A look ahead at the 2025/2026 English Premier League season outlining the best future bets, outright bets, picks, predictions, and previews!
Contents:
- Arsenal to Finish in the Top 2
- Chelsea Over 69 Points
- Brentford Under 41 Points
- Sunderland to Finish Above Brentford
- Martin Ødegaard 10+ Assists
- Bruno Fernandes 10+ Assists
Arsenal to Finish in the Top 2
Odds:
- American: +100
- Decimal: 2.00
- Fractional: 1/1
Arsenal enter the 2025/26 campaign on the back of three consecutive runner-up finishes. The question now is whether they can finally clear the last hurdle and be crowned Premier League champions for the first time since their Invincibles season in 2003/04.
Last season, Arsenal finished second in the league with 74 points, falling 10 points short of Liverpool’s title-winning tally of 84
This season’s race to the title will likely be a highly contested one as high-spending defending champions Liverpool, last season runner-ups Arsenal, rebuild-ready Manchester City, and FIFA Club World Cup winners Chelsea all look to chase down the title.
First, a quick look at Arsenal’s largest title rivals this upcoming season.
Liverpool:
First, let’s talk about the defending champions, Liverpool. I believe that the title race will come down to two clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal. Liverpool have lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, and have let Dawin Nunez go to Al Hilal, Luis Diaz go to Bayern Munich, and Jarell Quansah to join Bayer Leverkusen.
Liverpool having sold some high-end players (and yes, that includes Trent since Real Madrid decided they needed him for the FIFA Club World Cup), more than dipped into the transfer market over the Summer window so far.
Key additions include:
Hugo Ekitike – Eintracht Frankfurt
Jeremie Frimpong – Bayer Leverkusen
Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen
Milos Kerkez – Bournemouth
Liverpool’s additions through the transfer market will make them a hard team to beat in the Premier League this season and I believe them to be Arsenal’s toughest opposition when contending for the title. Liverpool are also still looking to secure the signing of Newcastle United’s Isak, should their efforts be rewarded with Isak’s signature, Liverpool will easily look the most dangerous side heading into the 2025/2026 season.
Manchester City:
Manchester City enter the new season aiming to reclaim the Premier League title after a year of regression. This summer saw major changes, with Kyle Walker joining Burnley after his loan spell at AC Milan and club legend Kevin De Bruyne leaving for Napoli.
Pep Guardiola is tweaking his philosophy, giving players more freedom and adding ball progressors like Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Aït-Nouri to complement talents such as Doku, Savinho, and Marmoush
While the signings look promising, City’s rebuild could bring early challenges. Adapting to new tactics takes time, and they’ll begin the campaign without Bollaon D’Or winner Rodri for at least the first three matches – a potentially very costly absence.
Chelsea:
Chelsea are another club with a segment to read in this article, so here’s a quick summary without giving too much away for the next section.
Coming off their global triumph as winners of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea have made a clear statement of intent in the transfer window, with many players exiting and many new faces arriving.
I believe Chelsea have a stronger squad this season compared to last and expect them to battle closely with Manchester City for third place in the Premier League. They should comfortably secure a top-four Champions League spot, but I don’t see them posing a serious threat to the Premier League title by season’s end.
Who did Arsenal Sign this Summer?
Viktor Gyökeres — Sporting CP
Martín Zubimendi — Real Sociedad
Cristhian Mosquera — Valencia
Christian Nørgaard — Brentford
Noni Madueke — Chelsea
Kepa Arrizabalaga — Chelsea
In short, Gyökeres arrives to fill the missing piece Arsenal have long sought: an out-and-out striker. Zubimendi comes in to take on the pivotal defensive midfield role vacated by Thomas Partey, while Nørgaard provides depth in the same position following Jorginho’s departure. Mosquera, a young Spanish centre-back from Valencia, adds depth behind the likes of Gabriel and Saliba.
Kepa Arrizabalaga joins from Chelsea in a £5 million deal to serve as the new backup goalkeeper. Noni Madueke, also arriving from Chelsea, will offer attacking options on either wing for Mikel Arteta.
Who did Arsenal Sell this Summer?
Nuno Tavares — Lazio
Kieran Tierney — Celtic
Jorginho — Flamengo
Takehiro Tomiyasu — Contract terminated
Thomas Partey — Released by club (Joined Villareal)
Raheem Sterling — Chelsea (end of loan)
Neto — Bournemouth (end of loan)
In short, Arsenal parted ways with both Thomas Partey and Jorginho this summer as they look to refresh the defensive midfield position with the arrivals of Martín Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard.
Arsenal Quickfire Lineup Points:
- Arsenal have their internationally-regarded defensive duo in Gabriel and Saliba at the back.
- Viktor Gyökeres joins from Sporting CP with an intent to score many goals.
- Ødegaard, Saka, and Gabriel return to full health.
- Leandro Trossard is still with Arsenal and available as an alternative left winger to Martinelli.
- 15-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman has played a decent amount in preseason and may be featured in the Arsenal squad in a limited fashion for the upcoming Premier League season.
- Noni Madueke joined from Chelsea and will provide further options for Mikel Arteta’s wing attackers.
- Nwaneri will likely split his minutes played between a 10 role, covering for Martin Ødegaard, and his right wing role when covering for Bukayo Saka.
- New arrivals Zubimendi and Nørgaard bring Arsenal a completely new look at the CDM position.
Will Arsenal Improve from Last Season?
Yes, with Arsenal’s work in the transfer window I do believe that they will see improvement in quality of play, goalscoring, and total points from last season. Will it be enough to be crowned champions though?
The Pick
Pick: Arsenal to Finish in the Top 2
Chelsea Over 69 Points
Odds:
- American: -138
- Decimal: 1.72
- Fractional: 8/11
As mentioned earlier, Chelsea enter the 2025/26 season as world champions, following their triumph at the FIFA Club World Cup over the summer.
The Blues have been busy in the transfer market, making several key moves already, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down with more business expected before the August 31st deadline – and that’s where we’ll begin.
Who did Chelsea Sign this Summer?
Estêvão – Palmeiras
Liam Delap – Ipswich Town
João Pedro – Brighton
Jamie Gittens – Borussia Dortmund
Jorrel Hato – Ajax
Dario Essugo – Sporting CP
Chelsea made several significant signings over the transfer window, although Estêvão’s deal was finalized before the summer, he’s now fully part of the squad and deserves mention. Liam Delap and João Pedro arrive at Stamford Bridge aiming to stake their claim for the central forward or striker roles, as Chelsea look to move on from Nicolas Jackson. Jamie Gittens joins from Dortmund, adding even more firepower to Chelsea’s attacking options. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Jorrel Hato arrives from Ajax, bolstering the defensive ranks with fresh talent.
With all of these deals already official, Chelsea are still actively seeking the signature of Xavi Simmons from RB Leipzig as both the club and the player would like the move to be completed before Deadline Day and the deal looks almost a sure thing.
Who did Chelsea Sell this Summer?
This list is long – but, outlined are the major transfers out of Chelsea:
João Félix – Al Nassr
Kiernan Drewsbury-Hall – Everton
Kepa Arrizabalaga – Arsenal
Lesley Ugochukwu – Burnley
Armando Broja – Burnley
Đorđe Petrović – Bournemouth
João Félix finally makes a permanent move after getting a call from his international teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo. Drewsbury-Hall heads to an ambitious Everton side, while goalkeepers Kepa Arrizabalaga and Đorđe Petrović both leave, joining Premier League clubs Arsenal and Bournemouth respectively.
Chelsea’s Premier League Points Totals in Recent Seasons
- 2022/2023: 44 points
- 2023/2024: 63 points
- 2024/2025: 69 points
Chelsea Poised for Premier League Top-4 Finish in 2025/26
Chelsea’s aim this season will be to win the Premier League title against all odds, however, I see them finishing the season in a tightly contested battle with Manchester City for the third place spot in the Premier League behind Liverpool and Arsenal. Chelsea will make their return to the UEFA Champions League following their top four finish last season alongside their UEFA Conference League title and FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea face a tough and busy schedule this season, especially with the step up to the UEFA Champions League. That’s one big reason they’ve brought in so many high-quality (and expensive) signings this summer. With all these new faces, there will no doubt be challenges along the way, but Chelsea have enough quality across the squad to rotate effectively and keep their players fresh throughout the campaign.
Chelsea’s Preferred Starting XI:
Levi Colwill is set to miss most, if not all, of the 2025/26 Premier League season after undergoing surgery on a torn ACL. His absence is a huge blow for Chelsea, as he was outstanding last season and a key pillar in Enzo Maresca’s defensive setup. With Colwill sidelined, we’ll likely see a rotating cast of central defenders filling in throughout the campaign.
Chelsea’s (debatable) preferred starting XI looks as such:
Although the graphic illustrates Chelsea’s current best XI in my opinion, I am unsure as to how often Enzo Maresca will have Chelsea play with the central defender pairing of Hato and Chalobah solely due to their age and inexperience. Chelsea captain, Reece James, returns to the Premier League fit but will have his position in the Chelsea side in contest as Malo Gusto has proven to be a very quality left-back also available for the Blues.
Chelsea look set to land Xavi Simmons in the coming weeks, and he’d likely slot straight into the starting XI. He could take up a role on the left wing in place of Gittens, or play centrally with superstar Cole Palmer shifting to the right and Pedro Neto dropping to the bench.
Beyond the Simmons pursuit, I also expect Chelsea to dip back into the transfer market for a goalkeeper yet again. Robert Sánchez’s spot could be under serious threat. Sanchez’s distribution is shaky, and he’s prone to making costly mistakes.
Chelsea’s Key Players
With all of the quality that Chelsea have, with all of the players that Chelsea have at their disposal, there are only three key players I can outline in Chelsea’s squad that are 100% necessary in seeing the Blues achieve success; having these players remain healthy and fit is paramount to Chelsea’s season.
Enzo Fernández: A well-oiled machine in Chelsea’s midfield. Out of possession, he sits deep in the CDM role, but when Chelsea have the ball, he pushes forward into an attacking midfield position. In the FIFA Club World Cup this past summer, Chelsea noticeably struggled whenever Enzo wasn’t on the pitch. Keeping him fit will be absolutely vital.
Cole Palmer: He was brilliant last season and now is the most valuable player in Chelsea’s star-studded squad. Palmer brings creativity, vision, and a clinical edge in front of goal, making him almost impossible to replace in Maresca’s setup.
Moisés Caicedo: One of Chelsea’s key men, without question. His partnership with Enzo Fernández is among the best midfield pairings in the Premier League. Having both of them healthy and starting together will be crucial for Chelsea’s success this season.
The Pick
Chelsea will look to have their new stars settle in comfortably and will embark on a season where they will be hunting down the UEFA Champions League places once again. I believe that Chelsea will be in a close battle with Manchester City come the end of the season with both clubs comfortably making it into the top four places.
Chelsea just hit the 69 point plateau last season and I expect them to climb over it in the 2025/2026 season with an improved squad and improved depth.
Pick: Chelsea Over 69 Points
Brentford Under 41 Points
Odds:
- American: +120
- Decimal: 2.20
- Fractional: 6/5
Why the Bees Could Finish Below 41 Points
With the 2025/26 Premier League season just around the corner, Brentford prepare to kick off their campaign on Sunday, August 17, away at Nottingham Forest. But while Brentford have defied the odds in recent years, this season could mark a turning point for the worse.
Brentford’s Summer Exodus Signals Trouble Ahead
Brentford’s 10th-place finish last season, with a solid 56 points, was a testament to the tactical brilliance of Thomas Frank and the club’s smart recruitment strategy. But that success has come at a cost. This summer has seen a mass exodus that could derail their Premier League stability.
Key players Bryan Mbeumo and club captain Christian Nørgaard have departed for Manchester United and Arsenal respectively. Thomas Frank, the architect of Brentford’s rise, left for Tottenham Hotspur, taking much of his trusted backroom staff with him. Rumors of Yoane Wissa pushing for a move add even more uncertainty to an already unstable squad.
A New Era Under Keith Andrews
New manager Keith Andrews steps into Brentford’s managerial role as a first time manager after being promoted from Brentford’s set-piece coach to their managerial position. Andrews was brought into Frank’s coaching staff in June of 2024, arriving from Sheffield United where he held a backroom staff role under Chris Wilder.
While Brentford’s data-driven philosophy remains, replicating Frank’s overachievement without his leadership will be a major challenge. The loss of star talent, combined with a new tactical identity, puts the Bees at serious risk of regression.
Andrews inherits a squad lacking depth and lacking Premier League match changing ability. With Mbeumo gone and Wissa likely to follow, Brentford could struggle to create chances, let alone score consistently. Defensively, leadership voids in midfield raise major questions about structure and resilience.
The Pick
Given the current state of Brentford’s squad, finishing the 2025/26 season with more than 41 points feels like a stretch. The club faces a steep learning curve under new management, and there’s no clear replacement for the influence of Mbeumo, Nørgaard, or Yoane Wissa.
While Brentford’s model has worked wonders in the past, the 2025/26 Premier League season may expose its limits. Expect a sharp drop in form, increased pressure, and a serious fight for survival.
Pick: Brentford Under 41 Points
Sunderland to Finish Above Brentford
Odds:
- American: +162
- Decimal: 2.62
- Fractional: 13/8
Sunderland or Brentford? A Relegation Battle in the Making?
With Brentford’s potential downturn in the upcoming season, the door is swung open to clubs looking to potentially leapfrog them in the league table and crawl their own way out of potential relegation battles. AFC Sunderland look to do just that. While the Bees struggle with a depleted squad and backroom staff, Sunderland enter the upcoming campaign with a fresh look of rejuvenation. We need to discuss the potential of AFC Sunderland and how that potential may compare to the regression of Brentford.
AFC Sunderland’s Premier League Return: Why the Black Cats Are Ready to Compete in 2025/2026:
The 2024/2025 EFL Championship season conclusion saw AFC Sunderland grant themselves promotion to the English Premier League following their EFL Championship playoff win. The Black Cats finished their 2024/2025 season campaign with 76 points and one place off of the leading pack of three comprising Leeds, Burnley, and Sheffield United. Sunderland were successful in a very dramatic play-off final against Sheffield United as they toppled the Blades 2-1 in an absolute thriller.
The newly promoted side Sunderland have splashed the cash and done some fine bits of recruitment as they gear up for their long-awaited return to the English top flight. There is a lot of buzz around Sunderland with their new additions and the squad that they have heading into the 2025/2026 Premier League season, however, there are also a lot of questions and uncertainty in whether or not the players in the Sunderland squad will be able to be successful at the Premier League level.
Who Did Sunderland Sign this Summer?
| Player | Age | Nationality | Left Club | Fee |
| Habib Diarra | 21 | Senegal | RC Strasbourg Alsace | €31.50m |
| Simon Adingra | 23 | Côte d’Ivoire | Brighton & Hove Albion | €24.40m |
| Enzo Le Fée | 25 | France | AS Roma | €23.00m |
| Chemsdine Talbi | 20 | Morocco | Club Brugge KV | €20.00m |
| Noah Sadiki | 20 | DR Congo | Union Saint-Gilloise | €17.00m |
| Granit Xhaka | 32 | Switzerland | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | €15.00m |
| Robin Roefs | 22 | Netherlands | NEC Nijmegen | €10.50m |
| Reinildo Mandava | 31 | Mozambique | Atlético de Madrid | Free Transfer |
With the sale of Jobe Bellingham to German side Borussia Dortmund, AFC Sunderland had even more money in the pot to spend on strengthening their squad ahead of the Premier League season.
The arrival of Granit Xhaka brings loads of leadership and experience (as well as Premier League experience with Arsenal) to the club. The question will be how Xhaka will fare as a single pivot, or whether Sunderland will tactically look to rotate Le Fee, Diarra, or Reinildo into a double pivot position.
Along with the buzz about Sunderland’s expenditure in the transfer window is some skepticism as to whether or not Sunderland will be able to maintain their form and quality in the month of January with so many first-team players being set to embark on their AFCON journeys.
Is Sunderland a Gamble Worth Taking?
I believe that Sunderland are a huge gamble in the Premier League this season, however, their intent on staying up has been made clear by their business in the transfer market and with Brentford’s mass losses in key components of their team, I believe that the risk very well may be worth it in taking Sunderland to finish above Brentford in the league table.
Pick: Sunderland to Finish Above Brentford
Martin Ødegaard 10+ Assists
Odds:
- American: +150
- Decimal: 2.50
- Fractional: 6/4
Arsenal’s Biggest New Arrival
Arsenal finally have their striker. Viktor Gyökeres joined from Sporting CP this past July and is set to be the Gunners’ main man up top this season. Last year’s top scorer in the Premier League for Arsenal was Kai Havertz with just nine goals – yes, only nine.
Despite finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, Arsenal scored just 69 league goals, well down from 91 in 2023/24 and 88 in 2022/23. While that tally was still the third-highest in the league, behind only Liverpool (86) and Manchester City (72), the numbers paint a clear picture of a drop-off. And when you dig into the expected goals (xG) data, an even more interesting story emerges.
Arsenal finished with just the seventh-highest xG in the Premier League last season, largely due to the absence of a true number nine. Instead, Kai Havertz was deployed as a central forward, focusing on linking play with midfielders and wingers rather than consistently getting in behind.
The arrival of Viktor Gyökeres changes that dynamic. A strong, tenacious striker with a knack for making darting runs beyond defensive lines, Gyökeres will thrive on line-breaking passes and create far more dangerous scoring opportunities. His playing style and finishing ability should not only boost Arsenal’s xG but also their total goal output – especially with creators like Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard constantly looking to feed him the ball.
Martin Ødegaard’s goal contributions over the past few Premier League seasons looks as such:
- 2022/2023: 15 Goals, 7 Assists – 22 G+A (37 Matches Played)
- 2023/2024: 8 Goals, 10 Assists – 18 G+A (35 Matches Played)
- 2024/2025: 3 Goals, 8 Assists – 11 G+A (30 Matches Played)
It is important to note that Martin Ødegaard dealt with a nagging ankle injury last season which saw him only start 26 Premier League matches and appear in 30 with only 2.325 minutes played (which may sound like a lot, but is actually quite limited in comparison to other regular starters).
The Pick
Pick: Martin Ødegaard to record 10+ Assists
Bruno Fernandes 10+ Assists Odds:
- American: -125
- Decimal: 1.80
- Fractional: 4/5
More Options in Attack
Much like several other Premier League clubs this transfer window, Manchester United have turned to the market in an effort to strengthen their attack, securing the signings of Matheus Cunha from Wolves, Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, and Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig. The arrivals of Cunha and Mbeumo bring valuable Premier League experience and will aim to play a key role in United’s push to return to the European spots in the 2025/26 season. The addition of Benjamin Šeško aims to fill the void at Manchester United’s striker position with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee falling short of the mark last season.
Under Rúben Amorim, Manchester United are expected to line up similarly to last season, sticking with his signature 3-4-2-1 formation and with his new additions added in.
With the additions of two proven Premier League forwards in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, and the signing of Benjamin Šeško, Manchester United will be hoping for a significant boost in attacking output this season. The expectation is that a more clinical front line will translate into more goals.
Can Bruno Keep the Assists Flowing?
At the heart of United’s creative engine remains Bruno Fernandes, who has consistently pulled the strings in United’s midfield since his arrival at Old Trafford. Fernandes’ goal contributions over the past few Premier League seasons looks as such:
- 2022/2023: 8 Goals, 8 Assists – 16 G+A (37 Matches Played)
- 2023/2024: 10 Goals, 8 Assists – 18 G+A (35 Matches Played)
- 2024/2025: 8 Goals, 10 Assists – 18 G+A (36 Matches Played)
Bruno Fernandes successfully hit the 10+ assists landmark last season in a heavily struggling Manchester United squad. With more attacking options and more well-rounded forward players, I believe that Bruno Fernandes will be able to reach that landmark once again in the 2025/2026 season.
What the Stats Say
Bruno Fernandes will remain the pivotal link between Manchester United’s defensive unit and their attacking players, orchestrating play through the middle of the park. This is clearly reflected in his high volume of Progressive Passes Received and Progressive Passes per 90 minutes, underscoring his role as the team’s primary playmaker.
The chart below (provided by fbref) illustrates Bruno Fernandes’ per 90 statistics over the past 365 days across all competitions, benchmarked against midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues:
As the graphic clearly demonstrates, Bruno Fernandes is one of the most complete attacking midfielders in world football. He ranks in the 97th percentile for assists, the 99th percentile for expected assists (xAG), the 99th percentile for shot-creating actions, the 98th percentile for progressive passes, and the 91st percentile for progressive passes received per 90 minutes. These elite-level stats alone make a strong case for backing Bruno to deliver 10+ assists in the upcoming season, regardless of who leads the line for Manchester United.
New Faces in Attack
Fortunately, United’s attacking options are promising, with the previously mentioned front three of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Šeško expected to spearhead the offense. This well-rounded attacking lineup only strengthens Fernandes’ chances to rack up assists in 2025/26.
In the 2024/2025 Premier League season;
- Hojlund netted 4 goals for Manchester United
- Zirkzee netted 3 goals for Manchester United
- Cunha netted 15 goals for Wolves
- Mbeumo netted 20 goals for Brentford
In the 2024/2025 Bundesliga season;
- Šeško netted 13 goals for RB Leipzig
Given these numbers, it’s reasonable to expect Manchester United’s overall goal tally to improve significantly in the upcoming campaign. Last season, United ranked 16th in the league for goals scored, managing just 44 goals in total. With the reinforcements up front and a creative playmaker like Bruno Fernandes supplying chances, an uptick in goals seems likely.
For those who haven’t yet connected the dots, Bruno Fernandes assisted 10 of Manchester United’s 44 goals last season—an impressive 22.73% of their Premier League goals came directly from his creativity. Taking it further, if we exclude all penalty goals and opposition own goals (OGs), Manchester United scored 38 non-penalty, non-own goals. This means Fernandes was responsible for assisting 26.32% of United’s “assistable” goals.
The Pick:
While I don’t necessarily expect Bruno to maintain this extraordinary percentage next season – especially with proven players like Cunha and Mbeumo now sharing the creative load – this statistic underlines his vital role within the squad. Given Manchester United’s revamped attacking options fitting into Rúben Amorim’s system, it’s reasonable to believe Fernandes will once again reach the 10+ assists landmark in the 2025/26 season.
Pick: Bruno Fernandes to record 10+ Assists
