PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTIONS: Our experts pick which side will win title, who will go down, biggest flop and best new signing ahead of the new season

It’s been a long 12 weeks since the final day of the 2025-26 season but football fans can finally rejoice – the Premier League is back. 

With a bang, too. Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle are just a clutch of the boldfaced names with new managers to keep an eye on, and anticipation is rising to see the summer rebuilds clubs have ushered in. 

Now, on the eve of the return of top-flight football, Daily Mail Sport experts Oliver Holt, Ian Herbert, Mike Keegan, Kieran Gill, Lewis Steele and make their final predictions. 

Tip to win the Premier League

Oliver Holt: Arsenal – they have made two good signings over the summer so far and sold prudently. They have strengthened from a position of strength. They look like a side that will be liberated by the confidence of being champions.

Ian Herbert: Arsenal – crossing the Rubicon to claim the title means so much, removes so much pressure. An excellent transfer window has made them stronger

Chelsea welcome Xabi Alonso to Stamford Bridge unburdened by European football and having made key summer signings

Mike Keegan: Chelsea. We saw last season what an absence of European football can do at Manchester United and I like what I have seen at Stamford Bridge this summer given their recruitment pivot. The manager is top class and the old heads they have brought in could be enough for a stunning title assault.

Riath Al-Samarrai: Arsenal. They have the best squad, the least turbulence and have dismantled the mental barriers that previously dominated these conversations. The team to beat.  

Kieran Gill: Arsenal. They are more settled than everyone else with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea going through transitions under new managers. I’m not sure it will even be a close title race.

Lewis Steele: Arsenal. Best team by a distance last season. Manchester City were only close because the Gunners kept on stumbling and keeping them alive. Now, Mikel Arteta’s men will not have the tag of ‘bottlers’ or ‘chokers’ and that will free them up. I’d not be surprised if they won by 10 or more points. 

Matt Barlow: Arsenal. Long time since they won back-to-back but strong and stable with main rivals in various degrees of flux. Bruno Guimaraes will improve them. Confident in the knowledge they have what it takes. Free from the anxiety of old. 

Bobby Manzi: Arsenal appear stronger than last season, so this will no doubt be proved foolish come the end of the season. But Chelsea have an intelligent manager, have added experience to their squad and no European football to contend with – enabling them to focus on domestic glory. Alonso, against all odds, won the league invincible at Bayer Leverkusen. Chelsea look a good outside bet. 

Completing the top four

Oliver Holt: Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea. For different reasons, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak had disappointing seasons with Liverpool last season. Both can flourish this year and Liverpool have new signings to complement them. Chelsea have a first class manager, no European commitments and a more realistic recruitment policy. City have the muscle-memory of previous greatness.

Ian Herbert: Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United. Something about Roberto de Zerbi’s energy allied to the big spending makes me think Spurs will be a big story this season. Chelsea on the up, too, but transition time for Manchester City and Liverpool

Mike Keegan: Arsenal will not be far off. You can’t judge City on a Community Shield but, for me, the jury remains firmly out on Enzo Maresca. Liverpool will improve under Andoni Iraola.

Alexander Isak endured a difficult first season at Liverpool but will be a major weapon fully fit

Riath Al-Samarrai: Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea. I don’t envision any of them making a sustained run on Arsenal, but a lot will depend on how quickly Liverpool adapt to Iraola’s style. That’s typically a slow process and a rapid finish. I can see them leading the chase. 

Kieran Gill: Chelsea in second, City in third, Liverpool in fourth. Perhaps I’m thinking a tad optimistically on behalf of Xabi Alonso, but he is a good manager who has wielded his influence this summer.

Lewis Steele: Liverpool. People are sleeping on the ability of a much-improved Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Their XI is very good but beyond that, it is a worry. Manchester City because they have a deep squad and did not deserve the overreaction or ridicule that came after losing a glorified friendly but losing Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva, Rodri and John Stones in the same summer rips their heart out. I’ll go with Chelsea in fourth as I like Xabi Alonso.

Matt Barlow: Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man City. I’m expecting Xabi Alonso to get a tune out of the mass of talent at Chelsea, Liverpool’s big signings from 2025 to improve and City to fade post-Pep Guardiola and post-Rodri but still have lots of quality and Erling Haaland’s goals.  

Bobby Manzi: Arsenal, Man United, Man City. Arsenal are nailed on for the top two but will find the first couple of weeks without William Saliba difficult. Manchester United have executed intelligent summer business – they had to improve their midfield and they have. Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba are a great blend. As long as Michael Carrick was not a one-hit wonder, they will be up there. A new era at Manchester City but they still have a strong squad to creep into the top four. 

The three going down

Oliver Holt: Newcastle almost got sucked into a relegation battle last season. Since then, they’ve lost their biggest asset, Eddie Howe, and their three best players, Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali. Their Saudi owners appear to have disconnected. I like Gary O’Neil, the Ipswich boss, but Ipswich are a classic yo-yo club. And I don’t think Hull have enough to stay up.

Ian Herbert: Fulham, Coventry and Ipswich. Fulham seem a perfect storm: inexperienced new manager, good players have left, an attempt to introduce new system to a club lacking intensity last season. There’s a bond about Hull City. I suspect they’ll be OK.

Newcastle have seen their ranks depleted and a successful manager depart ahead of the start of the season

Mike Keegan: Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Hull City. I’ll probably be the only one predicting Sunderland and I wish I wasn’t because they’re a great club with great fans but they massively overachieved last season and European football this time around could be a killer.

Riath Al-Samarrai: Hull, Ipswich, Fulham. That’s putting a certain amount of faith in Coventry, but Fulham have lost a strong manager and their best player in Harry Wilson. I think they’ll struggle. 

Kieran Gill: Ipswich, Hull, Sunderland. I have a hunch that Coventry under Frank Lampard will surprise us, while Sunderland may struggle juggling European football with everything else.

Lewis Steele: Going to be boring and say the three promoted teams. I do think Sunderland will struggle from a bit of second-season syndrome but I think they have just enough quality with Enzo Le Fee, Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey et al.

Matt Barlow: Ipswich, Hull, Coventry. Those coming up can all take inspiration from last season’s survivors and there some established teams should be worried by the radical summer of change including Newcastle, Fulham and Palace but the gap still yawns.  

Bobby Manzi: Coventry, Hull, Ipswich. Quite simply, the promoted sides are not better than any of the other 17 sides. Coventry have the best chance of staying up but they are lacking in defence. 

The biggest overachievers will be

Oliver Holt: Spurs – they have bought well in the summer and in Roberto de Zerbi, they have one of the best managers of this generation. Like Chelsea, they have no European football to drain their resources. They’ll put their recent struggles behind them in style although they could do with a new striker.

Ian Herbert: Everton – drab end to last season obscured the way that David Moyes, such a fine and still underrated manager, has rescued them from annual purgatory. Some good recruits this summer. Moyes buys well. Europe calls.

Mike Keegan: Chelsea, followed by Coventry, who I think will defy the odds and stay up.

Riath Al-Samarrai: Brentford. Again. A smart club with a smart plan and they haven’t been raided quite like Brighton, who would be my second choice if they didn’t have to content with European commitments.  

Kieran Gill: I may have hinted at this in my previous answer, but I’ll plump for Coventry. I’m not saying they will suddenly secure Europe. That’s a stretch. Somewhere towards the midtable would be cool.

Lewis Steele: A Brighton or Bournemouth could really flourish but may be held back by Europe. After finishing 17th twice in a row, lowly relegation fodder Spurs might climb up the table…

Tottenham have recruited intensely over the summer, luring Sandro Tonali from Newcastle in a bid to avoid a third 17th-place finish in three seasons

Matt Barlow: Leeds – finished last season at a gallop and reinforced in the summer market. Three winnable home fixtures to start at fortress Elland Road can build a platform for a strong season as others from mid table tackle complications of Europe 

Bobby Manzi: Brentford. They were so close to Europe last season – missing out on goal difference. Many tipped them to go down under Keith Andrews and they defied expectation. This season, they may just get Europe. With Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Brighton all playing on Thursday nights, the teams in the middle of the pack could suffer a drop-off in the league. Brentford have kept the majority of their squad from last season together and added sprinkles of quality such as Mamadou Sangare in midfield. They appear well positioned. 

The biggest underachievers will be…

Oliver Holt: Manchester City – I know I’ve got City down to finish in my top four but I don’t think they’ll challenge for the title. It’s always tough when a great manager leaves a club after a long time in charge and I don’t think it will be any different for City. It’s a huge test for Enzo Maresca.

Ian Herbert: Newcastle – car crash summer from a club the Saudis couldn’t be bothered to administer properly, now led by a managerial novice. You’re well out of it, Eddie.

Mike Keegan: Manchester United. There is time left in the transfer window for United to strengthen but, as things stand, I do not think they have made the additions which will deliver another Champions League finish.

Riath Al-Samarrai: A three-way tie between Manchester United (thin squad), Newcastle (decimated squad and technical area) and Aston Villa (great expectations after last season but a pretty horrible summer of departures).

Kieran Gill: Aston Villa. As good of a manager as Unai Emery is, Villa have sold some big names this summer, from Morgan Rogers to Lucas Digne to Youri Tielemens, so I’m concerned they may struggle.

Aston Villa have seen their squad stripped of a number of key talents and have European tests to come later in the season

Lewis Steele: Newcastle. The bubble has burst. I did think it was probably right for Eddie Howe to move on but losing Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon in the same window stinks.

Matt Barlow: Aston Villa. Challenging season ahead for Unai Emery. Lost Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne. Ezri Konsa leaving. Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins unsettled. Key staff gone, too. And has a Champions League campaign to plot. 

Bobby Manzi: Bourmemouth. It’s only natural to have a comedown after last season, finishing sixth on 57 points and securing Europa League football for the first time. Much like with Palace last season, playing Thursday-Sunday will take its toll domestically. A bottom-half finish but a strong European return for the Cherries. 

Player of the season

Oliver Holt: There are early signs that Arsenal may have cast off the nerves that afflicted them last season. If they play with more freedom and justify their tag as favourites, Bukayo Saka may rediscover his best form.

Ian Herbert: Declan Rice was the orchestrator and architect of so much about Arsenal last season. I can see him running a side that’s feeling mentally released and free.

Mike Keegan: Cole Palmer. A summer off is incredibly rare in this world of saturated football and the mysteriously-omitted England winger will have a barnstormer.

Riath Al-Samarrai: Easy answer would be Haaland, again, but I’ll go with Odegaard at Arsenal. He looks fit and sharp again, which wasn’t always the case last season, but it’ll be interesting to see how Arteta constructs the puzzle with Rice and Guimaraes (who might well be the star turn – the guy can do everything). 

Cole Palmer has had a summer off after an injury-stricken season and should be raring to go

Kieran Gill: Joao Pedro. Just because of what I’ve seen of him in Chelsea’s handful of pre-season games. He’s looking like a superstar, and it is understood he is set to sign a new contract.

Lewis Steele: Since I cover Liverpool I will keep my regular readers happy by going with Isak. I’ll look silly when he does his hamstring on Sunday.

Matt Barlow: Alexander Isak. Back to full fitness after his awful first season at Liverpool and sure to enjoy Andoni Iraola’s full throttle style. 

Bobby Manzi: Erling Haaland. Goals, goals, goals. At the World Cup, Haaland proved he can find the back of the net regardless of who is around him – scoring seven in five matches. He’s a machine. Nobody will get close to him.

Signing of the summer (so far)

Oliver Holt: Jordan Henderson – not just because he still retains much of the quality he had in his prime but because he is a symbol of a change in approach that Chelsea desperately needed. Xabi Alonso has some brilliant young players at his disposal but it has to be leavened with experience and Henderson and Danny Welbeck are fine professionals who will provide that.

Ian Herbert: Bruno Guimaraes will look even classier in a world class midfield and his presence will free up Rice. Some tandem they’ll be. The £75m salary may come to look excellent value.

Mike Keegan: Youri Tielemans. For the first time in a long time, Manchester United have signed a player who looks like a Manchester United player. I think he’ll settle quickly at Old Trafford and a much-needed all-round presence in midfield.

Riath Al-Samarrai: Harry Wilson to Leeds for nothing. 

Kieran Gill: Arsenal’s £75m landing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle. He should fit into that midfield beside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard nicely.

Bruno Guimaraes represents a coup for Arsenal’s recruitment after his move from Newcastle

Lewis Steele: I like some of the low-key ones like Joao Gomes to Aston Villa and Ousmane Diomande to Nottingham Forest and Antonio Silva to Bournemouth. But for the sake of picking one I’ll go Matheus Fernandes.

Matt Barlow: Maxence Lacroix. Should bring much needed leadership and maturity to the heart of Chelsea’s young team and not bad value in today’s world of head-spinning fees. 

Bobby Manzi: Youri Tielemans. Manchester United have been gradually improving their squad to mount a title charge by 2028. Last season they bought a new forward line; this season it is the midfield. £35million for one of the best midfielders in the league who is in his peak is the best pound-for-pound signing of a window where midfielders are moving for £100m-plus. Technical Tielemans will give United control of games from deep alongside contributing goals and assists. 

The signing I’m not sure about is…

Oliver Holt: It hasn’t happened yet but if it does, I think Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City would be a mistake that would upset the balance and the ethos of the club.

Ian Herbert: Andrey Santos. A curious and very substantial £50m layout on a player who doesn’t really seem to have proved himself as a stellar talent at Chelsea. Odd summer for United.

Mike Keegan: James Trafford. I like Trafford. He’s down-to-earth, a character and clearly a talented shot-stopper. However, in this era of set-piece coaches and goals from corners, I do wonder if he has the physical presence to ensure he lives up to his £40m fee.

Riath Al-Samarrai: Sandro Tonali at Tottenham. The price tag is astronomical. 

Kieran Gill: Alejandro Garnacho. Aston Villa have taken a chance on him with a loan – and a conditional obligation to buy – and he has a ton to prove.

Alejandro Garnacho remains a risky deal for Aston Villa after his uneven season in west London

Lewis Steele: Carlos Baleba to Manchester United if it happens. Brighton fans don’t seem bothered about him leaving.

Matt Barlow: Elliot Anderson. Quality player but a huge fee brings great expectation and a difficult time to join Manchester City at the end of an era. 

Bobby Manzi: Luka Vuskovic. A teenage defender with a very high ceiling but £50m is a significant outlay for a centre-back who hasn’t played in the Premier League and still has plenty of development ahead of him. He will make mistakes this season – he’s young. Brighton just have to hope he fulfils his potential and eventually reaches his projected future sell-on value. After all, their model is based on calculated risks.

Manager with the most to prove

Oliver Holt: It has to be Enzo Maresca. Following Pep Guardiola is the toughest task in world football and that is Maresca’s fate. Far from universally popular at Leicester City, he left Chelsea in difficult circumstances. I’m not sure he has the personality or the people skills to lead a club of City’s size. If he does, he will join the elite of world coaching.

Ian Herbert: Enzo Maresca. The expectation will be that the prophet of Pep will simply pick up his reins, but history, his own temperament and the Community Shield tell us otherwise. Spectre of those 115 Premier League charges still a shadow on the wall.

Mike Keegan: Xabi Alonso. He got the big gig and, to say it didn’t go well, would appear to be a significant understatement. Arrives at Stamford Bridge with a big point to prove post-Real Madrid, and I think he will do just that.

Enzo Maresca is stepping into enormous shoes at the Etihad as he replaces his former boss Pep Guardiola at Man City

Riath Al-Samarrai: Enzo Maresca at Manchester City, obviously. Seemed a little too pleased with some half-decent work at Chelsea and those shoes he is filling at City are huge.  

Kieran Gill: Enzo Maresca. Following Pep Guardiola is no easy task, but Manchester City paid Chelsea a total of £17m to hire him. That brings immediate pressure at a club used to winning.

Lewis Steele: Enzo Maresca. Everyone is out to get him as we saw with the vultures descending on a glorified friendly defeat against the best team in the country. He has a lot of doubters to silence. Same goes for Andoni Iraola, Xabi Alonso, the list goes on…

Matt Barlow: Enzo Maresca. Just the 15 major trophies in 10 years for Pep Guardiola, follow that. 

Bobby Manzi: Alvaro Arbeloa. Arbeloa is a bit of an unknown quantity. Interim at Real Madrid for five months at the end of last season, having previously held youth roles, this is his first genuine crack at senior management. His record at Real was okay with a 64.29 per cent win rate, losing eight games. That would be more than acceptable at Fulham, not so much at Real. But he was credited for how he lifted the dressing room after a tough spell under Alonso. Fulham have enjoyed stability in recent years under Marco Silva: Arbeloa must show he can provide that.