Premier League 1-20 Predictions 2026-27: Read Lewis Jones's season preview with finishing places for every team

---

---

Title winners - Arsenal - 6/42.50

The team to beat. They've learned painful lessons in near misses and now carry the confidence that only comes from proving they can get over the line. That psychological hurdle has been cleared by lifting the title.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect is that this team still has room to improve. Declan Rice has established himself among the world's elite midfielders but is only entering his prime, Bukayo Saka remains one of Europe's most devastating wide forwards with his best years still ahead, William Saliba continues to develop into the complete centre-back and David Raya has become the league's most reliable goalkeeper. The spine of this team is built for the present and the future.

Off the pitch, Arsenal are as stable as any club in England, too. Mikel Arteta, the recruitment team and the board are pulling in the same direction, adding the likes of Bruno Guimares - and the dressing room is united. There is a clear identity in every department. That combination is difficult to find.

The challenge, as ever, is handling the relentless schedule. Margins at the top are tiny and injuries, particularly to influential creators, could quickly alter the landscape.

But compared to their closest rivals, Arsenal look the team with the fewest flaws and the highest floor across the campaign. Repeating the feat of 85 points of last season is well within their capabilities. It's going to take a team showing significant improvement to topple them - something which is of course entirely plausible such is the money sloshing around and quality of head coaches at their rivals.

There may not be much value in backing them at cramped odds - but from a pure football perspective they set the standard heading into the new season.

---

2nd - Chelsea - 17/29.50

No European football commitments is an advantage for Chelsea that shouldn't be underplayed.

History tells us that when a traditional "big six" team have a season without playing in Europe, their points tally increase on average by 18.5 points. Manchester United last season are a great example of this spike in performance, finishing the season with 29 more points than their efforts in the 24/25 campaign. In two previous seasons without European football, Chelsea improved their points tally by 43 points in the 16/17 season and 19 in the 22/23 campaign.

Chelsea have appointed a manager in Xabi Alonso with a proper, recognisable football philosophy rather than another coach who will simply try to get the best out of the existing squad. His work at Bayer Leverkusen shows the real Alonso and he can be forgiven for being swallowed up by the Real Madrid circus.

Chelsea already have a core of players that can challenge for all major honours, but they need tweaking in certain areas. Alonso isn't walking into a fundamentally broken squad. To get them competitive in a season where they have the advantage of no extra games isn't exactly the impossible job. They could just be Arsenal's closest challengers and rate as a lively wager at 100/304.30 for a top two finish.

---

3rd - Man City - 11/43.75

For the first time in almost a decade, Manchester City head into a Premier League season without Pep Guardiola at the helm. The most successful era in the club's history is over - and while Enzo Maresca knows the City way as well as anyone, replacing the greatest manager of his generation is a task that comes with enormous expectation.

Elliot Anderson arrives as the marquee midfield addition, bringing energy, drive and Premier League experience to a squad that needed fresh legs. January recruits Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo are also expected to play pivotal roles over a full campaign.

However, this is surely no longer the machine that relentlessly collected titles under Guardiola. There are tactical adjustments to make, new relationships to build and inevitable bumps in the road.

City's Financial Fair Play unresolved charges continue to hang over the club, too, and any potential points penalty incurred could prove fatal in their quest to regain top spot. Without that clarity, Maresca's team remain unappealing in the major outright markets.

---

4th - Aston Villa - 40/141.00

Aston Villa are undergoing a significant rebuild while dealing with UEFA financial restrictions.

The confirmed major changes are pretty striking: Morgan Rogers (£117m) and Youri Tielemans (£35m) have gone, while Villa have brought in Johan Manzambi, João Gomes and Alejandro Garnacho on loan. Selling key players can never be viewed as a positive, but in these circumstances, it should not be seen as a curse either.

Emery is famed for his consistency and responding to setbacks of losing key players wherever he has been. Let's not forget: since taking over at Valencia in 2008/09, he has finished every season in the top seven of that league. That's 15 from 15 with an average finishing position of 4.3.

A feat even more impressive when you consider the likes of Villarreal and Villa were nowhere challenging previously. His average points haul over those 38 game seasons is 67.5 with 12 of those seasons see his teams clear the 59 points line, including the last three seasons with Villa.

Have Villa regressed that much over the summer? With the key cog in Emery still in the Villa Park dugout, underestimate them at your peril. The 13/102.30 for a top six finish is a cracker.

---

5th - Liverpool - 11/26.50

It's easy to forget that Liverpool were the 13/82.63 favourites to win the Premier League 12 months ago. Football comes at you hard and fast. So much can change.

Andoni Iraola has been entrusted with succeeding Arne Slot and while his work in the Premier League has earned widespread admiration, this is unquestionably the biggest managerial gamble of the summer.

Managing Liverpool is a completely different proposition to Bournemouth. Expectations are relentless, every dropped point is scrutinised and competing for trophies isn't a target - it's a requirement. Iraola has never worked under that level of pressure.

His high-octane, aggressive style is one of the most distinctive in European football. Liverpool supporters will love the intensity if it clicks, but it's also among the most physically and mentally demanding systems to implement. Across multiple competitions, Iraola will need to learn fast at managing workloads.

Every player must buy into relentless pressing, constant running and taking risks in possession. If even a handful of key figures struggle to adapt, the whole structure can quickly unravel.

The Reds could become the league's most exciting side or spend months searching for consistency where Iraola quickly comes under pressure. It makes Liverpool one of the most fascinating teams to watch this season, but not necessarily one of the easiest to back with confidence.

---

6th - Tottenham - 22/123.00

Roberto De Zerbi is simultaneously one of the most exciting and one of the most volatile managers in world football. He makes Spurs an exciting prospect this season. His teams can look brilliant because his possession structures are so distinctive.

But those same principles can expose you. That's why the first part of his Tottenham tenure was so fascinating. He tried to impose his ideas while simultaneously rebuilding the team's confidence, structure and belief and what transpired was a defensive process that was the best in the Premier League across the final seven games of the season at 0.79 expected goals per 90 - even better than Arsenal's.

Those types of defensive numbers are something for Spurs to build on but the attack remains the area where there are more questions and is why there is little juice in their current market position despite them having the advantage of no European football.

---

7th - Man Utd - 15/28.50

Michael Carrick has earned the right to become Manchester United boss because he demonstrably improved the team - but now comes the much harder question: can he go from the man that stabilised them to one that can lead them to challenge on multiple fronts?

I'm not convinced that he is the man to make United that elite, title-challenging side. Carrick didn't arrive with some complicated tactical revolution. Instead, he simplified United. He is an intelligent, calm man who has the personality that doesn't try to make himself the centre of the story.

However, now he needs to prove he can prepare a team to play the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Barcelona and Arsenal on weekly basis while developing a dominant football team over 38 Premier League matches.

United's squad remains short of depth in key areas too, particularly midfield, where the departure of Casemiro and injury problems have increased the pressure already. Of the seven teams shorter than 13/102.30 to make the top six, United are ludicrously short at 2/111.18 and the team I'm keen to be against based on their current position in the outright markets.

---

8th - Leeds - 500/1501.00

The Leeds we saw at the start of last season looked like a promoted side trying desperately to convince themselves they belonged in the Premier League.

The Leeds we saw later in the campaign looked like a Premier League team that had worked out how to play the game on its own terms. Daniel Farke deserves enormous credit for it.

There were plenty of moments when his position looked vulnerable, but he didn't panic. He changed the system, became more tactically flexible and, crucially, Leeds became far more competitive against Premier League opposition.

If there was to be some regression or implosion from teams at the head of the market as they try and apart to new managers, Leeds do look a team to consider making a serious charge.

They don't have the European schedule of Brighton or Bournemouth, they haven't changed manager, they haven't had a summer of upheaval and they've simply tried to make a good team better.

James Trafford signifies that - as goalkeeper was an obvious position to upgrade. His capture for £40m looks one of the best bits of summer business.

The squad still lacks the depth and elite individual quality of the teams above them to be a serious option for a top-six finish - but top half at 9/43.25? Most certainly. This is a team with the right trajectory.

---

9th - Bournemouth - 200/1201.00

How do Bournemouth do it? Sell your best players. Replace them with younger players. Sell those players. Replace them again. And somehow get better.

Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez, Dango Ouattara, Antoine Semenyo and Marcos Senesi have all departed in the last 12 months and it hasn't hampered this miraculous club one bit.

That has been the Bournemouth story under Iraola. Except Iraola has now gone too, leaving Marco Rose with a club preparing for its first European campaign while simultaneously asking him to continue a recruitment model that has already been stress-tested to breaking point.

Their sixth-place finish might be the peak of the cycle rather than the beginning of something bigger, yet Rose has been clear in his admiration for Iraola's work and his desire to maintain Bournemouth's front-footed identity. That offers hope that the Cherries can ride against any significant decline and in Rayan, Eli Junior Kroupi, Alex Scott and Ben Gannon-Doak they have potential superstars waiting to explode.

From a betting perspective, regression is bound to come but any fears of a complete collapse are way off the mark. A top half finish at 5/42.25 looks fair enough.

---

10th - Brighton - 175/1176.00

The big question is whether Brighton have enough attacking improvement to turn repeated eighth place finishes into a genuine top six push while handling the Europa Conference League? They're too good to be dismissed as outsiders, but not quite ruthless enough to crash the established European clubs.

Unlike the last one, this European adventure must act as a springboard rather than a distraction. Putting that into action is a very tough ask based on the relentless schedule that the Conference League brings.

Yet, Brighton are the still the kings of wanting and signing the next player before everybody else discovers him. That's the beauty of the model which has given the green light this summer to seal deals for teenage centre-back Luka Vušković, whose arrival from Tottenham makes him the club's record signing, and exciting full-back Costinha.

Those two added to a very experienced and battle-hardened Premier League squad that includes the likes of Karou Mitoma and Carlos Baleba - who both have the potential still to be the next £100m+ sale - gives the Seagulls plenty of reasons to hope that another successful season is on the horizon. I'm worried that Europe will become the focus though in the run-in.

---

11th - Newcastle - 150/1151.00

Newcastle could have a seriously uncomfortable season - but does that mean we should be backing them for relegation at 17/29.50? Absolutely not. The market tends to overreact to dramatic narratives at this time of season.

And although Newcastle will look dramatically different this term, that doesn't automatically mean they're dramatically worse. They did finish 12^th last season remember and became very stale and stodgy under Eddie Howe's watch.

The most significant departure is Bruno Guimaraes. Not necessarily because he is the best player Newcastle have lost, but because he was the personality around which the midfield operated. Sandro Tonali going as well means new boss Matthias Jaissle isn't replacing one midfielder, he must build an entire new engine room. That is going to restrict the Toon from making too much of a splash in what should be seen as a pure transition season.

---

12th - Everton - 250/1251.00

Everton look like a solid top-half challenger than a relegation candidate, but the market completely tells that story. My feeling is that they are a lock to finish above 13^th with a genuine route to 8th-6th if the attack improves - with lots of focus and hope on Thierno Barry developing into an elite Premier League striker.

The Toffees were an excellent defensive side for much of 2025/26. Only Palace, Manchester City and Arsenal kept more clean sheets last season than Everton (11) and with 10 games to go their goals conceded numbers were the third best in the league before they wobbled down the stretch.

Hayden Hackney adds energy, composure and passing quality to the midfield whilst Kiernen Dewsbury-Hall remains one of the most underrated players in the Premier League.

There is a lot to like but the big question is whether Everton and Moyes can finally turn stability into progression. I'm not convinced.

---

13th - Nottinhgam Forest - 450/1451.00

Oliver Glasner knows how to build an aggressive, athletic, transition-based Premier League side. He knows how to get the best out of players who perhaps aren't quite as good individually as the teams around them. That sounds perfect for Forest.

It also sounds like a job that could go spectacularly well. Or spectacularly wrong. That's why they rank very high on the undpredictability scale.

Glasner's Palace were brilliant at exploiting space and attacking vertically which should suit Morgan Gibbs-White, who is likely to become the creative hub for Glasner. He looks set for a fast start to the season after a summer off.

Forest aren't starting from a position of stability though. Last season was a mess. Three managers were used, Vítor Pereira eventually steadied the ship and Forest finished 16th after reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Can Glasner turn Forest's brilliant player-trading model that has seen Elliott Anderson move for £116m into a consistently brilliant football team? If he can, top half is absolutely achievable. If he can't, Forest could find themselves repeating the chaos of last season.

---

14th - Brentford - 500/1501.00

Brentford finished ninth last season, defying pre-season expectations that relegation looked a serious possibility after the scale of disruption that saw Thomas Frank, Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard and Yoane Wissa all leave. However, Keith Andrews thrived within the Brentford structure and unearthed Igor Thiago and Michael Kayode as potential superstars.

The club's underlying structure, recruitment and player development are of such a level it's really difficult to see them regressing enough to be dragged into trouble but they will need Thiago to repeat his goalscoring feat of 24 league goals. I'd be a backer of him scoring fewer if the prices were on offer which could just stutter the momentum of Brentford's achievements this season.

---

15th - Crystal Palace - 200/1201.00

There is a danger of looking at Crystal Palace's recent success and assuming the Eagles have suddenly become a top-half certainty. They haven't.

What they have become is a fascinating regression candidate. Pierre Sage arrives after an extraordinary season at Lens, where he finished second in Ligue 1 and won the Coupe de France. Before that he had taken Lyon from the bottom of Ligue 1 to sixth and European qualification.

Glasner established extremely high levels of performance. Palace went from a club fighting relegation under Roy Hodgson to one that won the FA Cup and then European silverware under Glasner.

The expectations have changed too. A 12th-place finish used to be perfectly acceptable at Selhurst Park. Now Palace supporters have seen Wembley success and European glory. They know what this squad can achieve.

Glasner leaving along with coping with European football, squad turnover, an inexperienced new manager and uncertainties about squad depth creates a genuine possibility that this could be a difficult season for Palace.

A relegation one? The price isn't quite large enough for me to get involved at 6/17.00 but seeing it shorten over the course of the season wouldn't surprise me.

---

16th - Fulham - 250/1251.00

The safe, dependable hands of Marco Silva have left the building. Now, it's time for Fulham to step into the unknown of Alvaro Arbeloa. They aren't replacing a failing manager, they're replacing five years of stability and progressive improvement.

Fulham's supporters know they haven't been spectacular, but Silva gave them something enormously valuable: a reliable Premier League floor. Relegation has never really been on the table since promotion.

The danger is that Arbeloa's more aggressive, high-energy approach raises the ceiling while potentially lowering that floor. It's a gamble.

Fulham have lost Harry Wilson and Raúl Jiménez, too, who both supplied a significant amount of last season's goals and the replacements are untried at Premier League level.

Gonzalo García joins from Real Madrid on a five-year deal and brings a different skillset of movement and penalty box threat rather than the reliability and experience of Jimenez. García's mobility is arguably a better fit than Jiménez's ageing legs but the gamble is obvious as Jiménez has already proved he can score Premier League goals. García hasn't.

I'd be surprised if Arbeola lasts the season.

---

17th - Coventry - 1000/11001.00

There is an air around Coventry that they are approaching this Premier League survival mission with genuine optimism. Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth has been made a permanent signing whilst adding Aurèle Amenda, Loum Tchaouna, Frank Onyeka and Caleb Yirenkyi, amongst others, bring an added physicality and athleticism - something Sunderland did so shrewdly last summer.

Coventry are the promoted side the most capable of staying up with quotes of around 11/102.11 to stay up rather appealing.

Frank Lampard is one of the reasons to believe they can do it, rather than a reason to doubt them. He is a smart guy surrounded by equally as intelligent people and he will know he'll need to evolve this team from high-risk, high-reward Championship one into a more controlled, adaptable outfit that is built to survive the Premier League.

---

18th - Sunderland - 250/1251.00

Second season syndrome could be about to bite Sunderland, especially with the added stress of a European campaign to negotiate.

Since Leicester won the Premier League title in 2016, non "big-six" teams who undertake a European campaign following a season of no European football on average take 12.5 fewer points in the next season.

The extra workload and potential prioritisation of the European competition later in the season do have a negative impact on Premier League form. Even if looking at last season in isolation provides a great snapshot of the issue with Newcastle (-17), Nottingham Forest (-21) and Crystal Palace (-8) all regressing their league form whilst competing in Europe.

I'd expect that trend to remain consistent with teams now having to play eight league phase games across all three European competitions, plus the possibility of a playoff round ahead of the traditional knockouts.

Europe is an exciting adventure but it is a slog and Sunderland were playing fine margin football last season backed up by some pretty woeful underlying metrics.

They overachieved by 13 points last season based on Opta's expected goals model and were a bottom three team based on those metrics. Five teams have followed up a top 12 finish in their first season after promotion with a relegation (Middlesbrough 96/97, Ipswich 01/02, Reading 07/08, Birmingham 10/11 and Sheffield United 20/21). I like the 3/14.00 about Sunderland becoming the sixth.

---

19th - Ipswich - 1000/11001.00

There must be huge concern that Ipswich have lost the architect of their entire project at exactly the wrong moment. Stepping back into the choppy waters of the Premier League without Kieran McKenna and hiring Gary O'Neil looks a step backwards.

The former Wolves man has become a credible Premier League manager, but this is an incredibly difficult job and there are plenty of doubts about him being to fill such gigantic shoes.

Ipswich have gone from having a manager with an enormous emotional and footballing connection to the club in McKenna to someone who has to earn the supporters' trust from scratch and quickly.

McKenna didn't simply manage Ipswich, he built the club's identity. He took them through three promotions in four seasons and established a particular style of being brave in possession, aggressive in the press with intelligent positional play and attacking full-backs. O'Neil has to run with that ideology if Town are to compete at this level.

If O'Neil gets his recruitment right, finds a way to make Ipswich difficult to beat and gets early results, the McKenna shadow will disappear surprisingly quickly. If Ipswich start badly, however, every tactical decision will inevitably be compared with McKenna, and that's a hugely difficult environment for a new manager.

Replacing McKenna and getting results immediately is a brutal combination and one that looks likely to end in relegation. It's Evens with Betfair that they do.

---

20th - Hull - 1000/11001.00

Hull City's return to the Premier League was one of the great stories of the 2025/26 season purely because it had data nerds like me completely bamboozled.

Sergej Jakirovic transformed a side that had narrowly avoided relegation the previous campaign into play-off winners, with Oli McBurnie's stoppage-time goal at Wembley completing an unlikely promotion. But the numbers behind that achievement were the real story.

Hull finished sixth in the Championship on 73 points but Opta's expected-points model had them 23rd, with only 53.07 expected points. Their actual points total therefore represented a remarkable +19.93 overperformance.

Opta had Hull conceding 80.2 expected goals, the second-highest xGA figure in the Championship. They also faced the third-most shots (681) and second-most shots on target (220).

Now they have catapulted themselves into the big time. The Premier League will punish the weaknesses the Championship sometimes allowed them to escape.

That raises the obvious question: can Jakirovic continue to beat the numbers, or is regression coming at precisely the wrong time? Things may get ugly.

---

Bookmark our Premier League page for previews, tips and expert analysis including weekly exclusives from Alan Shearer

---