PL Preview 25/26 Part 3: The Title Fight
We’ve covered both the relegation battle and the mid-table predictions for the 2025/26 PL season, and now we move on to the top part of the standings. Which teams will be challenging for the title, and which clubs will be battling it out for the European spots? Let’s take a look at our prediction for the top 7 in the league!
Read part 1 of our PL Prediction here.
Read part 2 of our PL Prediction here.
7) Newcastle
Top 4: 3.75
Players In: Antonito Cordero (Malaga), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Seung-soo Park (Suwon Bluewings), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton)
Back from Loan: Joe White (Leyton Orient), Antonito Cordero (KVC Westerlo)
Players Out: Martin Dubravka (Burnley), Lloyd Kelly (Juventus), Sean Longstaff (Leeds), Callum Wilson (West Ham), Isaac Hayden (Released), John Ruddy (Released) and Jamal Lewis (Released)
On Loan: Antonito Cordero (KVC Westerlo), Joe White (Leyton Orient)
Last Season: 5th
What can we expect?
Things haven’t been looking great at Newcastle this summer, with the Isak situation escalating to the point where he is now apparently trying to force a move to Liverpool, with Newcastle not keen to let him go. In addition to that, the club seems to have missed out on most of their main transfer targets, including Sesko, who chose Man Utd in the end.
Elanga has arrived from Nottingham Forest, and he should be a good addition to the squad, while Callum Wilson has left for West Ham. The Magpies supporters would certainly have hoped for a bit more action in the transfer market, and the optimism felt in the city in recent times have taken a bit hit during the last month.
Eddie Howe’s team starts with a tough match away at Aston Villa, and unless there are any late surprises, they’ll probably start with Pope in goal, with Trippier, Burn, Livramento and Schär at the back. Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton is a very strong midfield, while Gordon, Murphy and Barnes is a lively trio up front. The fact that Isak seems to be out of the team due to his insistence on leaving the club is big news, and it’ll be exciting to see what happens in this particular transfer saga.
Away against Aston Villa is a tricky opening match, and their next league fixtures is at home to title holders Liverpool, so Howe’s team is facing a tough start to the season. Nevertheless, once things settle, we feel this team is still strong enough to compete with the very best, and the likely sale of Isak should free up some money to sort a good replacement.
6) Aston Villa
Winner: 80.00
Top 4: 5.00
Players In: Marco Bizot (Brest), Yasin Ozcan (Kasimpasa), Zepiqueno Redmond (Feyenoord)
Back from Loan: Enzo Barrenechea (Valencia), Emiliano Buendia (Bayer Leverkusen), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht) Lewis Dobbin (Norwich), Joe Gauci (Barnsley), Samuel Iling-Junior (Middlesbrough), Filip Marschall (Crewe), Alex Moreno (Nottingham Forest), Kosta Nedeljkovic (RB Leipzig)
Players Out: Philippe Coutinho (Vasco da Gama), Kortney Hause (Released), Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Coventry City), Filip Marschall (Stevenage), Robin Olsen (Malmo), Rico Richards (Port Vale)
On Loan: Enzo Barrenechea (Benfica), Louie Barry (Sheffield United), Josh Feeney (Huddersfield Town), Kosta Nedeljkovic (RB Leipzig), Yasin Ozcan (Anderlecht), Sil Swinkels (Exeter City), Oliwier Zych (Rakow)
Last Season: 6th
What can we expect?
Aston Villa finished in 6th last season, and we suspect it will be more of the same from them this season. There hasn’t been any dramatic overhaul during the summer in Birmingham, despite a few players having left.
Cash and Maatsen will be hoping to contribute with their energetic runs from the full-backs, while Malen, Kamara, Tielemas and McGinn will continue to run the show in midfield for the Villains. Malen’s pace can be devastating, and he could be a key player for the club this season if he finds his best form.
Rogers played in 37 of 38 PL matches last season and will be an important figure in attack, while Watkins scored 16 goals in his 38 league matches last season. These are players that are now very familiar with each other. Aston Villa should be competing at the top this season as well, and might take advantage of Newcastle’s chaotic lead-up to the opening round when they face off in game week 1.
We think Aston Villa will end up 6th again this season, just like in the 24/25 season!
5) Man Utd
Top 4: 3.90
Players In: Diego Leon (Cerro Porteno), Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Enzo Kana-Biyik (Le Havre), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig)
Back from Loan: Jadon Sancho (Chelsea), Antony (Real Betis), Tyrell Malacia (PSV Eindhoven)
Players Out: Christian Eriksen (Released), Jonny Evans (Retired), Victor Lindelof (Released)
On Loan: Sonny Aljofree (Notts County), Daniel Gore (Rotherham), Joe Hugill (Barnet), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Radek Vitek (Bristol City), Ethan Wheatley (Northampton)
Last Season: 15th
What can we expect?
Maybe this season? It’s been a familiar tune the last few years, but there is no denying that Man Utd’s transfer market has looked extremely strong this summer. They might have taken their time to complete a couple of the moves, but Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko all look like potentially game-changing signings.
Eriksen, Evans and Lindelof has left the club, but the team has essentially not lost any of their important players. It looks like Onana will get another chance to show his worth, with Yoro, De Ligt and Shaw a potential starting defense. Amorim has a lot of options up front now, at least until Man Utd potentially sell Hojlund, who is rumoured to be on the move to AC Milan. Cunha, Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes and Sesko? It sounds dangerous, and this could be the year where we see Man Utd take a few solid steps towards their old selves.
Their opening match is at home to Arsenal, so they’ve been given a tough start to the season, but a win at home against Arteta’s men would really give them some opening momentum in the 2025/26 season, and we think they’ll make a huge jump this season and fight for the top 4 spots.
4) Man City
Winner: 4.00
Top 4: 1.24
Players In: Rayan Ait-Nouri (Wolves), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Marcus Bettinelli (Chelsea), Tijani Reijnders (AC Milan), James Trafford (Burnley)
Back from Loan: Issa Kabore (Werder Bremen), Kalvin Phillips (Ipswich), Josh Wilson-Esbrand (Stoke)
Players Out: Scott Carson (Released), Yan Couto (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin de Bruyne (Napoli), Kayky (FC Bahia), Maximo Perrone (Como), Kyle Walker (Burnley), Jacob Wright (Norwich City)
On Loan: Juma Bah (Nice), Finley Burns (Reading), Jack Grealish (Everton), Divin Mubama (Stoke), Joel Ndala (Hull City), Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (Celtic)
Last Season: 3rd
What can we expect?
Man City have signed a few solid players this summer, including Reijnders from AC Milan, a complete midfielder who scored 10 league goals in Italy last season. Ait-Nouri had a brilliant season for Wolves last year and the fans will be delighted to see what he can do on the left side.
Kevin de Bruyne will be missed, of course, but there are plenty of creative forces in play in this team, including Bernardo Silva and Gundogan. We still think this Man City is missing a bit of the ‘ooomph’ they’ve had in recent years, though, and we don’t see them managing to compete all the way at the top this season. There seems to be a bit of a shift going on in the squad lately, and they might need another season before potentially being back at their best.
Their opening match is away at Wolves, so they should be able to grab a win, but Wolves won’t want to make it easy on the Citizens. They still have a few things going for them, of course, including one of the best strikers in the world, a top class manager, and experienced winners like Ruben Dias, Gundogan and Bernando Silva, but we can’t help but feel that there is just something a little bit… off with Man City these days.
We have them in 4th place this season.
3) Arsenal
Top 4: 1.17
Players In: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea), Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Cristian Mosquera (Valencia), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad)
Back from Loan: Karl Hein (Real Valladolid), Albert Sambi Lokonga (Sevilla), Reiss Nelson (Fulham), Fabio Vieira (Porto)
Players Out: Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (Lausanne), Jorginho (Flamengo), Marquinhos (Cruzeiro), Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Nuno Tavares (Lazio), Kieran Tierney (Celtic), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Released)
On Loan:
Last Season: 2nd
What can we expect?
Have Arsenal finally found their star striker? Gyokeres has been lethal for Sporting in Portugal, including in the CL, but England is a different ball game altogether. This feels like it COULD be Arsenal’s year, but we think they’re still a bit too vulnerable to injuries for them to go all the way. On top of that, the two teams we have ahead of them in our prediction simply seem to be either slightly better or have a better momentum and/or mental strength in big games.
Arsenal face a very tough match in the opening round, away against a Man Utd desperate to show the world that they are back. Gyokeres is expected to start, with Saka and possibly Martinelli on the wings, while their midfield will probably be led by their captain, in addition to Rice and new signing Zubimendi.
Raya will put the gloves back on and should have Gabriel and Saliba, one of the best CB pairings in the world, ahead of him, with White and Lewis-Skelly likely options on the full-backs.
Can Arsenal finally do it this season? We don’t think so, although we’re excited to see how their new striker adapts to English football. Should Gyokeres hit the ground running here, Arsenal could finish even higher!
2) Liverpool
Top 4: 1.11
Players In: Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Armin Pecsi (Puskas AFC), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen), Freddie Woodman (Preston)
Back from Loan: Stefan Bajcetic (Las Palmas), Ben Doak (Middlesbrough), Calvin Ramsay (Kilmarnock), Rhys Williams (Morecambe)
Players Out: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich), Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford), Tyler Morton (Lyon), Darwin Nunez (Al-Hilal), Nat Phillips (West Brom), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
On Loan: Owen Beck (Derby), Harvey Davies (Crawley Town), Vitezslav Jaros (Ajax)
Last Season: 1st
What can we expect?
Liverpool have had a hectic summer, and many would argue that they’ve had a the best transfer window in the PL, if not in Europe. Signing Ekitike, Wirtz, Kerkez and Frimpong shows ambition, and the Liverpool fans have already seen signs of greatness from their new players in the friendlies this summer.
Slot’s team host Bournemouth in the PL opener, and Liverpool are expected to win that one with relative ease, if there is ever such a thing in the PL. We’re expecting them to start with Alisson, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk and Kerkez, with Szoboszlai and Jones/Mac Allister controlling the midfield behind Salah, Wirtz and Gakpo. New signing Ekitike should start up front.
Nunez is gone, but with Gakpo and Chiesa also competing for a spot in the starting eleven and Isak rumoured to join, things are certainly looking promising for Liverpool in attack. Will they defend their title? They just might, but we thing they could see another team surpass them, meaning it’ll be “only” 2nd place for Slot’s team this year.
1) Chelsea
Top 4: 1.58
Players In: Liam Delap (Ipswich), Dario Essugo (Sporting), Estevao (Palmeiras), Jamie Gittens (Borussia Dortmund), Jorrel Hato (Ajax), Kendry Paez (Independiente), Joao Pedro (Brighton), Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg)
Back from Loan: Armando Broja (Everton), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Axel Disasi (Aston Villa), Andrey Santos (Strasbourg), Renato Veiga (Juventus), Alfie Gilchrist (Sheffield United), Caleb Wiley (Watford)
Players Out: Mathis Amougou (Strasbourg), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Arsenal), Lucas Bergstrom (Mallorca), Marcus Bettinelli (Manchester City), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton), Joao Felix (Al-Nassr), Bashir Humphreys (Burnley), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Djordje Petrovic (Bournemouth), Ishe Samuels-Smith (Strasbourg), Zak Sturge (Millwall), Lesley Ugochukwu (Burnley)
On Loan: Leo Castledine (loan, Huddersfield), Marc Guiu (Sunderland), Kendry Paez (Strasbourg), Mike Penders (Strasbourg), Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg), Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Bolton)
Last Season: 4th
What can we expect?
Could Chelsea become the surprise of the season? The CWC winners were brilliant during the summer tournament, despite not having had the toughest draw on the way to the final. Beating PSG in the big match to lift the trophy was highly impressive, though, and we think they might be able to carry that momentum into the new season.
Joao Pedro has been a revelation since his arrival, and the former Brighton player looks like he will form a dangerous partnership with Palmer, while Gittens and Delap are two other exciting signings that the Chelsea faithful are hoping to see make an immediate impact. Defensively, question marks are still there regarding the goalkeeper position, despite Sanchez delivering a phenomenal performance in the CWC final.
Fernandez and Caicedo is a formidable duo when in form, and James, Cucurella, Tosin and Chalobah will be making sure Sanchez isn’t too busy between the sticks. The long-term injury to Colwill is a big worry however, and there might be a late replacement coming in to fill the hole in the squad created by that unfortunate incident, but Chelsea have been looking like a team with a mission lately. Can they cause a major upset here and go all the way? Chelsea is our shout for ‘Biggest Surprise of the Year’ and our choice for the 1st spot!
And there you have it! That’s the last part of our PL 25/26 Preview, and with only a couple of days left until it kicks off, we’ll soon see all the teams in action for the opening weekend. Enjoy the season!
Last Updated: 11.08.2025
Odds might have changed since the writing and/or publication of this article.
