Predicting the 2025-26 Premier League Table
Predicting the 2025-26 Premier League Table
The 2024/25 Premier League season is officially wrapped up and it was one of the wildest campaigns in recent memory. Arne Slot arrived and immediately took Liverpool to the summit of the table, seeing them lift the trophy for just the second time ever. Nottingham Forest exceeded all expectations and qualified for the Europa League and both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur shocked fans for all the wrong reasons with abysmal seasons.
The pair finished 15th and 17th respectively, but the latter still qualified for the Champions League with a Europa League victory over the Red Devils. Mohamed Salah had a tremendous season, one of his best ever, finishing as the Premier League’s top scorer and the top assist provider. About the only thing that didn’t take fans by surprise was Arsenal finishing as runners-up for the third straight year.
At the risk of looking foolish, now that the entire 20 teams who will be competing in the English top flight have been revealed, with Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland all earning promotion, it’s time to make a way too early prediction of how the final 2025/26 Premier League table will look and where every team will finish in it.
Title Winners and European Places
Liverpool expected to go back-to-back
While not many people expected Liverpool to lift the Premier League trophy this season, but with how their summer is shaping up, it’s hard to imagine they won’t be at the top again by the time May 2026 rolls around. Arne Slot has wasted little time strengthening his side as they prepare to defend their crown and with stars like Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz reportedly coming in, they should have enough to retain the title.
Manchester City struggled this season and finished third. They should bounce back next season, but only as far as runners-up. Arsenal’s time in second place will likely come to an end, but not in the way they’d hope, dropping down to third place. The remaining Champions League places will go to Chelsea and Newcastle, with both teams repeating their exploits this time around and finishing in fourth and fifth respectively again.
Outside of the Champions League, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion will finish in sixth and seventh, qualifying for European football themselves.
The Best of the Rest
Tottenham and Manchester United should improve
Djed Spence in action for Tottenham against Manchester United
Missing out on Europe, but not being pulled into a relegation battle, there are a number of sides. Crystal Palace have been very impressive under Oliver Glasner and, after winning their first ever major trophy in the form of the FA Cup this season, the club should only continue to improve and a top half finish is on the cards. Nottingham Forest will almost certainly take a step back after an incredible campaign this time around, but they’ll only fall a couple of places and still hold onto a spot in the top half.
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have had disastrous seasons this time around, finishing just above the drop zone and while both should improve in the 2025/26 campaign, they’ll only climb to 10th and 11th respectively. Ange Postecoglou’s side will receive Champions League money and should spend big this summer. Having finished in 17th, though, it’s hard to imagine they’ll improve enough to break into the top half, especially with the Champions League compete in as well.
As Ruben Amorim said in his post-season speech at Old Trafford shortly after the final game of the 2024/25 campaign wrapped up ‘good times are coming’ for United. That might be true and they will improve next year, but it won’t be an instant turnaround and they’ll have to settle for 11th.
Sales to key players like Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Bryan Mbuemo could see Bournemouth and Brentford both suffer setbacks and drop to 12th and 13th, while Everton and Fulham will also remain in the bottom half.
Relegation Battle
It should be a tough season for the promoted three again.
For the third season in a row, all three promoted teams from the Championship will likely go straight back down to the second tier of English football. Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United will likely struggle again, but barring any major changes, they should still have enough about them to avoid the drop.
Leeds United stormed the Championship and finished in first. The club have a strong side, but the gulf in quality between the two divisions is far too large. With Daniel Farke at the helm, a man whose Premier League record is less than flattering, it’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to steer clear of the relegation zone. Similarly, Burnley looked very impressive in the Championship, with a record-breaking defence, but Scott Parker is also a manager who has historically struggled in the Premier League. The Clarets will put up a stronger fight than they did under Vincent Kompany the last time they were in the top tier, but will still likely drop down once again.
Sunderland’s win over Sheffield United in the playoff final was quite the fairytale ending for a club that has desperately needed one in recent years. The harsh reality of their return to the top flight, though, is that their squad is likely nowhere near ready for the promised land. Unless the Black Cats make some large-scale changes to the squad they currently have at the Stadium of Light, it’s hard to imagine the club will finish anywhere other than dead last.
