Premier League Predictions: Arsenal and City Face New Challenges

Manchester City wobble, Arsenal surge and a Premier League power map gets redrawn before a ball is kicked in anger. Even the bookmakers are flinching.

City’s shield shock and a post‑Pep hangover

Manchester City, winners of six of the last nine Premier League titles, were thumped 3-0 by Arsenal in the Community Shield in Cardiff. A curtain-raiser, yes, but not one the market ignored.

Arsenal’s dominant display, coupled with confirmation that World Cup 2026 standout Rodri is heading to Barcelona, has sharpened the sense that City under Enzo Maresca are stepping into a turbulent post‑Pep Guardiola transition.

Before Sunday, Arsenal were around 6-4 to retain their crown. After that statement win, some firms clipped them to 5-4. City, double domestic cup winners last season but beaten to the league, have drifted from 11-2 to 7-2. Liverpool sit at 6-1. Chelsea and Manchester United are at 8-1, Tottenham way out at 28-1, Aston Villa at 66-1.

Two years ago, almost nobody in this panel wanted to bet against City making it five in a row. A year ago, the mood swung to Liverpool after Arne Slot’s shock title in his first season and an eye-watering spending spree. They promptly finished fifth and Slot was sacked at the end of his second year. Arsenal do not inspire quite the same rush to the bookies now, but nobody is writing them off either.

Christine can claim one of the few bragging rights. She predicted her beloved Liverpool would not retain their title in 2026, hedging with “first or fourth”. None of our four Manchester United fans last year dared put them in the top four. Niall even argued for an “unasked for” fifth, which now looks prophetic as we’ve moved to a top‑five system. I had United second, behind my own team Liverpool, and tipped Aston Villa for third. Only John also had Villa in the top four. This year, we even have a bona fide Villa fan, Dave, on board.

My own wild card, Nottingham Forest, never quite caught fire, but John lays out their case again below. It’s part of the justification for stretching predictions to five places, especially now that the unofficial “Big Six” feels more like a “Big Seven”: Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Villa and Spurs.

Two years back, Scott and a couple of others nailed the top four clubs, if not the exact order. Last year, nobody managed it – Chelsea were in almost everyone’s list and finished 10th.

This time, I expect a London surge, inspired by Arsenal, with Chelsea to the fore. My five:

• Chelsea
• Arsenal
• Liverpool
• Tottenham
• Brentford

And a note from our boxing columnist Jay: he’s been unable to file his thoughts on City due to a serious family situation in Zambia, and sends his apologies.

Leeds: survival, nostalgia and a push for mid‑table

PAUL GALLIGAN, LABOR ATTORNEY, LEEDS UNITED

Leeds United stayed up. In this league, that alone counts as a serious achievement. With Coventry joining from the Championship, and Leeds and Sunderland already back, the Premier League suddenly has an old‑school edge to it.

Paul expects Leeds to kick on now, to become a solid mid‑table outfit with an outside shot at Europe if they can add another reliable goalscorer. James Trafford, Tarik Muharemović and Harry Wilson have arrived as first‑team signings, but the squad still looks thin.

He sees the top five as familiar faces despite the managerial churn:

• Chelsea
• Arsenal
• City
• United
• “Pool” – in that order.

The World Cup? He enjoyed it, rated the refereeing highly, especially the official in the final, and still hopes FIFA “goes up in flames”.

Everton: a new home, old frustrations and Moyes 2.0

JAMES ROGERS, NEW YORK EVERTONIANS

Everton head into a second season at the gleaming Hill Dickinson Stadium with David Moyes trying to wake a side that sleepwalked through the run‑in. Their European push disintegrated with three points from the last seven games, leaving long‑suffering fans furious.

Fresh faces bring fresh hope: Christian Norgaard, Hayden Hackney and Brennan Johnson, the latter arriving in a swap that sent Dwight McNeil to Crystal Palace. But the fanbase is obsessed with one thing – a right‑back. The search has become a saga.

Transfer noise swirls around Iliman Ndiaye and the possibility of Jack Grealish returning to Royal Blue. Ndiaye lit up the World Cup with a cameo against Iraq. Grealish had been superb for Everton before injury wrecked his season and his World Cup dream.

James Garner, unlucky to miss the World Cup, will be central again, as will Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall and England No.1 Jordan Pickford, fresh from his heroics in the U.S. and Mexico.

Evertonians, settled into their shiny new home on the Mersey, now demand progress.

James’s top five:

• Man City
• Arsenal
• Man Utd
• Liverpool
• Chelsea

Liverpool: boycott, upheaval and the search for cohesion

CHRISTINE KINEALY, HISTORIAN, LIVERPOOL

Christine and her family boycotted the World Cup in person, despite the games being close by, as a protest against corruption at the top of the sport. Instead, they watched Liverpool play Wrexham at Yankee Stadium and followed most World Cup matches on TV, even staying up for 2 a.m. kick‑offs in Ireland. Their chosen sides, Scotland and Cabo Verde, went out early.

She tipped France to win and was relieved it wasn’t Argentina, despite Lionel Messi and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister. Spain, who lifted the trophy, were “worthy victors” and their midfielder Víctor Muñoz has since joined Liverpool. Nine other Liverpool players went to the tournament, including three for the Netherlands.

Now the focus is back on Anfield. The Arne Slot era was short and patchy. Heavy spending did not translate into a cohesive side and when matches imploded, Slot rarely found solutions. New manager Andoni Iraola faces the task of rebuilding confidence and structure.

Already, there are signs of a more direct approach: high pressing, forced turnovers, zonal counter‑pressing. Klopp’s influence is clear, but Iraola adds his own tweaks. Some of this was visible in Slot’s first season before he drifted into caution. Pre‑season has been mixed; the system needs time.

Liverpool have again left it late in the window, with Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo among the arrivals. The squad may still face a bumpy ride, but Iraola’s Premier League experience should help the new back‑line recruits settle. Core players have rallied before. And there is always the intangible “Kop Factor”.

There will be no Mo Salah or Andy Robertson to summon it. Both leave behind a legacy of magic and resilience. The involvement of Jeff Bezos at the club, by contrast, is “disappointing and unwelcome” in Christine’s eyes.

She accepts that changes in coach, players and ownership may delay a full resurgence, but sees enough promise in the style of play to believe in a new, more authentic era.

Her prediction: Liverpool to finish third.

Tottenham: from horror film to De Zerbi rescue act

DOM STINGAS PACZKO, TOTTENHAM

For Dom, last season at Spurs felt like a horror movie. A malevolent force dragging everyone towards oblivion, until an unlikely hero appears in the final act.

He had been cautiously optimistic about Thomas Frank replacing Ange Postecoglou’s gung‑ho chaos. By October, it was obvious it wasn’t working. Dom warned his dad they could end up in a relegation fight. The board and many fans dismissed the idea. By the time Frank was sacked – too late, Dom insists – Spurs were in real trouble.

Igor Tudor’s brief stint barely merits a mention. The saviour was Roberto De Zerbi. He reignited the dressing room, restored belief and pushed the team back on the front foot. Dom is adamant: without De Zerbi, he’d be previewing trips to Preston North End and Lincoln City instead of another Premier League campaign.

The board took heavy flak after Daniel Levy’s tenure ended and their early decisions looked chaotic. Now, they appear to be learning. The wage structure has been overhauled, allowing Spurs to compete for higher‑calibre signings, and their transfer business – both in and out – looks sharper. Losing Cristian Romero and Djed Spence would once have sparked meltdown. This time, the squad building has softened the blow.

Spurs still need two or three attack‑minded additions to mount a serious top‑four push, but for the first time in years there is a coherent plan off the pitch and genuine belief on it.

Dom’s top five:

• Arsenal
• Chelsea
• Manchester City
• Aston Villa
• Tottenham – if they sign those extra forwards; otherwise, Manchester United.

Arsenal: champions, swaggering and stacked

SCOTT SILVER, ARSENAL

Scott is finally doing what Arsenal fans have long dreaded: predicting another title. He believes they “got the recipe correct” last year and sees no compelling reason they can’t repeat.

Plenty of Arsenal players impressed at the World Cup – “not you Havertz,” he notes – and now return to a side that looks loaded. Gabriel Martinelli may be on his way out for £38m, but the club are circling new names. Bukayo Saka is fit again, Declan Rice is among Europe’s elite midfielders, and with Eberechi Eze, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard, Scott calls it “almost an embarrassment of riches”.

He missed much of the World Cup bar the USA games, but watched both semi‑finals and the final and has no complaints about Spain’s triumph.

His Premier League top five:

• Arsenal
• Man City
• Liverpool
• Man Utd
• Chelsea

Manchester United: Carrick’s calm revolution

JOE BEHAN, MANCHESTER UNITED

Joe sees a title challenge on the horizon – if Michael Carrick stays put. Carrick walked away from the United coaching staff in 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking and his own exhaustion. Four years later, he returned as head coach and then manager, and the transformation was immediate.

The squad gelled, United surged to third and Champions League football. Kobbie Mainoo and Benjamin Sesko were restored to the XI and “played out of their skins”, as did most of the squad. Joe argues United played the best football in the league under Carrick, and their best since Sir Alex Ferguson left.

His top five:

• Arsenal
• Manchester United
• Manchester City
• Aston Villa
• Liverpool

The World Cup, for him, belonged to Spain’s possession game. Too many matches overall, but the final eight made it worthwhile. Lisandro Martinez was the only United player to reach the final; the other 12 had middling tournaments.

Newcastle: a dismantled side and a German rebuild

JOHN SPINKS, NEWCASTLE UNITED

For John, the U.S.‑hosted World Cup turned watching football into a full‑time job. While everyone was glued to screens, Newcastle were quietly dismantled.

Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and, most recently, Bruno Guimaraes have all gone – to Barcelona, Spurs and Arsenal respectively. Eddie Howe then walked away three weeks before the season opener against Liverpool at St James’ Park.

In steps German coach Matthias Jaissle, hand‑picked by the Saudi ownership and bringing his own staff. Time will judge that call.

The core of the defence remains: Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Dan Burn, Lewis Miley and Malick Thiaw are now seasoned. They will need to guide a wave of young arrivals. Goalkeeper Ivan Jaouen, 20, 6ft 7in, comes from Reims with a reputation for being “good with his feet”. Midfielders Mohamed Bamba (from Monaco) and Silvano Steur (from Ajax) join, as does Park Seung, the Korean youngster who blossomed last season. All are 20 or under.

John calls it a hybrid squad with exotic ingredients. Maybe a German chef can get them cooking.

Off the pitch, the death of Kevin Keegan hit Tyneside hard. The shrine of scarves, shirts and flowers outside the ground showed the depth of feeling. A further tribute is planned for the opening fixture, adding emotional weight to an already delicate moment. It feels like the end of another era.

His prediction:

• Man City
• Man Utd
• Arsenal
• Villa
• Sunderland – “for divilment”.

United again: expectation, pressure and noisy neighbours

RAY O’HANLON, MANCHESTER UNITED

Ray charts United’s journey from mid‑table frustration to top‑four expectation. By any neutral measure, last season was progress. By United standards, it is only a start.

Carrick’s calm stewardship after Ruben Amorim’s tenure has earned him the job outright. He will need that composure as United juggle a title tilt, Europe and domestic cups.

Pre‑season offered mixed signals: three wins, a draw and a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan, now managed by Amorim. The highlight was a penalty shoot‑out win over Leeds at Croke Park in front of 82,000 – a record crowd for soccer in Ireland. The Milan loss, Ray suggests, might be more valuable than the wins; there is plenty to study from it.

Carrick wants more signings, ideally one marquee addition on top of four summer arrivals, including midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea. The academy, as ever, lurks as a potential source of stars.

Targets? The Premier League first, though Arsenal will not give up their title easily. Top four is a must. Finishing ahead of Manchester City is a daily prayer for United fans.

The pressure starts immediately with newly promoted Hull City visiting Old Trafford this weekend.

Ray’s five:

• Arsenal
• Manchester United
• Liverpool
• Aston Villa
• Everton

Villa: Emery’s machine and a teenage sensation

DAVE HANNIGAN, ASTON VILLA

Dave writes in the afterglow of a Super Cup win over PSG, where 17‑year‑old Brian Madjo tore into the French champions and sent the English media into a frenzy. He urges caution – it’s a glorified friendly – and trusts Unai Emery to keep feet on the ground.

Emery is the reason Villa can realistically aim for a Champions League quarter‑final and another top‑four push. That ambition survives even after Morgan Rogers left for Chelsea, Youri Tielemans joined Manchester United, and with Ezri Konsa possibly departing before the window shuts.

For Dave, the manager is more important than any of them. Emery has repeatedly made his teams more than the sum of their parts. Viktor Lindelof, mocked by some when he arrived on a free from United, started 27 games, filled in admirably in midfield and contributed throughout.

“In Emery we trust,” Dave writes, even as he frets over Alejandro Garnacho’s arrival. The Argentine’s talent is clear, but his temperament will test even Emery’s restorative skills.

Keep Boubacar Kamara fit, keep John McGinn’s low centre of gravity as immovable as ever, and get Ollie Watkins over the insult of just 56 World Cup minutes, and Villa should at least match last season.

His top five:

• Chelsea
• Manchester City
• Liverpool
• Aston Villa
• Manchester United

Liverpool again: transition, injuries and unanswered questions

MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN, LIVERPOOL

Michael saw little of the World Cup but rooted for Argentina because of Messi – and because the forward was driven by his father’s illness. He wants FIFA to strip goals in the third‑place play‑off from Golden Boot calculations, arguing Messi had more impact on the tournament than Rodri.

At club level, he hopes Mac Allister carries his World Cup form into the new season after a slow start last year. Isak’s “terrific” goal for Sweden offers similar hope.

Liverpool, he says, are still in transition and have failed to strengthen key positions. Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Leoni remain long‑term absentees. Michael was happy to see Slot go; he felt the coach’s style held the team back. Iraola, though, will need time, reinforcements and returning players to hit the level Liverpool can reach.

He expects Spurs – his boyhood club in the Jimmy Greaves era – to do well, praises their recruitment and new manager, and believes United will struggle to match last season while also contesting the Champions League.

He wonders aloud when the investigation into Manchester City’s practices will conclude. Aston Villa, he notes, started slowly last year; if they begin better, they could soar. He also questions whether teams will cope better this time with Arsenal’s corner routines, which yielded so many goals.

His reluctant top five:

• Man City
• Arsenal
• Aston Villa
• Liverpool
• Tottenham

United, again and again: stars, flaws and a familiar unpredictability

ANTHONY C. MURPHY, MANCHESTER UNITED

Anthony’s World Cup notes are a scattergun tour of United’s squad.

Bruno Fernandes, he says, cannot fully shine with Cristiano Ronaldo still on the pitch for Portugal. Diogo Dalot barely featured. Manuel Ugarte and Uruguay underwhelmed. Casemiro has left United, Matheus Cunha is talented but inconsistent, and Brazil were poor outside their hammering of a woeful Scotland.

He’s unsure if Tyler Fletcher saw any minutes. Morocco impressed him and Noussair Mazraoui looked more authoritative than he does at Old Trafford. For England, Marcus Rashford had to fight Anthony Gordon for a spot but did well, even if he still loses the ball at key moments. Rashford remains, in Anthony’s view, a better finisher than dribbler.

Kobbie Mainoo, he insists, is United’s best player alongside Bruno and is badly underused. Lisandro Martinez was a steady presence for Argentina, who, in Anthony’s eyes, descended into petulance in the final.

Amad Diallo, for Ivory Coast, caught his eye most. He didn’t always start but scored against Ecuador and Norway, becoming his country’s youngest ever scorer. The first goal was “excellent and dramatic”.

Back at United, Anthony sees the same old unpredictability. They were “lucky” to finish third, benefiting from others fading late. New signings Santos, Orozco and Tielemans may help, and he dreams of a Tielemans‑Mainoo axis for stability. Goalkeeper Lemmens veers between brilliant and woeful.

His call: a top‑five league finish, an early European exit, and maybe an FA Cup win. The top three? Arsenal, City and Liverpool – “predictable”. Unless Rodri leaves, he adds. Without him, City might stumble. And then the update lands: Rodri has, in fact, joined Barcelona.

Liverpool voices: frustration, fatigue and thin optimism

STEPHEN BOLAND, LIVERPOOL

Stephen feels vindicated. He said last year that Slot won with Klopp’s team and Klopp’s style, then tried to impose his own blueprint and lost the plot. The football turned dour, the big signings underwhelmed, and injuries – notably to Isak – piled up. Florian Wirtz looked lost. Salah was a shadow of himself. It was, he says bluntly, “a pretty poor year”.

He enjoyed the expanded World Cup more than he expected. The 48‑team format didn’t dilute quality, though he disliked Argentina’s approach and what he saw as Messi‑centric coverage and favourable calls.

He’s glad most Liverpool players, bar Mac Allister, avoided deep World Cup runs. He hopes that translates into better cohesion and that last season’s injured core can finally kick on.

His top five:

• Arsenal
• Liverpool
• Man City
• Man United
• Chelsea

United, one more time: title talk and a Rashford revival

NIALL O’LEARY, MANCHESTER UNITED

Niall loved the World Cup but never wants to hear the phrase “hydration break” again. United’s limited impact at the tournament, he argues, is a blessing: the squad is rested and ready for the season of their lives.

He goes all in: Manchester United to win the Premier League. This, he says, is their moment. Most contenders have new managers and new systems to bed in. United don’t. Carrick was appointed on January 13 – his father’s birthday – and Niall sees that as a good omen.

If Arsenal are unlikely to retain the title, and everyone else is adjusting to new bosses, why not United? He predicts a 14th Premier League crown and names Marcus Rashford, now wearing No.14, as player of the season. Rashford has, in his words, “fed the children” and returned from his wanderings on La Rambla ready for a second coming.

His top five:

• Manchester United
• Manchester City
• Arsenal
• Liverpool
• Chelsea

Chelsea: scars, Maresca’s exit and cautious belief

PAUL FINNEGAN, CHELSEA

Paul tipped Chelsea for the title last year. They finished 10th. He’s honest enough to admit it doesn’t say much for his forecasting, but points out they were at least in the distant conversation until City fluttered their eyelashes at coach Enzo Maresca. His departure, Paul believes, derailed the season.

He felt genuinely sorry for Cole Palmer, who missed out on England’s World Cup squad and never hit his previous heights. Exhaustion and injuries played their part. One glaring stoppage‑time miss at Stamford Bridge against Leeds, which would have won the game, summed up his campaign.

This year, Paul reins himself in – a little. He has Chelsea second. The squad is rich in talent, he argues, and the club has finally added experienced heads in Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. No European football should help focus minds on domestic competitions. Crucially, Xabi Alonso is not the coach but the manager. Paul wants the non‑football people at Chelsea to stop meddling.

He’s happy Arsenal won the league last year – if only so he can stop feeling sorry for them, as he can now do with Mayo in the GAA. He believes Arteta’s side have everything they need to repeat and even mount a serious Champions League run.

He expects Liverpool to thrive under Iraola, thinks Maresca will need time to emerge from Guardiola’s shadow at City, and backs Villa to stay strong. But he sees United improving more and slots them into fourth. Spurs will be better, he says, but the field ahead of them is simply too strong.

Paul’s top five:

• Arsenal
• Chelsea
• Liverpool
• Manchester United
• Aston Villa

The odds say Arsenal and City. The panel splinters in every direction – United believers, London dreamers, Villa romantics, Liverpool realists. Rodri has gone, Guardiola has gone, and Maresca walks into the storm. One question hangs over all of it: who actually wants this title most, now that Manchester City suddenly look human again?