentford might be in trouble.

Bloom: Dominic Solanke to score 25 goals.

The former Chelsea, Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth man has only reached double figures in one solitary Premier League campaign and had a mixed, injury-troubled first season leading the Spurs line. I’m backing him to shine in 2025/26 though. The signing of Mohammed Kudus and development of Mathys Tel should help.

Edwards: A team will score fewer than 20 goals.

This would be a first for the Premier League, with the record low tally of 20 currently held jointly by Derby County (2007/08) and Sheffield United (2020/21).

Barbadikar: Man Utd will finish in the top five.

They have been buzzing in pre-season, the players have looked physically more well equipped and without European competition to worry about, Ruben Amorim should lead his team to a top-five finish.