PL 2026/27 Preview Pt. 2: Mid-Table
The PL’s middle third may be the hardest section of the table to predict. We’ve got seven clubs we believe could make a serious push towards the European positions. Equally, a couple of injuries, an unsuccessful transfer window or a difficult managerial transition could send them towards the bottom half. Here is how we assess the PL’s middle third heading into the 2026/27 PL season.
Bournemouth enter the season after finishing sixth and qualifying for Europe, while Newcastle United are trying to recover from a turbulent summer that has transformed both their coaching staff and playing squad.
Brighton and Brentford continue to challenge the financial hierarchy through intelligent recruitment, Everton finally appear to have escaped the cycle of annual relegation battles, and Crystal Palace and Fulham begin new eras under different managers.
Read Part 1 of our PL 26/27 preview here.
Read part 3 of our PL 26/27 preview here.
Read part 1 of our Italian 26/27 season here, with part 2 and part 3 also available.
Read our preview of the French 26/27 season here.
Read our preview of the Spanish 26/26 season here.
Bournemouth
Last season: 6th
Manager: Marco Rose
Finishing sixth should make Bournemouth one of the easiest teams in the league to assess. Instead, they are one of the most intriguing.
Andoni Iraola transformed Bournemouth into a European club before leaving for Liverpool, and replacing him without destroying what made the team successful is Marco Rose’s first challenge. The early evidence is encouraging.
Rose’s football shares several characteristics with Iraola’s. His teams press aggressively, attack quickly after winning possession and are comfortable turning matches into high-intensity contests. That should reduce the adjustment period.
Pre-season has reinforced the point. Bournemouth have remained unbeaten during their preparations, with convincing victories against St Pauli and Augsburg followed by a 2-2 draw against Real Betis.
The Betis game also demonstrated the competitive edge Rose is trying to maintain, although Alex Scott’s red card was a reminder that aggression needs to remain controlled. There has been significant squad movement.
Marcos Senesi has joined Tottenham, removing an important defender, but Antonio Silva has arrived to strengthen the centre of defence. The Portugal international should help Bournemouth address one of last season’s weaknesses. They were vulnerable in the air and from set pieces, and Silva gives Rose another physically strong defender with experience at CL level.
Alvaro Rodriguez has also arrived after an encouraging season with Elche and provides another centre-forward option.
That attacking position remains particularly interesting. Evanilson is an established PL striker, while Daniel Jebbison may receive more opportunities following Enes Unal’s move to Getafe. Bournemouth therefore have several different options rather than relying entirely on one forward.
The complication is Europe. Last season Bournemouth could concentrate almost entirely on domestic competition. Now Rose must manage Thursday night European fixtures alongside the PL. That changes everything from squad rotation to recovery time. Bournemouth have earned their place in Europe. Staying there may prove considerably harder.
Betsmith verdict: Bournemouth are good enough to challenge the top seven again, and Rose looks like a sensible replacement for Iraola. European football is the major unknown. A slight league regression would not necessarily represent a disappointing season.
Newcastle United
Last season: 12th
Manager: Matthias Jaissle
Newcastle have spent the summer dismantling one team and attempting to build another. Eddie Howe has gone. So have Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali.
Those are not peripheral squad players. They were three of the footballers around whom Newcastle’s rise had been constructed. That explains why predicting their season is so difficult.
Matthias Jaissle was appointed at the beginning of August and immediately inherited one of the biggest reconstruction jobs in the PL. There are new faces. Bazoumana Toure provides pace and attacking potential after arriving from Hoffenheim, while Aladji Bamba has joined from Monaco.
Newcastle have also invested in the goalkeeper position, bringing in Lukas Hornicek from Braga and Ewen Jaouen. But replacing the departed star players requires more.
The midfield is particularly important following the losses of Guimaraes and Tonali. Newcastle explored a move for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but that deal didn’t happen, while Benfica defender Amar Dedic could be signed shortly.
Jaissle therefore begins the season with a squad that may still look substantially different when the transfer window closes. At least his first experience in the dugout was positive. Newcastle came from behind to beat Valencia 2-1 at Mestalla, offering an early glimpse of the intensity Jaissle wants from his team.
His style should not require Newcastle to completely reinvent themselves. Aggressive pressing and energetic football were also central to their identity under Howe. The personnel are the bigger issue.
Lewis Miley has an opportunity to assume far greater responsibility in midfield, while Malick Thiaw should remain an important defensive figure. Newcastle also have one advantage many of their direct competitors lack: no European football.
Jaissle will have full weeks on the training ground and fewer demands on his squad. Given the amount of change at St James’ Park, that could be extremely valuable.
Betsmith verdict: The league’s biggest wildcard. Newcastle have lost too many outstanding players to assume they will immediately return to Europe, but the transfer window is not finished. Their final position may depend more heavily on the remaining weeks of August than that of almost any other club.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Last season: 8th
Manager: Fabian Hurzeler
Brighton’s eighth-place finish told two different stories. One was another successful PL campaign from a club that continues to outperform many wealthier rivals. The other was a missed opportunity.
Only seven points separated Brighton from fifth place, and their failure to convert enough of their chances prevented them from finishing even higher. That problem has become more significant following Danny Welbeck’s move to Chelsea.
Welbeck scored 13 league goals last season. No other Brighton player managed more than five. Finding those goals elsewhere is therefore the central question facing Fabian Hurzeler. Brighton’s summer recruitment has again concentrated heavily on young players with development potential.
Zadok Yohanna, Costinha and Rodrigo Rego have arrived, while the defence has undergone substantial work. Pascal Struijk has joined from Leeds and Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham, helping compensate for Jan Paul van Hecke’s move in the opposite direction.
Michael Svoboda provides another defensive option. The turnover does not feel particularly alarming. Brighton have built their entire model around accepting that successful players will leave and identifying replacements before those departures become damaging.
The bigger issue is centre-forward. Georginio Rutter can contribute goals and creativity, but Brighton need someone capable of consistently turning their attacking football into goals. Pre-season has provided evidence that the rest of the team is functioning well.
A 4-1 victory against Wycombe was followed by an impressive 3-0 win over Roma, with Yasin Ayari scoring twice. Brighton also have European football to consider after qualifying for the ECL.
That creates a similar problem to Bournemouth: success brings additional fixtures, and additional fixtures test squad depth. Brighton have experience of European football from previous seasons, but Hurzeler will still need to rotate carefully.
If they find enough goals, there is little reason why Brighton cannot threaten the European positions again.
Betsmith verdict: Probably the strongest candidate to outperform this middle-third classification. Brighton’s structure remains excellent and the defence has been refreshed intelligently. Their ceiling depends heavily on whether they can replace Welbeck’s goals.
Brentford
Last season: 9th
Manager: Keith Andrews
Brentford were one point away from turning a very good season into something historic. Ninth place does not fully illustrate how close they came to Europe.
They finished level on points with Brighton and only one behind seventh place, continuing the club’s remarkable ability to compete against teams operating with significantly larger budgets.
Keith Andrews deserves considerable credit. His first season as head coach could easily have become a transitional campaign. Instead, Brentford remained organised, competitive and extremely difficult to play against. The challenge now is finding another level.
Jaidon Anthony should help. The winger scored eight PL goals for Burnley despite their relegation and gives Brentford another player capable of contributing from wide areas. Callum Wilson provides something completely different.
His injury history means Brentford cannot expect him to play every week, but a proven PL striker arriving without a transfer fee represents a potentially valuable addition.
Igor Thiago remains the primary centre-forward, and both he and Wilson scored in the 4-2 pre-season victory over Rennes. Jannik Schuster is another signing with longer-term potential after arriving from Red Bull Salzburg. Brentford’s concern is at the other end.
They conceded 52 league goals last season, and their defensive record was considerably less impressive than their final position. If Andrews wants to move from ninth towards Europe, Brentford probably need to become harder to score against rather than simply adding more attacking options.
Their recruitment model gives them a chance. Few PL clubs have been better at identifying players capable of immediately performing above their market value. The problem is that every step upwards becomes progressively harder. Brentford are no longer surprising anyone.
Betsmith verdict: Another top-half finish is realistic. Anthony and Wilson strengthen an already useful attack, but defensive improvement is required if Brentford are going to turn European ambition into European qualification.
Everton
Last season: 13th
Manager: David Moyes
Boring would have sounded wonderful to Everton supporters a few years ago. Last season they finally got something close to it. Everton finished 13th with 49 points, comfortably removed from the relegation drama that had dominated several previous campaigns.
David Moyes has restored stability. Now Everton need to discover whether stability can become progress. The summer suggests they are trying. Hayden Hackney has joined from Middlesbrough and should become an important part of the midfield following Idrissa Gueye’s departure.
Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl have also completed permanent moves after their loan spells. The latest addition could be the most significant. Brennan Johnson has joined from Crystal Palace, with Dwight McNeil moving in the opposite direction.
Johnson’s short spell at Palace did not work as hoped, but his previous PL performances demonstrated his ability to provide goals from wide positions. That is exactly what Everton need. They scored only 47 league goals last season.
Iliman Ndiaye provides creativity and unpredictability, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall can create from midfield, but Everton have lacked enough players capable of consistently converting chances.
Johnson should help. Beto and Thierno Barry will continue competing for the central striking position, and Moyes will hope the additional threat from wide areas makes both more effective. The summer has also brought the end of an era.
Seamus Coleman has departed after 17 years with the club, leaving an enormous leadership void even if his playing role had reduced. Pre-season has been mixed rather than alarming.
A convincing victory over Dundee was followed by a goalless draw against Bolton and defeat to Stuttgart. James Garner’s groin problem has also disrupted his preparations, although he is expected back around the start of the league season.
Everton finally have a platform from which to build rather than repair. That makes this season unusually interesting.
Betsmith verdict: Everton should be looking towards the top half rather than the bottom three. Johnson addresses an obvious need for more goals, while Moyes has made the team difficult to beat. Breaking into Europe is probably too ambitious, but another step forward is achievable.
Crystal Palace
Last season: 15th
Manager: Pierre Sage
Crystal Palace were one of the strangest teams in England last season. They finished 15th in the league. They also won the ECL, brining home their first European trophy ever. Those two facts explain both the potential and the frustration surrounding Palace.
Oliver Glasner has now departed after an enormously successful period in cup competitions, with Pierre Sage taking over. His first job is improving Palace’s league consistency. Scoring goals was a major problem last season.
Palace managed only 41 in the PL and repeatedly failed to convert promising attacking situations.
The squad has also lost an important defender, with Maxence Lacroix joining Chelsea. Oscar Mingueza has arrived from Celta Vigo and offers flexibility across the defence, while Takehiro Tomiyasu provides extensive PL experience.
Tomiyasu’s fitness record is the obvious concern, but his versatility makes him extremely useful if Sage intends to use different versions of a back three. The attacking picture has also changed since we assessed Palace earlier in the summer.
Dwight McNeil has now joined from Everton, with Brennan Johnson moving the other way. McNeil gives Palace a proven left-footed creator who can deliver from wide areas and set pieces. That should help a team that too often lacked an effective final ball last season.
Adam Wharton remains central to everything Palace want to do in midfield, and there is enough technical quality around him for the team to perform considerably better than 15th.
Pre-season has been unpredictable. Palace beat Swindon 5-1 before losing 3-0 to Bromley and 3-0 to Lens. More encouraging results followed, including victory against Al Ula and a 2-1 behind-closed-doors win over Fulham. That inconsistency perhaps suits a club entering a managerial transition.
Sage has inherited talent. His job is making Palace’s league performances resemble the team capable of winning trophies.
Betsmith verdict: Palace should improve on 15th if Sage settles quickly. McNeil adds creativity and Tomiyasu could prove excellent business if fit. The loss of Glasner introduces uncertainty, but there is enough quality here for a comfortable mid-table season.
Fulham
Last season: 11th
Manager: Alvaro Arbeloa
Fulham have quietly become one of the PL’s most stable clubs. This summer threatens that stability. Marco Silva has gone, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking charge after his spell at Real Madrid.
The appointment is intriguing but carries obvious risk. Arbeloa knows elite football, but managing Fulham in the PL requires a very different skill set from working at the Bernabeu.
He also inherits a squad that has lost important players. Harry Wilson’s move to Leeds removes 10 goals and seven assists from last season’s team. Raul Jimenez has departed, while Issa Diop has joined Ipswich. That is a significant amount of experience and attacking production to replace.
Fulham were initially slow in the transfer market, but their business has now begun to accelerate. Jonah Kusi-Asare’s loan from Bayern Munich has become permanent, while Shea Charles has completed his move from Southampton.
Charles is a particularly interesting addition. The midfielder gives Arbeloa another physically strong and technically capable option in the centre of the pitch and, at his age, should still have significant room to develop. More attacking creativity is still required.
Fulham created only 41 big chances last season, the lowest total in the PL, even with Wilson in the team. Removing their most productive attacking midfielder without adequately replacing him would be dangerous.
Pre-season has not completely eased those concerns. Fulham have drawn with Al Ahli and lost 2-1 to Palace behind closed doors, with Stuttgart still to come at Craven Cottage. Results are secondary at this stage.
How quickly Arbeloa can establish his football is far more important. There is enough PL experience throughout the squad to avoid immediate panic, but Fulham look less settled than they have for several seasons. The remaining transfer business matters.
Betsmith verdict: Fulham have enough quality to remain a mid-table club, but they carry more downside risk than most teams in this article. Losing Silva and Wilson in the same summer is significant. Charles is a good addition, but further attacking reinforcement would make their outlook considerably healthier.
Betsmith prediction: How will the middle third finish?
This group contains two very different types of club. Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford are looking upwards.
All three have recently demonstrated that intelligent recruitment and strong coaching can overcome substantial financial disadvantages. Bournemouth actually finished sixth last season, while Brighton and Brentford both came close to the European positions.
Then come Newcastle, Everton, Palace and Fulham. Newcastle possess the financial power and ambition to belong much higher, but the scale of their summer reconstruction makes immediate improvement difficult to predict.
Everton appear to be moving in the opposite direction. After years of instability, Moyes has created a platform from which the club can finally start looking upwards. Palace have enough quality to improve considerably on 15th, although replacing Glasner creates uncertainty.
Fulham may face the most difficult season of the seven. Arbeloa is an intriguing appointment, but Silva’s departure and the loss of Wilson leave important questions unanswered. Our projected middle seven is:
8. Bournemouth
9. Newcastle United
10. Brighton & Hove Albion
11. Brentford
12. Everton
13. Crystal Palace
14. Fulham
Bournemouth are our choice to finish highest, although European commitments could prevent them from repeating last season’s sixth place.
Newcastle are exceptionally difficult to rank. Their position at the end of August could look far more encouraging if Jaissle receives several significant additions before the transfer window closes.
Brighton and Brentford should again provide evidence that successful PL teams do not necessarily require enormous budgets.
Everton are moving in the right direction, Palace should have enough quality for another comfortable season, while Fulham complete our middle third.
Recommended bet
Everton to finish in the top half at 2.20.
Everton’s 13th-place finish last season provided the stability Moyes needed as a foundation.
Hackney strengthens the midfield and Johnson adds a much-needed source of pace and goals from wide areas. The gap between Everton and the clubs immediately above them is not enormous, and another year under Moyes should make them more consistent.
A European challenge may be asking too much, but breaking into the top 10 looks achievable.
You can find all our PL odds, including match odds and outrights, here.
Last Updated: 21.08.2026
Odds might have changed since the writing and/or publication of this article.
