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With Liverpool’s title success in the rear-view mirror, attention is already quickly turning to next season—when Arne Slot’s men will aim to defend their Premier League crown from their fierce rivals.
The title race and relegation markets for the 2025/26 campaign are already red-hot, with those who bet on football eager to grab some value and place their bets before there’s even any form to go off.
That said, let’s look at the sides who are set to be in contention for the coveted Premier League title and those who could be dragged into the relegation dogfight.
Title contenders
Liverpool
The Reds hit the jackpot last season, lifting the Premier League trophy in their first campaign under Arne Slot.
The transition from the Jurgen Klopp era couldn’t have gone better, and Liverpool look primed to mount a strong defence of their crown.
Retaining Virgil van Dijk’s leadership and Mohamed Salah’s goals will be crucial if they’re to go back-to-back.
Meanwhile, FSG have shown real intent in the transfer market. Jeremie Frimpong arrives as a ready-made replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid early for the Club World Cup, and the £114 million capture of Florian Wirtz would be a serious statement of attacking ambition.
The German international is expected to become the Premier League’s third-most expensive player—and could be the X-factor in a repeat title run.
Arsenal
Three straight second-place finishes will be a source of both pride and frustration for Arsenal fans.
Mikel Arteta’s side are closer than ever, but the missing piece of the puzzle remains a reliable centre-forward.
If the Gunners can land a proven No.9—be it Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres—they may finally break their 20-year title drought. The rest of the squad is title-ready.
Manchester City
After a surprising slump last term, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are expected to bounce back in style.
A side with their depth and pedigree rarely stays down for long, and with a summer of regrouping—highlighted by the early signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki—they’ll likely be in the thick of the title race again.
Relegation candidates
Leeds United
Of the newly promoted trio, Leeds appear the most likely to beat the drop. The Yorkshire club spent two seasons surviving before their most recent relegation and have already shown Premier League resilience.
With new owners, 49ers Enterprises, at the helm since they last held this position, there’s optimism—but significant investment is still required this summer to shore up a shaky defence and bolster squad depth.
Burnley
It feels like we’ve been here before with Burnley. The Clarets came up with high hopes under Vincent Kompany two years ago but were sent straight back down after finishing 19th with just 24 points.
With Vincent Kompany departing for Bayern Munich and promotion specialist Scott Parker drafted in, Burnley had the Championship snatched from their grasp late on the final day by Leeds. The Lancashire side could find this task too challenging again.
Sunderland
The Black Cats are the wild card. Play-off winners rarely thrive in the top flight, with Nottingham Forest staying up since 2022 the only recent exception.
Sunderland will hope to follow suit and avoid becoming another one-and-done story—or a yo-yo side like Burnley. The signing of Enzo Le Fee from Roma—brought in to replace the outgoing Jobe Bellingham—is a clear sign of ambition, but top-flight football is tough.