How will your club fare? Phil McNulty's Premier League predictions

What the report says

BBC Sport Football chief football writer Phil McNulty has published his annual Premier League predictions for the 2026-27 season, ranking all 20 clubs and outlining the reasons behind each forecast. The piece centres on expected title contenders, European places and the impact of summer managerial changes and transfers.

McNulty tips Arsenal to retain the Premier League crown after winning their first title in 22 years, arguing that Mikel Arteta’s squad has strength across the pitch and enough momentum to stay ahead. Manchester City are placed second in what he describes as a period of transition following major personnel changes, while Liverpool are predicted to finish third as new manager Andoni Iraola begins shaping the post-Mohamed Salah era. Chelsea are projected to come fourth, with McNulty suggesting that Xabi Alonso could steady a highly changed squad if the pieces fit together.

Further down the table, Manchester United are forecast to secure a Champions League place under Michael Carrick, while Aston Villa are expected to remain competitive despite squad turnover. Tottenham Hotspur are backed to rebound from last season’s struggles, and Nottingham Forest are tipped to improve under Oliver Glasner after a turbulent managerial cycle. Brighton and Brentford round out the top 10 in McNulty’s view.

The article also notes that there are nine new managers in the division, which McNulty says makes this one of his hardest prediction exercises. More broadly, it offers readers a snapshot of how BBC Sport sees the league shaping up, while emphasizing that these are forecasts rather than results.