It’s not often that Liverpool are the resounding favourites to win the Premier League, but that’s the media’s hunch going into the 2025/26 season.
The Reds begin the defence of their title on Friday night at home to Bournemouth.
If Liverpool are champions once again come next May, it will be their first consecutive title triumph since 1984.
Arsenal and Man City are expected to be a threat to the Reds’ hopes, though, while Chelsea could also find a new gear.
Here’s how the media think Liverpool will fare in 2025/26.
The media’s predicted finish for Liverpool in 2025/26:
- Guardian: Champions
- FourFourTwo: Champions
- The Athletic: Champions (Oliver Kay) & 2nd (Adam Crafton)
- BBC Sport: Champions
- BBC pundits Champions
- Independent Champions (Richard Jolly) & 2nd (Miguel Delaney)
- Mirror: Champions
- Telegraph: Champions
- The Rest Is Football: Champions
‘Cautiously’ Liverpool – or City to overhaul LFC
The Athletic‘s Oliver Kay is backing Slot’s men to go all the way, but says it may not be easy:
“I’ll say Liverpool, cautiously, but I wouldn’t discount Arsenal, Manchester City, or – if they can somehow harden up a bit – Chelsea, all of whom should be stronger.”
His colleague, Adam Crafton, believes this is Arsenal‘s time, though:
“Arsenal. It’s about time. He’s almost been forgotten in the blur of the summer, but Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid will be big for Liverpool.”
Meanwhile, Tim Spiers completes an eclectic mix of choices for The Athletic, saying City will be champions:
“Man City had a disastrous 2024/25 season and still only finished 13 points behind Liverpool.
“They undoubtedly have the best manager, striker and possibly squad in the league, and I think they’ll probably overhaul Liverpool again.”
Liverpool are “rich in attacking options”
Andy Hunter of the Guardian is going for another title triumph for Liverpool, saying the Reds are rich in attacking options – despite Arne Slot insisting they’re light in that area, with only four real options:
“Liverpool have added pace in both full-back positions with the signings of Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, two parts of a statement transfer window [..]
“Rich in attacking options, Liverpool by contrast appear light in central defence and will require another imperious campaign from Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté.
“The pair were a formidable unit last season. The defending champions appear the same.”
The Rest Is Football trio Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards all predict a title win for Liverpool, although the latter claims a fit Rodri would make City favourites!
“Complete confidence”
BBC’s Phil McNulty of BBC Sport has begrudgingly predicted Liverpool to be champions:
“This is a team that won the title at a 10-point canter last term and has been strengthened by a remarkable summer spending spree.
“The transition is still a work in progress, as the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace proved, but this is a prediction made with complete confidence.”
20 of BBC’s 32 pundits back Liverpool
Meanwhile, 32 of BBC Sport‘s pundits have made their predictions, with 20 of them picking Liverpool as champions, including Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy.
Chris Waddle is the only one to choose Chelsea for the title, which seems bold!
The Mirror‘s Andy Dunn not only believes Liverpool will be champions, but has also backed Mohamed Salah to win the Golden Boot and Florian Wirtz to be Player of the Year:
“They won it in a ten-point canter last season and have done storming business in the transfer market so it really is hard to back against Liverpool retaining their Premier League title and against Mohamed Salah collecting another Golden Boot, especially when he will have the best signing of the window, Florian Wirtz, to help him out.”
A Champions League final too..?
The Telegraph‘s Chris Bascombe sees Liverpool as title favourites, but also has one eye on a Champions League battle with Paris Saint-Germain:
“Liverpool’s primary target is retaining the title, but they have unfinished business in the Champions League.
“The smart money is on Liverpool versus Paris St-Germain becoming the defining European rivalry of the season, if not the era.”
Miguel Delaney of the Independent believes Liverpool and Arsenal will fight until the end, but he has gone for the Gunners:
“Very hard to pick between Arsenal and Liverpool – and Alexander Isak may change things again – but there’s strangely an element of uncertainty about the champions.
“At the same time, Arsenal have solved a lot of issues they had last season.”
Richard Jolly is more confident about Liverpool fending off Arsenal and others:
“Much the best team last season and though Arsenal should improve and Manchester City definitely could, there has been plenty of ambition in Liverpool’s recruitment, whether or not they get Alexander Isak.
“They will miss Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s creativity but Florian Wirtz adds another dimension, Hugo Ekitike looks potentially superb and they look stronger in most departments – though still needing a fourth centre-back and another attacker of some description.”
2025/26 Previews and Predictions
