Premier League 2025/26 predictions: Winners, dark horses, top scorer and best player

The 2025/26 Premier League season is about to begin – and we're about to tell you how it will end.

Liverpool return as reigning champions with a crop of improved teams below them aiming to crash the party.

Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland are the three new teams preparing the enter the lion's den.

Who will win it? Who will go down? And what's going to happen in between? Let's take a look...

RadioTimes.com offers our final predictions ahead of the Premier League 2025/26 season.

Read more: Best football players in the world | Best football players of all time | Premier League 2025/26 TV schedule

Premier League 2025/26 predictions

Winners

Michael Potts says... Arsenal

I changed my mind in the process of writing this section. The Reds are clear favourites, but I think people have underestimated the scale of the overhaul at Anfield this summer. Huge names have departed, and while Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are tremendous signings, I think Liverpool are a somewhat unknown quantity this year.

Arsenal are less 'revolution' and more 'evolution' this year. Martín Zubimendi adds steel to midfield, Viktor Gyökeres must prove himself in a top league but at very least provides a focal point, while Noni Madueke is an underappreciated option. A clean bill of health could see Arsenal finally stay the distance.

Ned Holmes says... Liverpool

A busy summer means the defending champions have only got stronger since lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of last season, which points to more success.

Liverpool have quality across the pitch and are rightfully the favourites in what looks set to be a competitive race at the top of the table.

Top four

Michael Potts says... Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea

Man City are not fixed yet. They appeared tired and lost in 2025/26. Tijjani Reijnders is a fantastic piece of business, but they still look slightly thin if Savinho follows Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish out the door.

Chelsea are this season's wildcard. Their spending has been erratic to say the least, but if you throw enough at the wall, some will stick.

It feels like the sort of bizarre season where Liverpool and Man City uncertainty, combined with Arsenal's inability to seal the deal, could actually open the door for the Blues to seize the lot. For now, I'll say fourth.

Ned Holmes says... Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea

Rodri is expected to be out until October, which might stop them catching Liverpool, but Man City should be back near to their best in 2025/26 after allowing Pep Guardiola to refresh his squad this summer.

Arsenal have established themselves as one of the Premier League’s top teams and that should continue, even if they’re not able to end that long wait for a league title.

Confidence is high at Chelsea after a hugely impressive first season under Enzo Maresca and their overactive transfer strategy appears to be finally bearing fruit, which should mean another top four finish.

Dark horses

Michael Potts says... Everton, Tottenham

It's hard to brand Europa League champions Tottenham as dark horses, but given they finished 17th last season, they will make the greatest year-on-year gains.

Mohammed Kudus is a sterling piece of business, but simply having the existing squad fit and healthy, playing in a reasonable, careful system under Thomas Frank should see Spurs go marching up.

For the first time in about five years, sentiment towards Everton is trending positive. Fresh blood has replaced stagnant talent. Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are smart signings. The Toffees will be organised, well-drilled and a nightmare to beat.

Ned Holmes says... Fulham, Everton

Fulham fans may be a little frustrated by the lack of transfer business but I see a settled squad set to continue their impressive rise under Marco Silva.

David Moyes made Everton hard to beat last season and the Toffees could be back in the race for Europe after adding the firepower they need over the summer.

Relegation

Michael Potts says... Leeds, Burnley, Brentford

This could be the most open relegation battle in recent years. In addition to the three new teams, four more should be worried.

Brentford have lost their mastermind manager, their captain, their best player and likely their next best player, Bournemouth have cashed in on their tight defence, Wolves have replaced key players with unproven talent and West Ham United... are West Ham United.

There's always a chance stagnant Fulham or even an Eberechi Eze-less Crystal Palace flirt with the lower reaches of the table, while Sunderland appear to have conducted the best business of the new boys.

Ned Holmes says... Sunderland, Brentford, Burnley

Making the step from the Championshp to the top flight is so tough and Sunderland’s squad, while talented, looks light on experience – both in terms of age and Premier League minutes – to me.

A destructive summer at Brentford – with Thomas Frank heading to Tottenham and a host of key players departing – is going to make Keith Andrews’s first season in management a very difficult one, and I fancy Leeds to capitalise.

Burnley had the best defence in the Championship last season but were reliant on individual attacking quality to win them games and they’ve not got the talent for that approach to succeed at Premier League level.

Player of the Season

Michael Potts says... Florian Wirtz

If Arsenal win the title, you'd expect Declan Rice to be right up there in the conversation. However, I could see Florian Wirtz tearing the division apart at the heart of Liverpool's midfield.

He will reach double figures for goals and assists, and that will place him right in contention.

Ned Holmes says... Declan Rice

Arsenal will be knocking on the door again and Declan Rice, unlocked further by the arrival Martín Zubimendi, will be pulling the strings from midfield.

Expect him to head to next summer’s World Cup on the back of the best goalscoring season of his career and a player of the season win.

Top goalscorer

Michael Potts says... Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland will reel it in this season. Liverpool's goals may be divvied up between Mohamed Salah, Wirtz, Ekitike and potentially even Alexander Isak, whereas Haaland has free rein to do whatever he pleases in front of goal.

Ned Holmes says... Erling Haaland

The Man City striker is inevitable and will be hungry to regain the top scorer mantle after losing it last season.

Guardiola’s side should be much improved, which will only mean more chances for their marksman.

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