Paul Merson
Paul Merson
Former Arsenal midfielder and beloved Sky Sports' Gillette Soccer Saturday pundit Paul Merson has predicted the 2026/27 Premier League top six, making several controversial claims ahead of the new campaign.
The Gunners will begin their title defence with a home match against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday night, while the rest of the traditional 'big six' will be going through periods of transition this term. Michael Carrick - having taken over at Manchester United in January - is the longest-serving manager among the expected chasing pack.
It means this season will be immensely difficult to predict, made all the more challenging by Chelsea and Tottenham's incredible net spend after seasons in which they really struggled. Merson has given guesswork a shot, though, making huge claims about both Liverpool and the aforementioned Red Devils.
Paul Merson Rules Out Both Manchester Clubs in Premier League Title Race
Enzo Maresca during his time at Chelsea
Lee Smith via Reuters
Manchester City have finished below second in just two of the last 10 seasons, with their lowest finish being just third. However, with Pep Guardiola passing the baton to Enzo Maresca - and Rodri leaving the club for Barcelona - Merson believes the perennial champions could slump to fourth this time around.
He told the Metro, after tipping Arsenal to successfully retain their title with "nobody capable of touching them": "After watching the Community Shield, I said the one thing Manchester City cannot do is sell Rodri. And they did it after the game."
Similarly, Merson finds it hard to imagine a title challenge from United as they prepare for their first full season with Carrick in the Old Trafford cockpit. No team picked up more points than United in the league following his interim appointment in January, earning 39 points from his 17 games.
Merson fears that a lack of squad depth and the added pressures of Champions League football will take its toll on the Red Devils, predicting them to finish all the way down in sixth: "I just worry about Manchester United with Europe. We saw it last season at times – their squad is wafer thin.
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick speaks to Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick speaks to Bruno Fernandes
Alan Smith
Alan Smith
"If Bruno Fernandes got injured, then you’d really worry. And yes, they have Youri Tielemans in there but I don’t see a dominant midfield.
‘Manchester United will have their ups and downs – and I don’t expect them to be challengers. It’s too early for that."
Where He Predicts Liverpool, Chelsea & Tottenham To Finish
Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak
Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Instead of the Manchester clubs, Merson believes Liverpool will find an elixir to last season's woes to become Arsenal's biggest title challengers this coming term. If Andoni Iraola can get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, then the former Bournemouth managers has every chance of succeeding at Anfield.
In third, Chelsea's spending is finally expected to pay dividends under the increasingly under-pressure Todd Boehly, whose rushed appointment of Liam Rosenior at the back-end of last season has ultimately led him to rethink his decision and instead hire Xabi Alonso this summer - one of the best managers in the world after he led Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented invincible Bundesliga season.
Xabi Alonso smiles in a press conference while working as Real Madrid manager
Xabi Alonso smiles in a press conference while working as Real Madrid manager
And, as for Tottenham, Merson has predicted them to finish fifth, which would be enough to see them climb 12 positions in the table to go from relegation candidates to a side that qualifies for the Champions League after splashing the cash to bring in the likes of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Jan Paul van Hecke.