Premier League 2025-26 Preview: Can Liverpool Hold Off Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea to Defend Title?

The Premier League, arguably the most competitive football league in the world, gets underway on Friday (August 15) with defending champions Liverpool set to take on Bournemouth. Last season saw the Anfield-based side win the league on a canter, with no team coming close to catching or matching them in the long run. 

The teams that finished behind them - Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United - were comfortably second best, but that may not be the case in this coming season. 

Here we take a look at how it is most teams could fare, and which ones pose the biggest threat to Liverpool. 

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Defending Champions The Favourites - But Only Just

Liverpool have had an unusually busy summer, because it is normally teams in the chasing pack who are active in the transfer market as they try to bridge the gap to the leaders. 

But Liverpool have recruited Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike and have agreed a deal for Giovanni Leoni - and are not done, as they pursue deals for Marc Guehi and Alexander Isak. 

Their imperious spending would make them clear favourites if the teams chasing them had not put out similar outlays in terms of money spent in the transfer market. 

But Slot and Co. have the advantage of a settled side, making it easier to bed in new players as a sense of familiarity and continuity in terms of playing style is a boost to new signings too. 

Therefore, it is safe to say that they are the favourites this season too - but the margin will probably not be as big as it was last season. 

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Who Are The Other Contenders?

Arsenal and Manchester City would be the closest contenders - particularly Arsenal, who have finished 2nd in the past three seasons and would be keen to break that unwanted streak. 

Mikel Arteta's men have invested heavily in the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Mosquera, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres. 

City too have had a busy summer, recruting James Trafford, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki even after spending heavily in the January 2025 transfer window. 

FIFA Club World Cup winners Chelsea are dark horses but having won 2 trophies with a young team and recruited the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato and bringing in Andrey Santos, Estevao Willian and Dario Essugo either from loans or pre-agreed signings. 

Newcastle would have wanted to be in a position to challenge but face turmoil having struggled to recruit and also being likely to lose Isak. 

Manchester United would also normally be contenders but having finished 15th last season, would see a climb back up to the top 7 as a more realistic achievement.