Premier League Club-By-Club Predictions: With Manchester City and Arsenal’s new squads unproven, are the Reds in the best position to win the title?

For the first time since the start of 2020, we will have a new team kick off a Premier League title defence. But can Liverpool hit the ground running like they did last year, or can Arsenal and Manchester City keep pace? 

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So this is what a rebuild looks like? 

Despite entering the first year of the Arne Slot era with zero offseason reinforcements, Liverpool still dominated in the early parts of the season, holding off struggling Manchester City and Arsenal outfits for their first Premier League title since 2020. 

But with Manchester City getting younger and Arsenal adding attacking options, how will Liverpool rise to the challenge this time around?

What Noah says:

Why Liverpool chose to invest so much now, I will never know. 

Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong are coming in from Leverkusen. Milos Kerkezis is coming in from Bournemouth to reinforce the defensive side of the pitch. Giorgi Mamardashvili is arriving from Valencia to play second fiddle to goalkeeper Allison Becker. And now Hugo Ekitike is arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt to play in the front with the likes of Mohamed Salah. 

If it wasn’t clear before, it’s clear now that Arne Slot wants to make Liverpool the first club not named Manchester City to win back-to-back Premier League titles since Manchester United won three consecutive Premier League titles from 2006-07 to 2008-09. 

While the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to European rivals Real Madrid will sting, the Reds have done a phenomenal job filling the gap he has left. 

That said, there is the chance that this improved Liverpool squad slips up early. After playing in the FA Community Shield against Crystal Palace, they open the season five days later against Bournemouth, who will be one of the up-and-coming clubs gunning for a European place in 2025-26. And after the Reds play Newcastle away, they play Arsenal at home in what could be a massive game for the title fight. However, that stretch is followed by a trip to Burnley, a Merseyside derby, and a Community Shield rematch with Crystal Palace. 

A three-game October sees Liverpool take on Club World Cup winners Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and their first game after the October international break sees them play host to a reinforced Manchester United side. After closing October against Brentford, the Reds must endure another difficult start to a calendar month; this time, they kick off November at home against Aston Villa, before travelling to the Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City in what could be yet another fixture that has title implications. Another international break precedes a late-November slate that sees Liverpool play fellow European side Nottingham Forest and a deteriorated West Ham team in consecutive weeks. 

December is far kinder to Liverpool as they play Sunderland, Leeds United (twice), Brighton, Tottenham, and Wolves to close out 2025. But whether they’ll have to endure that stretch without star striker Mohamed Salah is another question; this winter’s AFCON tournament will certainly keep the Egyptian forward away from domestic proceedings for at least a few weeks. 

His absence could also be critical at the beginning of 2026; after the Reds ring in 2026 with an away match against Fulham, they travel to Arsenal to play yet another fixture with potential title implications. And after a home encounter against Burnley and an away match against Bournemouth, Liverpool returns home to play both Newcastle and Manchester City. 

Luckily for the Reds, the next time they play a top-six side is on May 9th when Liverpool hosts Chelsea. After this match, they conclude their 2025-26 campaign with a visit to Villa Park and a home matchup against Brentford. While the Reds could have a second-straight title wrapped up by this time, it is also possible that slip-ups against contenders for Champions League spots could make this a closer title race than anticipated.

Undoubtedly, Arsenal and Manchester City will be in the thick of things once again, and Chelsea will benefit from their recent successes to make an impression on the reigning champions. Ultimately, I think Liverpool will retain the title, winning it in one of the final matchweeks of the season.

Projected finish: 1st 

What Ellie says:

The reigning Premier League champions are coming into the season as favourites for the title. With the new summer signings of Wirtz and Frimpong, they are aiming to go for back-to-back titles this season, putting all their prize money back into signings.

Even with the loss of Alexander-Arnold, the team's defence looks stronger than ever and ready to take on the top teams. I believe that the title fights this season will be a lot closer than last as rivals have improved over the summer, ready to fight, so it won't be such a straightforward run for the Reds, but they will still get it done.

Projected finish: 1st

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Article written by Noah Guttman and Ellie Swain