Liverpool start their bid for a file twenty first English title on Friday, with Arne Slot’s revamped facet put in as favourites to retain the Premier League crown.
Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis are the primary contenders to finish Liverpool’s reign, whereas Chelsea and Manchester United have inquiries to reply.
AFP Sport appears at 5 speaking factors forward of the beginning of the 2025-26 season:
Champs Liverpool in pole place
When Liverpool host Bournemouth within the opening match of the top-flight season, the Reds will placed on show an expensively overhauled group carrying nice expectations.
Liverpool haven’t been topped champions in successive campaigns since 1982-83 and 1983-84.
Emulating the feat of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and firm would take the Anfield membership previous Manchester United into sole possession of probably the most English titles.
Chasing that focus on, whereas additionally competing for the Champions League, satisfied boss Arne Slot to take a position from a place of energy as Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez headlined a £256 million ($343 million) summer season spree.
Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz have departed however Slot sees encouraging indicators from a new-look assault that might but embrace Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.
“Final season we had a variety of ball possession however that didn’t at all times result in promising conditions. Now, we’re higher in creating than we had been all through the entire of final season,” he mentioned.
Can Arsenal recover from the road?
After ending as runners-up for the final three seasons, Arsenal imagine they’re prepared to finish their lengthy wait to win the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s facet blew golden alternatives within the title race in 2023 and 2024, however final season was a irritating injury-plagued affair that petered out with Liverpool 10 factors forward of them.
Arsenal haven’t received the title since 2004 and their solely main trophy below Arteta is the 2020 FA Cup.
Having spent over £180 million on Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga, Arteta is assured Arsenal can attain the promised land finally.
“We now have been very shut the previous couple of seasons. We all know what our targets are. There’s a massive perception in our capacity to realize that,” he mentioned.
Man Metropolis face lengthy highway again to the highest
Pep Guardiola has spent the shut season engaged in a determined try to halt Manchester Metropolis’s decline.
Persevering with a significant overhaul that began within the January switch window, Guardiola has signed Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and James Trafford.
With Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker leaving and Jack Grealish additionally on the way in which out, it has been a summer season of change on the Etihad Stadium.
Whether or not Guardiola’s wheeling and dealing can take Metropolis again to the summit after a primary trophyless season since 2017 is one other matter.
Champions in six of the final eight seasons, Metropolis regarded shockingly susceptible throughout their droop to a third-place end, whereas issues stay over the sturdiness of midfield talisman Rodri after his critical knee harm.
Chelsea’s world champs purpose excessive
Contemporary from their shock Membership World Cup success, Chelsea will look to hold the momentum into the home marketing campaign.
Enzo Maresca’s males returned from the USA buoyed by their spectacular 3-0 victory over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain within the remaining, however are they for actual?
The Blues had the youngest common age of a beginning line-up throughout a complete Premier League season within the competitors’s historical past final time period.
Regardless of a turbulent marketing campaign, Chelsea completed fourth to qualify for the Champions League and in addition received the UEFA Convention League.
Now rising stars Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez are joined by new recruits Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Estevao Willian and Jorrel Hato as Chelsea set their sights even greater.
Man Utd eye redemption
Chastened by their lowest end since 1973-74, Manchester United hope an entire revamp of their assault can encourage a redemptive season.
Ruben Amorim’s facet ended fifteenth within the Premier League and suffered a toothless 1-0 defeat in opposition to fellow strugglers Tottenham within the Europa League remaining — a loss that value them a spot within the Champions League.
It was an appropriately limp conclusion to a humiliating season and Amorim is below intense stress to show the tide after spending £200 million on forwards Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Marcus Rashford has joined Barcelona on mortgage, with Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund all prone to go away Previous Trafford as Amorim tries to wake the sleeping large.
The publish Five Premier League talking points appeared first on Vanguard News.
