Manchester City Wobble as Arsenal Surge in New Premier League Era

Manchester City have spent a decade bullying the odds. This summer, the bookmakers are finally blinking.

A 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield in Cardiff, coupled with confirmation that World Cup 2026 standout Rodri is off to Barcelona, has jolted the markets and stirred a sense that City, now under Enzo Maresca, are walking into a fraught post-Pep Guardiola transition.

Arsenal’s sharp display saw some firms trim the champions from 6-4 to 5-4 to retain their Premier League crown. City, who still lifted both the EFL Cup and FA Cup last season but finished second in the league, have drifted from 11-2 to 7-2. Liverpool sit at 6-1, Chelsea and Manchester United at 8-1, Tottenham way out at 28-1, and Aston Villa at 66-1.

Two years ago, almost nobody dared bet against City completing an unprecedented five in a row. A year ago, Liverpool’s surprise title under Arne Slot and their lavish post-championship spending spree had many convinced they would dominate again. They finished fifth. Slot was gone at the end of his second season. This time, there’s no stampede to anoint Arsenal, but nobody in our fan-pundit panel is ruling them out either.

The panel, the misses and the new “Big Six-plus”

The main bragging rights from last season belong to Christine, who at least warned that Liverpool might not retain their title in 2026, suggesting “first or fourth.” None of our four Manchester United fans even put United in the top four; Niall’s boldest call was an unsolicited fifth – prophetic enough that we’ve now moved to a top-five prediction system.

I had United second behind my own club, Liverpool, and Aston Villa third. Only John also correctly backed Villa to crack the top four. This year, we’ve even added a genuine Villa supporter, Dave, to the mix.

My fourth pick last year, Nottingham Forest, was a wild swing. John lays out their case below, one more reason to expand to five places. The reality, though, is that there’s now an unofficial “Big Six-plus” for the rest to navigate: Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Villa and Spurs. The odds tell the same story.

Two seasons back, Scott and a couple of others nailed the four Champions League clubs, if not the exact order. Last year, nobody did. Chelsea appeared in almost every top four and finished 10th.

This time I’m expecting a London surge, with Chelsea stepping back into contention, inspired in part by Arsenal’s title. My five:

• Chelsea
• Arsenal
• Liverpool
• Tottenham
• Brentford

Leeds back in the mix, Everton restless on the Mersey

PAUL GALLIGAN, LABOR ATTORNEY, LEEDS UNITED

Leeds survived. In this era, that’s an achievement on its own. With Coventry promoted this year, joining Leeds and Sunderland from last year, the Premier League suddenly has an old-school feel.

Paul sees more than mere survival now. He expects Leeds to settle into mid-table, with an outside shot at Europe if they can find another goal scorer. James Trafford, Tarik Muharemović and Harry Wilson have arrived and look like genuine first-team upgrades, but the squad still feels thin. His top five? The “usual suspects”: Chelsea, Arsenal, City, United and “Pool” – in that order.

He enjoyed the World Cup, praised the refereeing, especially in the final, and still wishes FIFA would “go up in flames.”

JAMES ROGERS, NEW YORK EVERTONIANS

Across the Mersey, Everton are into their second season at the gleaming Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the mood is complicated. David Moyes must wake up a side that sleepwalked through the run-in last term, their European hopes evaporating with just three points from the final seven games.

There is change. Christian Nørgaard, Hayden Hackney and Brennan Johnson have come in, Johnson via a swap that sent Dwight McNeil to Crystal Palace. There’s agitation too: a drawn-out hunt for a right back, constant noise around Iliman Ndiaye, and the romantic question of whether Jack Grealish will ever pull on Royal Blue again.

Ndiaye’s World Cup cameo against Iraq reminded everyone of his talent. Grealish had been superb for Everton before injury wrecked his season and World Cup dreams. James Garner, so unlucky to miss out on the tournament, is another key piece, along with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and England’s No. 1, Jordan Pickford, fresh from his heroics in the U.S. and Mexico.

The stadium is built. The fanbase is restless. Progress is non-negotiable now. James’s top five: Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea.

Liverpool’s reset, the Kop factor and Bezos backlash

CHRISTINE KINEALY, HISTORIAN, LIVERPOOL

Christine and her family boycotted attending World Cup games in person, protesting corruption at the top of the sport, and instead watched on TV. They did, however, trek to Yankee Stadium to see Liverpool face Wrexham. Scotland and Cabo Verde, their chosen nations, went out early. Her prediction of France as champions also fell flat. Spain took the trophy, with Víctor Muñoz – now a Liverpool player – among their ranks. Nine other Liverpool players went to the tournament, including three for the Netherlands.

Back on Merseyside, the Arne Slot era flickered and faded. Big-money signings never quite meshed, and when games fell apart, Slot looked short of answers. His successor, Andoni Iraola, inherits a talented but bruised squad and is already steering Liverpool back towards a more direct, high-pressing style reminiscent of Jürgen Klopp, with tweaks in zonal counter-pressing.

Pre-season has shown both promise and teething problems. Late transfer activity has brought Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Muñoz and Ronald Araújo, and there’s hope Iraola’s Premier League experience will help a revamped back line settle faster than last summer’s influx managed.

The emotional blow is heavy. Mo Salah and Andy Robertson – “Mo” and “Robbo” – have gone, two figures who embodied the modern Liverpool spirit. The arrival of Jeff Bezos in the club’s ownership structure has been greeted with dismay.

Christine expects a bumpy ride, but believes in the core of the squad and that intangible Kop factor. Her prediction: Liverpool to finish third.

Spurs survive a horror film and find a saviour

DOM STINGAS PACZKO, TOTTENHAM

For Dom, last season at Spurs was a horror movie. A malevolent force dragging everyone towards the drop, only for a late saviour to burst through in the final act.

Thomas Frank’s appointment initially offered optimism after Ange Postecoglou’s gung-ho reign, but by October it was clear things were unraveling. Dom warned his dad they might be in relegation trouble. Few believed him. By the time Frank was finally sacked – “far too late” – Spurs were in serious danger. Igor Tudor’s brief spell barely merits a mention in Dom’s script. The real story is the arrival of Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi, he argues, was one of the few coaches who could have rescued them: rebuilding confidence, putting the team on the front foot, and dragging them away from oblivion. Without him, Dom reckons he’d be writing about trips to Preston North End and Lincoln City instead of another Premier League campaign.

The board, under fire after Daniel Levy’s departure, have moved to repair the damage. The wage structure has been overhauled so Spurs can compete for top signings. Recruitment, both in and out, looks sharper. Losing Cristian Romero and Djed Spence would once have triggered meltdown; now, with smarter additions, there’s calm. Spurs are still two or three attack-minded players short of a genuine top-four tilt, but for the first time in years there’s a coherent plan off the pitch and belief on it.

Dom’s top five, with a caveat: 1. Arsenal 2. Chelsea 3. Manchester City 4. Aston Villa 5. Tottenham – if they land those extra signings. If not, he nudges Manchester United into fifth.

Arsenal’s champions dare to repeat

SCOTT SILVER, FREELANCE DESIGNER, ARSENAL

Scott is unapologetically bullish. Arsenal finally got the mix right last season, and he sees no reason they can’t go again.

Gabriel Martinelli may be on his way out for £38 million, but the squad still brims with quality. Bukayo Saka is fit again. Declan Rice is, in Scott’s eyes, one of Europe’s elite midfielders. Add Eberechi Eze, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard and it starts to look like an embarrassment of riches.

He didn’t catch much of the World Cup beyond the USA games and the final stages, but he acknowledges Spain’s dominance. Turning back to domestic matters, he lays out his top five:

• Arsenal
• Man City
• Liverpool
• Man Utd
• Chelsea

United’s believers: Carrick, kids and a title charge

JOE BEHAN, FLORIDA RESIDENT, MANCHESTER UNITED

Joe sees a title charge in Manchester United’s near future – if Michael Carrick stays in the dugout. Carrick walked away from the club’s coaching staff in 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s sacking and his own burnout. Four years later, he returned, initially as head coach, then as manager, and transformed a drifting side into a team that finished third and comfortably qualified for the Champions League.

Key to that revival were Kobbie Mainoo and Benjamin Šeško, restored to the line-up and playing, as Joe puts it, “out of their skins.” He argues United played the best football in the Premier League under Carrick last season, their best since Sir Alex Ferguson.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Manchester United 3. Manchester City 4. Aston Villa 5. Liverpool.

World Cup reflections and a reshaped Newcastle

JOHN SPINKS, VISUAL ARTIST, NEWCASTLE UNITED

For John, the U.S.-based World Cup felt like a full-time job: football on tap at peak hours, day after day. While eyes were on the tournament, Newcastle were dismantled. Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and, most recently, Bruno Guimarães all departed, heading to Barcelona, Spurs and Arsenal respectively.

Three weeks before Newcastle’s league opener against Liverpool at St James’ Park, Eddie Howe resigned. In came German coach Matthias Jaissle, handpicked by the Saudi ownership, bringing his own staff and a new direction.

The spine of a decent defence remains: Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Dan Burn, Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw – all now battle-hardened. Around them, a wave of youth. Goalkeeper Ivan Jaouen arrives from Reims, 20 years old and 6ft 7in, reputedly “good with his feet.” In midfield, Bamba from Monaco, Steur from Ajax, and the emerging Korean talent Park Seung, all 20 or under.

It’s a hybrid squad, a mix of experience and exotic prospects. John wonders if a German “chef” can get them cooking.

The death of Kevin Keegan hit Tyneside hard. The outpouring of scarves, shirts and flowers around the club was a communal act of remembrance, and a further tribute is planned for the opening fixture. It feels like the end of another era.

John’s predictions: 1. Man City 2. Man Utd 3. Arsenal 4. Villa 5. Sunderland – the last “for divilment.”

United’s expectations rise, pressure follows

RAY O’HANLON, IRISH ECHO, MANCHESTER UNITED

Ray charts United’s journey from frustration to expectation. A leap from mid-table mediocrity to the top four would satisfy most clubs. United are not most clubs. Titles and trophies remain the standard.

Carrick, he says, fully merits keeping the job after his calm, controlled stewardship following Ruben Amorim’s departure. Now comes the real test: fighting for the Premier League, competing in Europe and navigating the domestic cups.

Pre-season offered cautious encouragement: three wins, a draw and a defeat. The standout occasion came at Croke Park, a 1-1 draw with Leeds settled on penalties in front of 82,000 – a record crowd for soccer in Ireland. The 4-2 loss to AC Milan, now coached by Amorim, will be dissected in detail at Carrington.

Carrick wants more signings, perhaps one marquee name to go with four summer arrivals, including midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea. The academy, as ever, lurks as a source of future stars.

Ray’s targets are clear: the league title as the ultimate prize, top four as a minimum, and finishing above Manchester City a daily prayer for United fans. The pressure starts immediately, with newly promoted Hull City visiting Old Trafford on opening weekend.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Manchester United 3. Liverpool 4. Aston Villa 5. Everton.

Villa trust Emery over the noise

DAVE HANNIGAN, AUTHOR AND COLUMNIST, ASTON VILLA

Dave writes in the afterglow of the Super Cup, where 17-year-old Brian Madjo lit up PSG and sent the English media into a frenzy over both the teenager and Villa’s prospects. He urges caution: it was still only a glorified friendly.

The ballast is Unai Emery. Dave insists the manager is the main reason Villa can aim for another top-four challenge and a run to the Champions League quarter-finals, despite losing Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, and with Ezri Konsa possibly leaving before the window shuts.

Emery, he argues, consistently makes his teams more than the sum of their parts. Viktor Lindelöf, doubted by many when he arrived on a free, started 27 games, filled in admirably in midfield at times and contributed throughout. That’s Emery’s touch. The signing of Alejandro Garnacho, though, has some fans wary; even Emery might be stretched by such a volatile talent.

Still, if Boubacar Kamara stays fit, John McGinn continues to shield the ball with that famous low centre of gravity, and Ollie Watkins shakes off the insult of just 56 World Cup minutes, Villa should at least match last season.

Dave’s top five: 1. Chelsea 2. Manchester City 3. Liverpool 4. Aston Villa 5. Manchester United.

Liverpool’s transition and a wider reckoning

MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN, JESUIT PRIEST, LIVERPOOL

Michael didn’t see much of the World Cup but rooted for Argentina because of Lionel Messi, and because Messi was driven to win for his dying father. He wants FIFA to strip third-place play-off goals from the Golden Boot equation and believes Messi had more impact than Rodri at the tournament.

On Liverpool, he sees a club in transition, short of reinforcements in key positions and still waiting on long-term absentees Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Leoni. He welcomed the managerial change; the previous coach’s style, he felt, held the team back. Andoni Iraola, though, will need time and fit players to reshape the side.

Michael expects Spurs, his boyhood club from the Jimmy Greaves days, to do well under their new manager after smart recruitment. He believes Manchester United will struggle to match last season’s league finish while juggling the Champions League. He wonders, like many, when the investigation into Manchester City’s practices will finally conclude. Aston Villa, he says, could fly if they start better than last year. And surely, he adds, teams will be better prepared for Arsenal’s devastating corner routines this time.

His top five: Man City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Tottenham.

United’s wild card and Rodri’s shadow

ANTHONY C. MURPHY, WRITER, MANCHESTER UNITED

Anthony’s eye is on United’s World Cup contingent and their uneven fortunes. Bruno Fernandes never quite shone for Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo still on the pitch. Diogo Dalot barely featured. Uruguay and Manuel Ugarte did little. Casemiro has gone, Matheus Cunha flashed talent without consistency, and Brazil flattered to deceive, apart from against a woeful Scotland. Tyler Fletcher may not have played at all.

He praises Morocco and Noussair Mazraoui’s authority, notes Marcus Rashford’s battle with Anthony Gordon for England minutes, and insists Rashford remains a potent outlet, even if he can be careless in possession. Mainoo, he argues, is United’s best player alongside Bruno and is underused. Lisandro Martínez was solid for Argentina, who, in Anthony’s view, descended into petulance in the final.

Amad Diallo impressed for Ivory Coast, scoring against Ecuador and Norway and becoming their youngest-ever scorer.

Anthony is unsure how United will fare. They were “lucky” to finish third last season as others faltered, but he sees promise in new signings Santos, Orozco and Tielemans, and dreams of a Tielemans–Mainoo axis for stability. Goalkeeper Lemmens swings between brilliance and calamity.

He predicts a top-five league finish, an early European exit and a possible FA Cup win. The top three? Arsenal, City and Liverpool – unless Rodri’s departure truly destabilises City. To him, the midfielder was player of the tournament at the World Cup. Rodri has now gone to Barcelona. That may yet be the hinge on which the title swings.

Liverpool’s bruised season and Arsenal’s corners

STEPHEN BOLAND, RETIRED UPS WORKER, LIVERPOOL

Stephen returns to a theme: Arne Slot won with Klopp’s team and Klopp’s style in year one, then tried to impose his own system. It failed. Fans didn’t like the football, and a raft of signings never lived up to the billing. Injuries hurt, especially to Alexander Isak. Florian Wirtz looked lost. Mohamed Salah was a shadow of himself. It was a poor year.

He enjoyed the expanded World Cup more than expected, even with 48 teams. He loathed Argentina’s approach and the Messi-centric coverage, and feels they benefited from favourable calls.

One silver lining for Liverpool, he says, was that most of their players didn’t go deep into the tournament, leaving them fresher and more cohesive. If the injured core returns and finds rhythm, Liverpool can respond.

He expects little to separate the top sides and offers this five: 1. Arsenal 2. Liverpool 3. Man City 4. Man United 5. Chelsea.

United’s title or bust?

NIALL O’LEARY, ARCHITECT AND IRISH-DANCE TEACHER, MANCHESTER UNITED

Niall loved the World Cup but never wants to hear the phrase “hydration break” again. From a United perspective, the key positive was limited player involvement, leaving the squad rested for what he believes will be a title-winning campaign.

His argument is simple: most Premier League contenders have changed managers and will need time to bed in new ideas and signings. Manchester United already have Carrick, appointed on January 13 – his father’s birthday, a detail he delights in. If Arsenal are unlikely to repeat, who steps up? For Niall, this is United’s moment.

He forecasts a 14th Premier League title and tips Marcus Rashford, now wearing No. 14, as player of the season. Rashford, he insists, has returned from his “ramblings on the Ramblas” ready for a second coming.

His top five: 1. Manchester United 2. Manchester City 3. Arsenal 4. Liverpool 5. Chelsea.

Chelsea’s redemption bid and Maresca’s shadow

PAUL FINNEGAN, FORMER IBO PRESIDENT, CHELSEA

Paul backed Chelsea to win the league last season. They finished 10th. He blames himself, but also points to the seismic mid-season blow of losing Enzo Maresca to Manchester City. City fluttered their eyelashes, he says, and Chelsea’s campaign fell apart.

He felt for Cole Palmer, who missed out on England’s World Cup squad after a draining, injury-hit season. Palmer, so electric the year before in their Club World Cup triumph, looked off the pace and even missed a glaring late chance against Leeds at Stamford Bridge that would have swung that match – and perhaps symbolised his struggles.

This time Paul is more restrained but still optimistic. He has Chelsea second. The reasons: a talented squad, a smarter move towards experience with the arrivals of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, and the advantage of no European football. Xabi Alonso is now the manager – not just the coach – and Paul wants the club’s non-football voices to stop interfering.

He’s happy Arsenal finally won the title last year, if only so he can stop feeling sorry for them (and for Mayo). He believes Mikel Arteta’s team now have everything and can defend their crown, with a Champions League run also within reach. Liverpool, he says, will thrive under Andoni Iraola. Maresca will need time to emerge from Guardiola’s shadow at City. Villa will be strong, but United’s upward curve should continue. Spurs will improve but remain just outside the very top.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Chelsea 3. Liverpool 4. Manchester United 5. Aston Villa.

City’s aura has cracked, Arsenal wear the crown, and a cluster of clubs – old powers and new contenders – smell opportunity. Rodri is gone, managers have shuffled, and the bookmakers are twitching. The only certainty now? Somebody’s prediction above will look ridiculous by May.