After 82 days that included a new Club World Cup, countless pre-season tours and a transfer or saga or two, the Premier League is back on Friday night for another campaign.
Champions Liverpool will kick off their title defence at Anfield against Bournemouth, before nine more games across the weekend in the season curtain raiser.
Elsewhere, Arsenal and Manchester United will do battle in the main attraction on Sunday, with Manchester City facing Wolves on Saturday.
The weekend then runs into Monday night, when Everton will tackle Leeds at Elland Road in the Whites’ first game back after winning the Championship last term.
But can Liverpool retain their title? How far can their closest competitors push them? And can any of the new boys stake their claim to stay in the league for a second year?
Here, Daily Mail Sport provides your ultimate guide to the new Premier League season, including a breakdown of last season’s efforts, a position prediction for all 20 sides and their title odds.
The Premier League is back this weekend with Liverpool looking to retain their title
Arsenal are looking to dethrone them – and Daily Mail Sport predicts them to finally win the league this season
ARSENAL
LAST SEASON: 2nd
MANAGER: Mikel Arteta
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Kai Havertz (9)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Viktor Gyokeres (£64m, Sporting Lisbon)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: New centre forward Gyokeres could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Mikel Arteta’s nearlymen. They look very well balanced across the pitch, should be devastating going forward and Declan Rice has added goals to his game from midfield. Martin Zubimendi is exciting, too. With rivals strengthening as well it will not be easy to make that final step, but they have given themselves a big chance.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: They will finally land the title — 1st
TITLE ODDS: 9-4
ASTON VILLA
LAST SEASON: 6th
MANAGER: Unai Emery
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Ollie Watkins (16)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Evann Guessand (£30m, Nice)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Emery has proven himself to be one of the best managers in the league and their strong spine of Ezri Konsa, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins remains for another season of European football. Morgan Rogers is a doubt for the start of the season with injury but Watkins, in particular, looked sharp in their final pre-season games. They should challenge towards the top end again.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: In and around the top six…or better — 4th
TITLE ODDS: 66-1
Aston Villa could finish in the Champions League places after the pain of missing out last term
BOURNEMOUTH
LAST SEASON: 9th
MANAGER: Andoni Iraola
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Justin Kluivert (12)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Djorde Petrovic (£25m, Chelsea)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: How Iraola deals with the departures of defenders Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi — for an impressive total of around £150million — will be key. Justin Kluivert, Ryan Christie and Luis Sinisterra may not be fit to start the season, but Iraola has worked wonders on the south coast and you’d expect them to keep their heads well above water once more.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Plenty of home wins and a decent return — 12th
TITLE ODDS: 500-1
BRENTFORD
LAST SEASON: 10th
MANAGER: Keith Andrews
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Bryan Mbeumo (20)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Antoni Milambo (£18.8m, Feyenoord)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: An unknown quantity for the first time in a while having lost manager Thomas Frank, top scorer Mbeumo and captain Christian Norgaard, plus maybe Yoane Wissa if Newcastle get their way. They always have a plan in the transfer market and Jordan Henderson is a proven Premier League player. Key will be if new boss Andrews can replace the goals of Mbeumo… and maybe Wissa.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: A struggle but enough to keep afloat – 16th
TITLE ODDS: 750-1
New Brentford manager Keith Andrews is the person tasked with carrying on Thomas Frank’s work from the last seven years
BRIGHTON
LAST SEASON: 8th
MANAGER: Fabian Hurzeler
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck (10)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Charalampos Kostoulas (£30m, Olympiacos)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Fans must be finding it hard not to dwell on pre-season results. Eight games, seven wins, a draw, and 20 goals — and that after they sold Joao Pedro to Chelsea. Left back Maxim De Cuyper looks good as a replacement for Pervis Estupinian and even if Manchester United end up signing Carlos Baleba, Brighton have proven they know how to replace key men.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Another solid season with big scalps – 8th
TITLE ODDS: 250-1
BURNLEY
LAST SEASON: 2nd in Championship
MANAGER: Scott Parker
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Josh Brownhill (18)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Lesley Ugochukwu (£24m, Chelsea)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Here we go again. The last four seasons have seen relegation, promotion, relegation, then promotion. Last year’s success was built on 30 clean sheets and Parker’s approach to survival will certainly be less gung-ho than predecessor Vincent Kompany. He has 13 new players to bed in, including Kyle Walker, who is likely to play on the right of three centre backs. But prepare for another season of toil.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Hard to make a case for survival – 19th
TITLE ODDS: 2,000-1
It’s hard to make a case for Scott Parker keeping Burnley in the top flight this season
CHELSEA
LAST SEASON: 4th
MANAGER: Enzo Maresca
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Cole Palmer (15)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Joao Pedro (£60m, Brighton)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Levi Colwill’s ACL injury is a huge blow, but the vibe otherwise is purely positive. All of their goals scored in two friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan came from new arrivals in Estevao Willian, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, who has looked lethal. But the extraordinary 64-game season which ended in being crowned world champions may catch up with them eventually.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Title tilt could prove a step too far – 5th
TITLE ODDS: 8-1
CRYSTAL PALACE
LAST SEASON: 12th
MANAGER: Oliver Glasner
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Jean-Philippe Mateta (14)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Borna Sosa (£3m, Ajax)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: How to follow perhaps the most eventful season in your history? The Community Shield display again proved Glasner’s Palace are a serious force and they will relish their first season in Europe. The relentless schedule may have an unwanted knock-on effect on their league season, though, and we’ll soon see how deep their squad is. If they do lose Marc Guehi to Liverpool, he will be a big loss.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: May be tricky to ride wave of optimism – 15th
TITLE ODDS: 500-1
Chelsea will be hoping to build on their success of winning the summer’s Club World Cup
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, already have one trophy to their names this season
EVERTON
LAST SEASON: 13th
MANAGER: David Moyes
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Iliman Ndiaye (9)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Thierno Barry (£27m, Villarreal)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Jack Grealish is a statement signing, but even Moyes admits Everton’s business has been underwhelming ahead of their first season at their new stadium. It remains to be seen how they’ll adapt, but they did only win five games at Goodison last year. There is plenty of talent — not least Ndiaye, their best performer last season — but it’s hard to see them making much progress without strengthening more.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Some issues but in safe hands with Moyes – 14th
TITLE ODDS: 500-1
Fulham
LAST SEASON: 11th
MANAGER: Marco Silva
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Raul Jimenez (12)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Benjamin Lecomte (£430k, Montpellier)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: The days of being a yo-yo club could be over and they shouldn’t be too alarmed by the quiet transfer window. In Jimenez, Adama Traore, Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe they have a potent blend of pace, power and guile that caused plenty of trouble last year. There is also a solid base with Silva, now an experienced Premier League boss embarking on his fifth season at Craven Cottage.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Another solid season under Silva – 11th
TITLE ODDS: 750-1
Leeds
LAST SEASON: 1st in Championship
MANAGER: Daniel Farke
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Joel Piroe (19)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Anton Stach (£17.4m, Hoffenheim)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Physicality has been a focus in the transfer window, with all seven signings so far at least 5ft 11in, as they look to put up a better fight than they did in their last visit to the top flight. Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks set to join and would give them vital Premier League experience up front and Daniel Farke will be desperate to prove he has learned from his previous relegation campaigns with Norwich.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Can break cycle of doom for promoted clubs – 17th
TITLE ODDS: 1,000-1
Daniel Farke’s Leeds have perhaps the best shot at survival out of the newly-promoted clubs
LIVERPOOL
LAST SEASON: Champions
MANAGER: Arne Slot
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Mohamed Salah (29)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Florian Wirtz (£116m, Bayer Leverkusen)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: The tragic death of Diogo Jota has cast a dark shadow and somehow Slot and his team have to galvanise themselves for a title defence after a magnificent first season post-Jurgen Klopp. They appear to have bought very well — Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike look superb — and, of course, they have tied down Salah for another two years. Expect them to add another forward and centre back for depth, too.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: They will score a hatful, but fall just short – 2nd
TITLE ODDS: 7-4
MANCHESTER CITY
LAST SEASON: 3rd
MANAGER: Pep Guardiola
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Erling Haaland (22)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Tijjani Reijnders (£46.5m, AC Milan)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: There are injury worries going into the campaign, with Guardiola saying Rodri won’t be fully fit until September. But an awful season by their standards last time still yielded a third-place finish and more goals than anyone bar Liverpool. Reijnders has looked superb and while their rivals have all signed new centre forwards, City still have the pick of them all in Erling Haaland.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Just too much to do to land the big prize – 3rd
TITLE ODDS: 7-2
Manchester City were poor last season and are up against it in their bid to regain the title
MANCHESTER UNITED
LAST SEASON: 15th
MANAGER: Ruben Amorim
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo (8)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Benjamin Sesko (£74m, Leipzig)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: A new attacking line-up should deliver more match winners and relieve the pressure on Fernandes, who has carried the team for years. Pre-season shows there remain concerns about big gaps opening up in midfield and the lack of a reliable goalkeeper is still a concern. Expect to see major steps forward, but Amorim’s rebuild after a disastrous 15th-place finish is very much a work in progress.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Better than last year, but that’s not saying a lot – 7th
TITLE ODDS: 25-1
Manchester United will be hoping new signings can bolster them to better than last season’s 15th-place finish
NEWCASTLE
LAST SEASON: 5th
MANAGER: Eddie Howe
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Alexander Isak (23)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Anthony Elanga (£55m, Nottm Forest)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: The Isak saga has overshadowed the last few weeks and masks the fact that there’s plenty to be positive about, whatever happens with the wantaway forward before the end of the transfer window. Howe has built a strong squad — albeit one which will be tested by a return to Champions League football — and Elanga looks a smart buy to bolster their attack with explosive pace.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Howe keeps show on the road after tough summer – 6th
TITLE ODDS: 50-1
Newcastle’s summer has been dominated by the saga of Alexander Isak’s future
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
LAST SEASON: 7th
MANAGER: Nuno Espirito Santo
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Chris Wood (20)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Dan Ndoye (£36.4m, Bologna)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: After a season of low possession and playing on the counter, it’s time to see whether Nuno’s attempts to adapt Forest’s style will work. Just one goal scored in seven pre-season games suggests it may be tricky but fans will have faith in Nuno to make things work, particularly with new signings to come. James McAtee will be an exciting addition in midfield from Manchester City.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Drop-off seems likely but they have quality – 9th
TITLE ODDS: 200-1
SUNDERLAND
LAST SEASON: 4th in Championship (won play-offs)
MANAGER: Regis Le Bris
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Wilson Isidor (12)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Habib Diarra (£30m, Strasbourg)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: How well Sunderland are prepared for the top flight after edging through the play-offs will soon become apparent, but two new boys in particular stand out. Senegal star Diarra is a club-record signing and midfield general Granit Xhaka, 32, looks a shrewd capture. But the majority of the squad — and boss Le Bris — are untested at this level.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Sadly, they could be the whipping boys – 20th
TITLE ODDS: 2,000-1
TOTTENHAM
LAST SEASON: 17th
MANAGER: Thomas Frank
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Brennan Johnson (11)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Mohammed Kudus (£55.3m, West Ham)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: A new dawn under Frank — they nearly beat European champions PSG in the UEFA Super Cup — but Spurs are lacking in attack with Son Heung-min sold, no reliable cover for Dominic Solanke and both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski injured. Spurs will expect to be stronger at the back and more diligent at set-pieces. They have too much quality to finish 17th again, surely.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Solidity should lead to improvement – 10th
TITLE ODDS: 50-1
Tottenham finished 17th last season and turned to Thomas Frank to fix their problems
West Ham
LAST SEASON: 14th
MANAGER: Graham Potter
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Jarrod Bowen (13)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: El Hadji Malick Diouf (£19.1m, Slavia Prague)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Morale was at rock bottom after last season, but things may slowly be starting to click into place for Potter. Diouf looks an exciting prospect down the left and young keeper Mads Hermansen slots into a position the Hammers needed filling. The less said about Callum Wilson’s arrival on a free transfer the better, but Niclas Fullkrug has come back leaner, fitter and sharper.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Improvement, but it’ll still be tough – 13th
TITLE ODDS: 750-1
WOLVES
LAST SEASON: 16th
MANAGER: Vitor Pereira
2024-25 TOP SCORER: Matheus Cunha (15)
MOST EXPENSIVE SUMMER SIGNING: Fer Lopez (£20m, Celta Vigo)
DAILY MAIL SPORT VERDICT: Key players Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo have gone and Pereira’s men are in dire need of reinforcements. At least new boy Lopez looks to be made of the right stuff for the Premier League. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder had only made seven senior starts before they signed him, but summer displays have encouraged the club that he can adapt quickly. He will certainly need to.
DAILY MAIL SPORT PREDICTS: Big names going could cost them dear – 18th
TITLE ODDS: 1,000-1
