Predicting how the Premier League table could look heading into the new season can be just as exciting as it is enviable, and 33 different BBC pundits have weighed in on the debate ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Among the biggest questions before the first kick-off: can Liverpool retain their title, and will a promoted side finally beat the dropzone after two successive seasons where no new team has managed survival?
Elsewhere, can the Gunners finally take the next step after finishing second for three years running? How will Manchester City respond after losing their crown following four consecutive titles? Can Chelsea improve on last season's fourth-placed finish, and will anyone else break into the top tier?
BBC’s top sports analysts across TV and radio have tried their best to predict just the top four - and some of their guesswork is bound to raise a few eyebrows before a ball has even got rolling.
33 BBC Pundits Predict Premier League 2025/26 Top Four
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The overwhelming majority of BBC pundits believe Liverpool - after a summer transfer window that sees them weighing up whether to break the British transfer fee record for a second time to sign Alexander Isak, having already fended off interest from Manchester City and Bayern Munich to land Florian Wirtz - will retain their title and extend their lead as England's most successful club.
Micah Richards, Alan Shearer, and Wayne Rooney are among the 21 pundits confident the Reds have what it takes. Sue Smith and Martin Keown are among the six who think Arsenal can break their hoodoo to win their first English league crown in over two decades, while newly-instated pundit Joe Hart is putting his eggs in Manchester City's basket alongside four others. See the full breakdown of predictions below:
33 BBC pundits predict Premier League 2025/26 top four
Pundit
Chris Waddle
Joe Hart
Michael Brown
Steph Houghton
Paul Robinson
Nedum Onuoha
Fara Williams
Micah Richards
Troy Deeney
Lindsay Johnson
Pat Nevin
Ellen White
Ashley Williams
Alan Shearer
Wayne Rooney
Chris Sutton
Anita Asante
Steve Sidwell
Rachel Brown-Finnis
Shay Given
Dion Dublin
Danny Gabbidon
Clinton Morrison
Theo Walcott
Danny Murphy
Rob Green
Glenn Murray
Matt Upson
Martin Keown
Thomas Hitzlsperger
Sue Smith
Leon Osman
Jermaine Beckford
Former England, Tottenham, and Newcastle icon Chris Waddle has, without a shadow of a doubt, the most intriguing prediction of the lot. He sees Liverpool stumbling into fourth, while Europa Conference League and Club World Cup winners Chelsea claim first. That, however, mirrors the optimism inside Stamford Bridge, with 97% of their supporters heading into the season with high hopes, according to a recent study.
The only other pundit predicting that the champions won’t finish inside the top two is Matt Upson, who places Arsenal first and Man City second. Perhaps the biggest - and only - stumbling block at Anfield right now is the sheer number of new signings, meaning gelling together could prove tricky.