Another year, another chance to look foolish come May. It’s prediction time. StatrDraft’s own Jon has laid it all out for the season ahead and has nailed his flag to the mast with his Premier League predictions for 2025/26, from title winners to clubs who’ll be taking the Championship bus come May.
There’s some bold calls, a few spicy takes, and yes, Sunderland are going down after their year long Premier League Stadium tour. Will these picks age like wine or curdle like milk? Let’s find out.
🏆 Champions – Liverpool
Last season’s champions aren’t going anywhere. With serious summer investment, a squad firing on all cylinders, and the manager handover looking smoother than a James Ward-Prowse corner, it feels like the era of Liverpool is back in full swing. Expect red ribbons on the trophy again. Sorry Manchester United Fans expect 25/26 to be the season the scousers win the league to take them above their bitter rivals in the trophy haul. 21 times incoming.
Arne Slot didn’t just step into Klopp’s shoes—he sprinted in them and lapped the league. Liverpool’s 2024/25 title was built on high pressing, smart positional play, and one of the league’s best defence . Throw in the ruthless consistency of Szoboszlai, and the summer arrival of a technically gifted midfielder from Germany and the Reds look even stronger.
Slotball is now the blueprint. The squad’s deeper. The energy is still there. With the €250million plus outlay on Frimpong, Kerkez, Ekitike, Wirtz and possibly Isak to follow, its hard to look beyond the boys from Merseyside bringing it home.
Top Four
Arsenal
Best of the rest again. Arteta finally has a proper striker, and there’s depth across the park, but title winners? Not yet Arteta’s side continue their nearly-man arc, lol, keep it that way, the banter online is a joy to watch. Last season they pushed Liverpool to the wire with the best xG differential in the league. This summer, they finally addressed their striker issue by signing a proper No. 9 in Viktor Gyokeres—no more false 9ing it with Havertz, I’ve been very vocal on Gyokeres, he isn’t him in my opinion but he’s for sure an upgrade on Havertz and Merino. But can they stop dropping points in must-win games?
Expect more maturity, strong home form, and another solid defensive showing, but they’ll still be looking up at Liverpool when it’s all said and done.
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca has had a proper summer. If Chelsea avoid their usual springtime meltdown, they’ve got the spine and swagger to land a Champions League return. New signings look sharp. This is their “serious” season. Maybe. Enzo Maresca has stabilised the chaos. Chelsea’s pre-Christmas form was top-four worthy, and their summer business shows they’re backing their man. With Delap, Gittens, Pedro in the door and, a full season of Cole Palmer magic, alongside an improving defence, Chelsea have the tools.
Their biggest challenge? Avoiding the late-season collapse—just two wins in their last seven in 24/25. If they stay consistent, top three is theirs.
Manchester City
Yes, fourth. That’s not a typo. Pep’s side looked hungover last season, and the post-De Bruyne could be wierdly patchy. But they’ve spent a small nation’s GDP since January, and even on a rebuild they’ve got too much firepower to fall outside the Champions League spots.
Pep’s project is in its transition phase. Foden stepping up is it time finally to see him flourish? Fourth feels low for City, but they dropped 25 points last year and had their worst defensive record since 2017 . That said, they’ve spent big, again. Oh and Rodri is fit so they could go as far as second this season, and don’t put it past them,
New midfielders, a promising left-back, and the Sexy Viking Erling Haaland Factor™ still count for a lot. But there’s a nagging sense that the fear factor is gone.
Europa League Spots
Aston Villa
Unai Emery’s men punched above their weight last season and we don’t think they’re done yet. Back in Europe, and now used to it. Emery’s lads are balanced, clever, and building something real. Expect another strong season with genuine statement wins along the way. And yes, they’ll ruin someone’s title run-in again.
Despite juggling Europe, they beat both Arsenal and City at home. With players like Asensio now settled, another year of Morgan Rogers progressing, Watkins scoring 15+ again, and added depth, they’re a real threat.
They’ll be awkward, they’ll be resilient, and they’ll make life miserable for the so-called Big Six.
Manchester United
Big IFs here. If the keeper and striker deals go through. If Amorim’s system lands. If the squad stays fit. But no midweek games, a defined identity, and the firepower of Cunha and Mbuemo means this is the year they turn the chaos into cohesion. Just about. Maybe…………basically they could be 6th, they could be 16th, I’m going based on them getting their business done.
Why??? Two words: Ruben Amorim. The man brings structure, pressing, and a back-three setup that might finally suit this weirdly constructed United squad. If they land a competent goalkeeper (Diogo Costa, Emi Martinez, Nick Pope, Donnaruma?) and a dynamic forward (Watkins, Sesko, Mitrovic – please), it’s all to play for.
No Europe means clean midweeks. If pre-season goes to plan, don’t be shocked if they push even higher.
Europa Conference League
Brighton
Brighton being Brighton. Consistent, progressive, and now mixing that up with more clever additions. Another year of smart football, clever set-pieces, and midfielders you’ve never heard of until they’re linked to Bayern.
A quieter window but a smarter one. Brighton’s recruitment machine keeps ticking, and with João Pedro moving on but Mitoma fully fit again, the Seagulls have a punch. They’ll press, play pretty, and make big sides sweat.
Tottenham (Under Thomas Frank)
Thomas Frank takes over the madness at Spurs, and somehow makes sense of it. Will it be flashy? No. Will it be stable? Yes. Will fans complain about style? Absolutely. But they’ll be in the mix and might even keep clean sheets. Imagine that.
This is a wildcard shout, but Spurs need less chaos and more clarity. Enter Thomas Frank. The ex-Brentford boss brings organisation, tactical discipline, and a pressing game Kane would’ve thrived under (don’t cry). It’s not Angeball anymore—it’s structure, and Son could have become a more inside-forward weapon than ever. But he’s off so watch this space for Odobert or Tel to come to the forefront.
Don’t expect 4-3 thrillers every week. But expect results. Enough to have a major jump this season, but last years Europa League Winners have been working hard to improve the squad ahead of a Champions League assault, watch this space.
Mid-Table Limbo
Mid-Table Mediocrity FC
Welcome to the land of “win a few, lose a few”—home of the false dawn.
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Newcastle United – Brutal summer window, brutal season ahead. Injuries, bad signings or just a lack of signings, Last year was a mess. The lack of a summer rebuild means mid-table mediocrity unless something drastic changes. Bruno G & Isak remain shining lights, but only if they are both their come September.
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Crystal Palace – Vibes and Eze. Nothing more, nothing less. Eze is pure box-office, and Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 brings structure. They’ll be annoying to play against but not consistent enough to push Europe. Still, loads to like. Danger team.
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Fulham – Mid-table, it’s what they do, not enough to go into the European mix, but too much to get drawn into the dog fight at the bottom. Jiménez and Muniz did OK, but the spark is fading. Silva’s side rely too much on set-pieces and moments. Comfortable, but uninspiring. Rumours of Sterling, Zinchenko and Dewsbury-Hall incoming shows that the team that do their business late in the window could find some gems in the dirt.
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Nottingham Forest –They’ll scrap their way to safety, there is just no way in hell that Nuno’s Forrest can do what they did last season, Chris Wood will go back to being himself, Elanga has gone tot the north east and the drop off they had at the end of last season? Sorry but that’s their true form and true level, says everything you need to know about the power of momentum. Still clinging on with enough fight and Forest magic.
Relegation Candidates
Leeds United
It’ll be ugly. It’ll be tense. But they survive. By a nose hair. Expect late goals, VAR madness, and an Elland Road siege mentality. They stay up. Just. A clutch of gritty home wins and a few January additions will do the trick. Summerville and Gnonto need to turn promise into production. Ripped up the Championship, doing bits of business in the summer, they’ll stay up…mainly because the others are as poor as they are.
Burnley
Lovely football. No goals. Again. They go with their boots shining but the scoreboard barren. Back down they go. Possession merchants with no bite. Scott Parker’s style is nice, but they need finishers, and there aren’t any. The league’s not a sandbox anymore. Scott Parker to be the first manager sacked despite his fashion sense, Burnley to go down without a whimper, Sorry that’s just how its going to be. Stick to the snoody’s Scotty, you might say…..scotty doesn’t know.
Wolves
Too many departures. Not enough quality coming back in. No identity, and no Cunha to save them this time. No new striker. And they’ve stalled tactically. A proud club but with no forward momentum. This season is the drop. Simply put, it’s almost like years of selling your best players and replacing them with bargain bucket replacements eventually catches up…..shock and horror, enjoy the last year in the Prem Wolves.
Sunderland
Fairytale return? Nah. They’ll come up, get giddy, and head straight back down with a “welcome back to the big leagues” battering.
Romantic? Yes. Realistic? No. A lovely story with an early-season bounce, but this squad isn’t built for 38 games at this level. Welcome back. Now pack your bags and enjoy your stadium tour and the latest season of Sunderland Till I Die……this year you die….sorry.
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