B/R Football Writers' Bold Predictions for the 2026-27 Premier League
And on to the new season of the Premier League.
Football's most popular league begins anew on Friday as defending champions Arsenal begin their defense. Will the Gunners retain their crown? Will their opponents, Coventry City, beat the odds and avoid relegation?
Our team of Calum Rogers, Leo Collis and Nick Akerman provided the answers to those questions and more as they provided their bold predictions for the 2026-27 campaign.
Golden Boot Winner
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Leo Collis: It should be Erling Haaland. Really, it should. But if we're going for bold predictions, why not pick a striker who scored just three Premier League goals during the whole of last season?
Of course, that description does Alexander Isak a disservice, considering he bagged 54 in 86 top-flight games for Newcastle United across three seasons. But his debut campaign with the Reds was nothing short of disastrous, losing time while being integrated into the XI, sharpening his fitness, and then breaking his leg just as it looked like he was starting to fit in.
That limited him to just 14 games and 702 minutes of action. However, it should be a much different story in 2026-27. Despite a slightly late start because of the World Cup, the Swede actually had a pre-season with the Reds this time around, allowing him to develop more chemistry with his teammates. He's looked sharp in friendly fixtures, and if he can maintain his fitness, he should get back to the levels that saw him notch 21 goals and 23 goals in back-to-back Premier League seasons before his switch to Anfield.
Nick Akerman: This isn't bold in the slightest. I'm sorry. Maybe just offering a plain retort to Leo's argument can be considered bold in the context of this article? It's a cop out, but I can't in good conscience put forward another player who will even get close to what I expect Haaland to score next season.
Perhaps that's the bold bit? I can realistically see Haaland scoring more than 30 goals, and nobody else even reaching 20. Let's go with that…Man City won't win the title, and Haaland will score 15 more than anybody else. Why not?
Calum Rogers: I did consider Igor Thiago and Alexander Isak here, but former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha summed this category up nicely on The Ripple Effect with James Lawrence Allcott: "You can say that Haaland's not gonna score as many, but who's gonna score more?"
And let's not pretend there aren't significant concerns around Haaland's competitors. Isak suffered a broken leg and other muscle issues last season, and while Thiago scored 22 goals last season, he only scored six times in 2026 and nine of his tallies were penalties.
Even if City do fall off considerably under Maresca, it's still tough to imagine Haaland not being able to stay ahead of the competition. He hasn't scored fewer than 22 goals in a season since he was 18, though, so the bold prediction I (a coward) am willing to make is that Haaland will score 21 goals exactly to win the trophy.
Premier League Teams That Will Qualify for the UEFA Champions League
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Leo Collis: With Chelsea, my mildly wild pick for Premier League winners, we've got three Champions League spots left to fill—ignoring any additional places awarded to English sides ahead of the 2027-28 tournament.
I'm predicting a bit of a drop-off from Manchester City, who will suffer a Pep Guardiola hangover that Enzo Maresca won't be able to remedy.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are never far from a crisis, and despite some apparent stability under Michael Carrick, that won't last much longer.
Arsenal will get in, no problem, and Liverpool's big signings from last season will finally start to shine under the tutelage of Andoni Iraola, with those two teams claiming two spots.
With that, I'm giving my final place to Tottenham Hotspur. That's right; I'm going for the team that finished two points clear of the drop last season.
Business has been good for Spurs in the summer, with the midfield entirely improved, a new center-back who won't find himself suspended every month, and a manager in Roberto de Zerbi who has previously proved adept at Premier League management.
Things are looking good at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and I'm saying that will lead to a surprising spot in the top four.
Nick Akerman: I think the ordering here is probably the bold bit.
I expect an Andoni Iraola-led Liverpool to finish ahead of Enzo Maresca's Man City. Although much of that relies on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz remaining fit, the ex-Bournemouth manager is a clear communicator and should get his ideas across quickly to a Reds side that are gasping for new ideas after the malaise of Arne Slot's second year in charge. Maresca will need time to caress Pepisms into his style, despite their similarities.
Leo's excitement for Chelsea does seem worthy of further inspection. Xabi Alonso is an excellent man-manager who can drive underperforming teams to drastic improvement. He has a lot of really good players to work with.
The Spaniard's squad is rammed with options to overcome Man United, Aston Villa and other Champions League contenders who are going through mixed summers. I think they sneak in.
Calum Rogers: I've gone for Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United to join Arsenal in the top four, in that order.
I'm a little annoyed Nick has stolen my thunder on Liverpool, but Jérémy Jacquet looks like a strong addition defensively, and the Reds seem likely to make at least one splash signing in attack before the window closes that should aid in rebound seasons for Wirtz and Isak.
City could start slowly as they adjust to a post-Guardiola (and post-Rodri) world, and Maresca may have an impossible job in replacing the six-time Premier League winner. But I can't project a fall out of the top four for a team that has an attack featuring Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo, and with more additions looking likely elsewhere.
For the final spot, Chelsea and Tottenham came under consideration, but questions around the futures of Enzo Fernandez and seemingly several others in the squad make it hard to have confidence in the former, while the latter still need to prove that they can make it through a season without their squad being decimated by injuries.
Manchester United have had a quieter summer than both, but the midfield rebuild has been impressive, especially so if they add the physicality of Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba to that unit.
The Athletic's David Ornstein has reported they're close to agreeing a deal for the 22-year-old, who would add steel to an exciting collection of technicians in Kobbie Mainoo, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, and that improvement alongside an attack that led the league in goals after manager Michael Carrick took over in January may be enough to cover concerns about a defence that looks short on quality and depth.
Best Transfer
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Leo Collis: If you saw any of Switzerland's games at the 2026 World Cup, you might have caught a glimpse of Johan Manzambi's show-stealing performances.
He scored twice in an electric 20-minute cameo against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stages, and he backed that up with a goal and an assist against Canada from a starting berth.
He then provided an assist against Algeria in the round of 32, before being forced to sit out the rest of the tournament because of injury.
Aston Villa were obviously paying attention, fighting off a number of clubs to secure the 20-year-old's signature. Assuming he can put those injury woes behind him, Mazambi will light up the Premier League just like he did in the tournament in North America.
A change of the guard at Villa Park might be a hindrance, but he showed absolutely no fear of the big stage at his first World Cup, and he'll have no trouble bringing that energy, trickery, and clinical nature to the English top flight.
Nick Akerman: Midfielders are high on everyone's minds this summer. Transfer fees are so inflated that we've gotten to the point where £75 million for Bruno Guimarães seems like insane value, even if he's 28 years old (and I would ask, is 28 even old in modern football?)...
He's the best transfer in the league so far because of how well he fits what Arsenal needs. He's the finished article - a brilliant all-rounder, experienced captain and proven Premier League star. Mikel Arteta is at the point where he's hunting all trophies, not just trying to land the domestic prize. Bruno is a trinket in a treasure chest already overflowing with gold.
The Brazilian will improve Arsenal in subtle ways. He and Declan Rice should be able to dovetail, interchanging as one bursts forward and the other holds. As we saw in the Community Shield, Bruno is more than capable of running things on his own, which is extremely important during a period in which Rice is juggling persistent injury issues.
In that sense, I can't see any other player being more ready to step in as the former Magpies hero.
Calum Rogers: Brentford smashed their transfer record to sign Mamadou Sangaré from RC Lens, and he just looks like a player ready-made for the Premier League and for the Bees.
His energy levels will ensure he's able to handle the league's physicality, but his ability to break up play and quickly start attacks with a keen eye for a pass should pair well with Brentford's counter-attacking style.
Sangaré is not the finished product, but Brentford are the perfect club for him to make an immediate impact while working on his ability to manage and control games in midfield at the highest level.
This summer, we've seen several midfielders sold for fees over or around the $100 million mark, with elite clubs seemingly laser focused on physical players like Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Elliot Anderson who can do a bit of everything.
Sangaré isn't there yet, but Brentford's exemplary track record in the transfer market is just another indicator that he could be something special.
Worst Transfer
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Leo Collis: Alejandro Garnacho gets away with one because he's only joined Aston Villa on loan, limiting the damage this transfer could do for the West Midlands.
Instead, I'm going for the eye-watering $60 million fee that Leeds United paid Manchester City for James Trafford, a goalkeeper who has never looked as convincing as the hype suggests.
When he was Burnley's No. 1 in the 2023-24 Premier League season, he wasn't comfortable under the high ball and didn't command his penalty box particularly well. Granted, he was only just entering his twenties at the time, but he didn't show much to suggest he would be on the fast-track to becoming a top-flight keeper, and the Clarets plummeted to the Championship.
After sealing a return to Manchester City for 2025-26, he was quickly demoted to the bench when Gianluigi Donnarumma became available. While that deal was difficult to pass up, it showed little confidence in the academy graduate and undoubtedly knocked his confidence.
There's still every chance he can develop into a solid stopper, but that much money for a player who has done little to impress seems like a massive waste of money for Leeds.
Nick Akerman: It was only in December 2025 when Crystal Palace decided to spend £35 million on Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson. Eight months later, he was the make-weight in a swap deal for Everton's Dwight McNeil, which included zero fees.
McNeil is a good player. But that's awful business on the Palace side, who have effectively taken £15 million's worth of a winger who didn't play much last season in exchange for their man who is younger, played at a higher standard, and is worth more.
What transfer strategy is this, other than pulling the ripcord on Johnson, who could have started afresh under Pierre Sage?
Calum Rogers: Newcastle United's summer can kindly be described as risky so far. No one represents that better than midfielder Aladji Bamba, who was signed from AS Monaco for a fee that could rise as high as $46 million, according to the BBC's Ciaran Kelly.
For a player who has played just 974 minutes of top-flight football, that is a staggering sum.
There is some promising data behind the Frenchman, who recorded two assists in his limited appearances. As Newcastle pointed out in their reporting of the signing, Bamba was top five in duels won (9.1 per game), tackles (3.6), successful take-ons (1.6) and aerial duels won (1.9) among Ligue 1 midfielders who played more than 500 minutes. And from the eye test, the youngster also clearly possesses the physicality typically required for the Premier League.
However, the small sample size makes those numbers difficult to project forward. Add in that Newcastle have lost key leaders in his position in Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, have focused on signing young players with limited experience to replace them and hired a coach in Matthias Jaissle with no managerial history in a top European league, and the chances of Bamba and the other additions making a successful transition to English football look slim.
The Athletic's David Ornstein has credited Newcastle with interest in 24-year-old Nico Gonzalez from Manchester City, so hopefully the plan is to bring Bamba along slowly. Even then, though, they have paid a hefty fee for an inexperienced player who faces an uphill battle to make an immediate impact.
Teams That Will Be Relegated
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Leo Collis: Brentford surprised everyone last season, earning their joint-best Premier League finish despite hiring an unproven manager and losing their starting goalkeeper, captain and two top scorers ahead of the campaign.
The Bees will get found out this time around, with teams being more wary of the threat posed by the potent but limited Igor Thiago and crowding out the big Brazilian's route to goal.
Sunderland will suffer a similar fate. Another surprise team in 2025-26, the Black Cats finished a remarkable seventh after earning promotion to the top flight from the Championship playoffs the season before.
That success could come back to haunt Regis Le Bris' side, as it will now have to deal with European football on top of another bruising Premier League campaign. With little investment in the squad so far this summer, there isn't enough quality to earn good results across both competitions, and their league form might suffer.
Finally, Hull City will have to be careful that their return to the top tier of English football doesn't end in humiliation. The Tigers' promotion was surprising in the first place, and despite the success of the promoted clubs last season, a lack of quality signings and a poor base to start with will condemn the Yorkshire side to a quick return to the Championship.
Nick Akerman: My picks mean Frank Lampard will keep Coventry City in the Premier League. I think it'll be close, but there's a good chance Fulham will become the next high-profile London side to follow West Ham into the Championship.
The Cottagers need to quickly adjust to life without Marco Silva. His management kept them safe during moments when they didn't look particularly great last season. New boss Álvaro Arbeloa made Real Madrid worse during his stint, and I think we'll see that on a larger scale here, given that Fulham isn't one of the best teams in the division, unlike Los Blancos in Spain.
Hull and Ipswich, I'm sorry. I just can't see them overcoming the mid-to-bottom pack, especially if the division plays out as brutally as it did last year.
Calum Rogers: I agree with Leo and Nick that Sunderland and Fulham are in danger, but remember earlier when I said I'm a coward? Well, I'm picking Hull, Coventry and Ipswich to get relegated.
But after a season that saw two promoted teams comfortably stay up and even qualify for Europe in Sunderland's case, maybe that's actually the boldest prediction someone could make? No? Well, I'm doing it anyway.
All three of the newbies have been busy, but it's just not enough...yet.
Hull have signed 11 players, but with the average age of those additions hovering around 22 years old, it's questionable whether they have added enough experience to truly make a go of surviving.
Coventry and Ipswich have added a decent mix of youth and experience.
The former have added Gus Hamer and Taiwo Awoniyi, who have each previously recorded 10 goal contributions in a Premier League season, while the latter's Julio Enciso and Abdul Fatawu are exciting young attackers who have shown glimpses of being able to have an impact in the division.
A couple of impact signings could still turn the tide, but I'm sticking with the promoted trio as my relegation picks for now.
Wild Card Prediction
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Leo Collis: Pep Guardiola has left big shoes to fill at Manchester City. The Catalan won pretty much everything available to him during a decade at the Etihad Stadium, and despite the clear spending capital available to the north-west side, he was still pivotal in molding the squad into an all-conquering juggernaut.
Enzo Maresca comes in with a relatively light CV. He had just a season-and-a-half at Chelsea before his controversial departure, earning a fourth-place Premier League finish in his first season and then leaving Stamford Bridge with the club just fifth in the English top flight. A Conference League title and a Club World Cup look good in the trophy cabinet, but they are minor trophies in the grand scheme of things.
With Manchester City, he'll struggle to impose himself on a squad that only just said goodbye to the influential Guardiola, and the results will suffer as a result. The talent is clearly still available—although the imminent departure of Rodri is a huge loss—but the 46-year-old won't be able to accentuate their abilities as his mentor could.
As a result, City will slip out of title contention, won't make the top four, and could even struggle to finish in the top six.
Nick Akerman: Michael Carrick pretty much backed Man United into a corner after his excellent stint as interim boss led them to a Champions League place.
It would have been bold for the board to hire someone else full-time, just in case the alternative failed and accusations that Carrick never received his opportunity came their way.
While Carrick's extended tenure was a given, few supporters will be happy with how he's being backed in the transfer market. We're one week away from United's first match of the season, and Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans are the club's big midfield signings (with Carlos Baleba likely to come soon). Good deals if taken at face value, but not enough.
Where's the next left back? Where's the competition for Benjamin Sesko up front? How is United seriously on the verge of lining up with the same creaking defense they had in 2022?
Carrick showed signs of tactical naivety at times, but was bailed out by players in great form. He is now under much greater pressure. I think it could go wrong at speed, hastened by a twitchy INEOS who may be quick to move on if the new boss turns out to be another pretender.
Calum Rogers: Jeez, an awful lot of negativity here, guys. Haven't you heard that preseason is the time when every team has hope?
I guess it's on me to send the readers off with a feel-good prediction, so here goes nothing: Brentford will finish in the top six.
How you feel about this likely comes down to your take on Brentford winning just one of their final 10 games last season, tumbling from as high as fifth in January to a ninth-place finish and missing out on European qualification on goal difference.
Did the league figure them out? Or did a thin squad just run out of steam and a bit of luck?
Clearly, I'm going with the latter, and Brentford's summer business looks to have addressed the depth problem. Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony provide options for rotation and can change games off the bench, while I've already explained how excited I am about Sangaré in midfield.
With so much upheaval at the top end of the table, and with other usual top-six challengers like Aston Villa and Newcastle also losing significant players, there's another opportunity for a smaller club to follow in Bournemouth's footsteps from last season, and Brentford look the most likely to me.
Premier League Winners
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Leo Collis: It's clear I haven't learned my lesson from last season, when I picked Chelsea to win the title off the back of a convincing Club World Cup win.
There has been no such silverware heading into the 2026-27 campaign, and the Blues are coming off a season in which they finished a distant 10th in the Premier League. That makes this pick even more ludicrous.
But with new manager Xabi Alonso in the dugout, things feel quite hopeful. Meanwhile, some shrewd signings, including the excellent Morgan Rogers, in addition to some much-needed experience in the dressing room courtesy of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, should change the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge for the better.
With European football off the calendar, the Blues can focus their attention on a strong domestic campaign. With Arsenal perhaps prioritizing a first European Cup title in club history, that could play nicely into Chelsea's hands.
Honestly, Arsenal should be going back-to-back. But we're in the business of bold, and much like last season, bold is blue.
Nick Akerman: I swear I'm not doing this on purpose. I realize picking Arsenal to win the title right now is like saying night will turn to day.
Mikel Arteta's squad are by far the deepest and best-prepped in the Premier League. Defending the crown is non-negotiable, and to be honest, success should be measured by whether or not the Gunners finally win the Champions League, because the rest of the English clubs are just not in a position to compete with them.
So, to get bold with it, I think there's a genuine chance Arsenal could win the title with the highest gap to second-place ever.
Man City's 2017-18 Centurions currently hold the record, finishing 19 points ahead of rivals Man United. Arteta's side won't reach 100 points, but their nearest rivals are all dealing with issues that may lead to inconsistency. Let's go with a 20-point title win for the North Londoners.
Calum Rogers: Arsenal have made upgrades to a title-winning team. Christos Tzolis looks to have added more juice to the team's attack, while the addition of Bruno Guimarães affords manager Mikel Arteta more options both tactically and in terms of rotation.
The Athletic's David Ornstein, Jacob Tanswell and James McNicholas have also reported that Arsenal have agreed a deal for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, which would add to an already deep defensive unit. The 28-year-old England international will also help cover for the injured William Saliba, who will be out until around October with a back injury.
There are still concerns in attack, namely over the fitness of Bukayo Saka and whether Viktor Gyökeres can offer a more consistent threat, and perhaps there will be a lull after the emotionally draining chase for a first league title since 2004. While I still think Arsenal have enough to repeat, my somewhat spicy take is that they will do so with fewer points than the 85 they recorded last season.
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