The Premier League returns after one of its most unpredictable seasons in recent memory, with Liverpool claiming a record-equalling 20th title, Manchester City in turmoil, and Manchester United hitting new lows.
The new campaign kicks off Friday, and clubs have opened their wallets in a bid to seize what promises to be a wide-open title race after City’s dominance was halted.
Defending champion Liverpool has been active in the transfer market, with Florian Wirtz emerging as the standout signing for a fee that could rise to a British-record $156 million.
Pep Guardiola’s rebuild at Manchester City began in January, with the club spending around $450 million to revamp a squad whose four-year title streak was broken last season.
Arsenal, perennial runners-up, have finally secured a top-class striker in Viktor Gyokeres as they chase their first league crown since 2004.
Chelsea continues its heavy-spending approach under American owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Fresh from winning the FIFA Club World Cup, the Blues will be eager to challenge for the Premier League and Europe’s biggest prizes once again.
Liverpool knows just how difficult it is to win back-to-back championships. Not since 1984 has the club successfully defended the title, and it is not alone in struggling to hold onto the trophy.
Only Guardiola’s City – champions in six of seven seasons between 2018 and 2024 – have managed to retain the title since Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United won back-to-back crowns in 2009.
But Liverpool coach Arne Slot already defied the odds by joining an elite group of managers to win the title in their first year in the Premier League, following Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte. He has brought in high-quality additions, with Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike adding more firepower to Liverpool’s attack.
City endured a sudden and dramatic decline last season when its title defense unraveled before Christmas.
Defeat in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace consigned City to its first trophyless season in eight years.
There were mitigating factors – mainly an injury to Ballon d’Or winner Rodri – but Guardiola’s extensive rebuild, including the signings of Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki, suggests City’s problems were more deeply rooted.
The last time Guardiola relinquished a title, he went on to win the next four. City’s Premier League rivals have been warned.
No team has been more consistent than Arsenal over the past three seasons, but that consistency still has not delivered a title.
The signing of Gyokeres could be the final piece of the puzzle.
The Swedish striker outscored Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah last term. His overall record for Sporting Lisbon was 97 goals in 102 games. Arsenal will hope he can reproduce that form in England.
United recorded its lowest finish in the Premier League era (15th) last season, the most losses (18) and its lowest points total (42). Add to that the failure to qualify for any European competition, and it was a year to forget.
Coach Ruben Amorim has vowed to bring the good times back. He’s signed Premier League-proven forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, along with highly rated Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko. He also has had a full offseason to work with his squad – something he was denied when hired midway through last season.
After winning two Portuguese titles at Sporting Lisbon, United is convinced he is the man to end more than a decade of decline since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
After a chaotic start, Chelsea’s U.S. owners are delivering results.
The revolving door of coaches has slowed. The mega spending has not. On the back of a season when Chelsea won the UEFA Conference League, qualified for the Champions League and won the newly expanded Club World Cup, it looks like the two-time European champion is back among football’s elite.
Arsenal faces a brutally testing start, coming up against United, Liverpool, City and Newcastle in its first six games, with three of those matches away from home.
United takes on Arsenal, City and Chelsea within its first five games.
In the past two seasons, all three clubs promoted from the Championship have been relegated the following year.
Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland have their work cut out to avoid the drop.
Defending champion Liverpool kicks off the season Friday against Bournemouth at Anfield.
The last day of the season is May 24, 2026.
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