Fanfare & Fanguish: Premier League fans’ hopes for the season

It’s now or never for Arsenal. After heavy investment and building a deep squad, the pressure is on to finish first and break the second-placed jinx.

Player to watch: I expect Bukayo Saka to have a standout season after recovering from injury and having a summer off.

League prediction: Heart says first, but I have to say that!

Akhil Vyas – Arsenal Supporters Trust board member

Time stood still at Villa Park for most of the summer. With spending restricted, the club has kept a side together that ended the season strongly and performed amongst Europe’s elite. With Emery in charge, another solid season is likely, but can he embellish his reign with silverware? Let’s see.

Prediction: 6th

Player to watch: Donyell Malen

Armen Mirzoian – My Old Man Said Podcast

Cautiously optimistic, but with new signings still yet to materialise mid-table stability looks a realistic goal amid key player departures and defensive gaps. Stadium expansion and smart recruitment are vital off-pitch priorities. A cup semi-final would be a bonus, while exciting prospects like Eli Junior Kroupi and James Hill offer hope for on-pitch progress.

League prediction: 12th

Player to watch: After a frustrating time at Chelsea, new goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is out to prove a point between the sticks.

Jeff Hayward – Back of the Net, the AFC Bournemouth Fan’s Podcast

Surprise choice to replace Thomas Frank, Keith Andrews has it all to prove. We’ve got a tough start – and exits from Mbeumo and Norgaard as well as Wissa’s dirty protest when Newcastle sniffed hasn’t help. At least we’ve had a goalkeeping upgrade (Kelleher). The squad remains tasty. Perhaps even the year of the cup run…

League prediction: 9th and, yes, finally a decent stab at Wembley.

Player to watch: Yehor Yarmoliuk. Will flourish in midfield alongside Jordan Henderson and Mikkel Damsgaard.

Nick Bruzon’s Last Word

A successful season for the Albion would be to take advantage of nearly half of the league playing in Europe, put together some consistent winning runs and push for another special season to compete in European competition for the second time in our history.

League prediction: 6th

Player to watch: Brajan Gruda

Joe Sayers – Albion Obsessed Podcast

I'd describe my feelings towards the season as ‘cautiously optimistic’. While Parker's Premier League track record is a concern, last season's strong defensive showing and some shrewd summer business give us every reason to be hopeful we can avoid the drop this season.

League prediction: 16th

Player to watch: Maxime Estève

Kane Hewson – The Burnley Way

The newly crowned World Champions may suffer physically in the opening month or two of the season due to the short break, but with a revamped attack and more midfield depth, expect another competitive season from Enzo Maresca’s side, who could even be a dark horse for the title.

League prediction: 3rd, with the focus on reducing the gap to first place from last season by 7-10 points.

Player to watch: Estevao, Chelsea's new exciting Brazilian winger who will be looking to set the league alight this season. Estevao has received plaudits from Brazilian legends Neymar and Roberto Carlos over his talent and potential.

Max Fretwell – London’s First 

This should have been a season to look forward to for all Palace fans, but the demotion to the Conference League and the subsequent battle to fight to be reinstated in the Europa League has potentially seen us drop the ball in building the squad. Hopefully a good start and a couple late additions will keep Glasner happy. 

League prediction: 7th

Player to watch: Adam Wharton

Terence Ford – Winging It Podcast

With Everton kicking off the first season at Hill Dickinson Stadium, David Moyes beginning the first full campaign of his second reign as manager and an increasing number of signings filling out a much-changed squad, hopes are high that 2025/26 could finally mark a turning point for the Toffees.

League prediction: 9th

Player to watch: Thierno Barry. Everton appear to be putting the pieces in place to allow the young Frenchman to flourish in his first season the Premier League.

Lyndon Lloyd – Evertonia

It’s been an eerily quiet summer but the dearth of new signings balances a lack of departures so long-serving manager Marco Silva has a settled team that he knows how to get the best from. Will this be another season of mid-table comfort or can we press for Europe? 

League prediction: Optimistically, 8th, if we get a couple of good new players, 11th or 12th if we don’t.

Player to watch: Josh King – our neat and nimble 18-year-old midfielder is hugely talented and set to be a revelation this season – luckily he’s just signed a four-year deal.

JackandLoz

Leeds are back in the Premier League – though the gap to the Championship is wider than ever. A fast start, backed by smart recruitment out wide and up front, will be key to settling nerves. Staying united behind Farke will help us through a tough season.

League prediction: 15th

Player to watch: Joel Piroe

James Weller – Leeds, That!

After making replacing Jurgen Klopp look far too easy, Arne Slot now seeks to retain the league title for Liverpool for the first time since 1984 - doing so with half a new team and with the added inspiration of doing so in Diogo Jota’s memory.  Fans are very optimistic.

]League prediction: 1st

Player to watch: Rio Ngumoha

Matt Ladson – This Is Anfield

Overall thoughts – I’m optimistic. I think most people are underrating City ahead of the new season. Liverpool have undoubtedly done their business from a position of strength, but City quietly made some very shrewd signings at the start of the window (Reijnders/Ait-Nouri/Cherki). The gaping hole in the squad is right-back, which could prove decisive, but I'm expecting a return closer to 90 points.

League prediction: 1st

Player to watch: Oscar Bobb; it’s very much fitness-dependent, but I’m hopeful he can have the breakout season everyone expected last year. He’s a Cole Palmer-level talent.

Lloyd Scragg – 9230pod.com 

We must improve in every aspect, from each player's commitment to team performances and results. Ruben Amorim has been granted the support of the Ineos hierarchy and received welcome recruits in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. However, he will not be allowed further capitulation. A fast start is required.

League prediction: 5th (I’m banking on early cohesion)

Player to watch: Matheus Cunha

Shaun Connolly – Theatre of Red

At the start of this summer I had dreams of a title charge, off the back of a cup win and 5th place finish with a fine squad and money to strengthen. The nightmare that has seen our star player down tools and our more established rivals pinch targets has dampened those expectations considerably. Eddie needs to produce alchemy yet again.

League prediction: 8th

Player to watch: Sandro Tonali, next candidate to be constantly touted around by minions of the establishment.

Jamie Smith – Senior Writer, The Mag

Plenty to build on for Forest as they play in Europe for the first time in 30 years. Losing Elanga is a blow and depth is needed but keeping Gibbs-White and some smart additions in Dan Ndoye, Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha should mean Forest have no need to look over their shoulder. 

League prediction: 10th

Player to watch: Elliot Anderson – a great first season and someone who should make it into the England World Cup squad.

Matt Davies – Forest Focus podcast

It’s exciting and daunting at the same time. We’d reached our lowest ebb and after our longest ever spell of being outside the top flight, it feels great to be back and throwing some money at it. But the step up is huge and it’s gonna be incredibly tough.

League prediction: 16th

Player to watch: Enzo Le Fee

Stephen Goldsmith – Wise Men Say 

There’s a dark cloud over the season before a ball’s even been kicked. Missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, losing Maddison to injury, and saying goodbye to Heung-Min Son – right call, unfortunate timing – has left a vacuum in many ways. Thomas Frank will tighten us up, no doubt. We’ll concede less, lose fewer, and draw more than any club in Europe. But with creativity in short supply, goals will be rationed like post-war tea bags. It’ll be a season of grit, not glamour.

League prediction: 8th. Sickening to even write it, but a serious upgrade on last season.

Player to watch: Lucas Bergvall. The kid’s got gears we haven’t seen yet.

Sean Cook @TalkingTHFC 

Last season couldn’t end soon enough. Our owners appointed Lopetegui, then sacked him along with our director of football. Hopefully our youth players will be given a chance to shine this season as we are clearly not investing in the squad.

League prediction: 17th

Player to watch: Freddie Potts

Andy Payne – Hammers United

I played 5-a-side wearing a Wolves shirt the other night, and a Colombian lad came up to me and said “You have to look after Jhon Arias, he is a wonderful player.” That’s enough for me. Another South American hero for me and our corner of the West Midlands to fall in love with for a season.

League prediction: 15th

Player to watch: Fer Lopez

James Bird, Editor-in-chief, Mundial 

Photograph by Kevin C. Cox – Premier League/Getty Images