Premier League 2026/27: Our Experts Make Their Winner, Relegation, and Top Scorer Picks
The excitement of a new Premier League season is around the corner, as the 20 best teams in England compete in the world’s best soccer league. Arsenal come into the season as the defending champions, having ended their 20-plus year wait for the top prize in 2025/26.
There will be a fresh feel to the Premier League this term, with as many as nine teams having new first-team managers.
Coventry City make their return to the top-flight after a 25-year absence, while Ipswich Town and Hull City also gained promotion from last year’s Championship.
There could be value on offer with the leading soccer sportsbooks in 2026/27, and you can find our expert Premier League picks for the outright markets right here.
You can stay up to date with the latest Premier League odds at VegasOdds.
Premier League Expert Picks: Who Will Win The EPL?
Alex: Arsenal will be red-hot favorites to retain the EPL title this season, with their chances only enhanced based on the uncertainty surrounding many of the likely dangers. However, the Gunners will need to be more expansive in their defense, as they are unlikely to set another record-breaking tally for goals from corners.
Their output from open play was underwhelming throughout last term, and fitness concerns surrounding key defensive players shouldn’t be overlooked. Enzo Maresca may require patience at Man City after replacing Pep Guardiola, and Man United could be of interest if able to add to their squad before the transfer deadline.
From a value perspective, Chelsea could be very dangerous under Xabi Alonso without the stress of European soccer to contend with. The Blues have added EPL-proven talent in the forms of Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix this summer, while experienced stars such as Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson know exactly what’s required to get a team over the line in a title race.
A fast start will be required, but Chelsea are undeniably a fascinating contender to push Arsenal close at odds of +850 at BetOnline.
Nikola: Huh… Life after Guardiola will be interesting. Arsenal looks like the strongest team right now because they already have a well-established core and didn’t lose any vital players over the summer. The Gunners added only a few names, with Bruno Guimarães the most notable. Arsenal is the biggest favorite for the title, and many see the London team going back-to-back.
Though there’s one guy who could disrupt all this: Xabi Alonso. Remember Chelsea’s title with Antonio Conte when the Blues didn’t play in any international competitions. That can easily repeat now. Alonso is one of the best coaches in the world, and even though his spell with Real might suggest otherwise, we are more than positive that the Spaniard has enough knowledge to go all the way.
City isn’t our favorite. Bernardo Silva is out, Rodri should follow his steps, and that’s why we simply don’t see the Citizens as the realistic favorites. Sure, Ryan Cherki and Reijnders have quality, but they will need time to fill in the gaps.
Liverpool? We don’t know what to say here. Really. The Reds should be better than last year, especially with the complete generational change. But still their defense isn’t consistent at all, and that’s the problem that will haunt the team from Anfield Road. United? The same, maybe even worse, with an unreliable defense and oscillating attack. Villa? No, no, no.
So it all comes down to Arsenal and Chelsea. I am sure that the title stays in London. Arsenal will have way too much pressure on two fronts, and let’s be honest, the refs won’t push them as hard as last year.
That’s why I have to go with the Blues. Alonso is here, and the new era starts at Stamford, probably with the title.
Premier League Expert Picks: Which Teams Will Finish in the Top 4?
Alex: A fascinating race for Champions League qualification is also set for this term, with Tottenham likely to be a main danger under Roberto De Zerbi with no European fixtures to contend with.
However, goals could be a huge concern for Spurs, with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison failing to have a reputation for scoring at Premier League level. As well as Chelsea, I like the chances of Arsenal, Man City, and Man United to round off the Champions League spots in the Premier League in 2026/27.
- Man United to Finish in the Top Four (-190)
- Arsenal to Finish in the Top Four (-1100)
- Man City to Finish in the Top Four (-375)
- Chelsea to Finish in the Top Four (-110)
Nikola: Champions League race will be interesting to see. Arsenal and Chelsea are sure, in my opinion, and the other two spots will remain open until the very end of the campaign. Who takes those two?
I’m going to take a risk and pick Liverpool and City. Reds may have the best attack in the league, capable of covering up for plenty of the mess the backline delivers. Meanwhile, City may be weaker than before, but Maresca is a good coach who will lead the team to a top-4 place.
Sorry United and Villa fans, your teams are OK, but simply nothing more than that. United’s offense is mediocre, while Villa’s roster is thin for a top-four place.
- Liverpool to Finish in the Top Four (-195)
- Arsenal to Finish in the Top Four (-1100)
- Man City to Finish in the Top Four (-375)
- Chelsea to Finish in the Top Four (-110)
EPL Picks: Team to Look Out For in 2026/27
Alex: There is always a surprise package to keep tabs on in the Premier League, with Sunderland, Bournemouth, and Brentford all exceeding expectations in 2025/26. This season, Leeds United look to be that team.
Daniel Farke led the club to safety with relative ease last term, and huge money has been spent this summer to take the club to the next level. Eye-catching arrivals of James Trafford and Harry Wilson improve their starting eleven quality, while the physical Tarik Muharemovic could be one of the most underrated signings of the summer so far.
Leeds have enjoyed a positive pre-season, with impressive wins over Liverpool and RB Leipzig catching the eye. Their chances of exceeding expectations are enhanced based on the difficulty of their opening fixtures, with away clashes against Nottingham Forest and Brighton, as well as home matches with Brentford and Newcastle, giving them a perfect platform to build on.
Ipswich is my pick to finish the season above expectations, meaning staying in the league and even being around 10th place. They had a very busy transfer window, bringing experienced players like Lukic and Diop from Fulham, Maeda from Celtic, and Akpom from Ajax. Something tells me that as the season goes by, these guys are going to grow as a team and play solid football.
Some other teams? I don’t know, seeing Brighton or Brentford in the upper part of the standings, isn’t anything odd nor sensational. These teams have already established themselves as steady and stable Premiership units. That is why I didn’t consider them as teams too look out for. Sunderland won’t be able to repeat last year’s record, that’s for sure, while other teams like Everton or Tottenham are expected to be better, though, I am not quite sure they’ll manage to bounce back.
That’s the reason why I took Ipswich, a team that is new and has absolutely no pressure. Meanwhile, the board did and excellent during the summer, so picking them to stay in the league and even go up in the standings is worth trying.
EPL Picks: Biggest Disappointment
Alex: It’s pretty challenging to put forward a biggest disappointment without having seen teams in competitive action, but vibes around clubs can go a long way, as it was last year when I put up West Ham to go down.
The vibes don’t appear particularly strong at Liverpool this pre-season, and their inability to defend set pieces is a major concern. They have twice thrown away leads in defeats against Leeds and AS Monaco, and there appears to be friction within the squad. Andoni Iraola’s ultra-attacking style of play will get the best out of Alexander Isak (if he stays fit) and Florian Wirtz. But they will concede a lot of goals in the transition due to a lack of pace in central areas.
His ultra-expansive style of play could also fatigue players, especially in weeks with European fixtures. Therefore, I could see Iraola’s first season at Anfield being underwhelming, and a finish outside of the top six could be a good bet.
Nikola: My disappointment will be Fulham, but I already said that the team will be relegated, so that one doesn’t count. United and Newcastle are two teams that will experience disappointment. The Magpies have an alibi because too many of their players departed, but the situation is different with the Red Devils. They are expected to take a step forward this season, and we think they aren’t good enough for that.
There are too many oscillations in their game, and the attack isn’t as good as many think. Sesko didn’t adapt as planned, while Mbuemo and Cunha simply aren’t elite, and that’s it. There are too many “good” players on United’s roster, and none “fantastic,” to put it like that.
Premier League Expert Picks: Which Teams Will Get Relegated?
Alex: The battle to stay in the Premier League will be fascinating this term, with the hoodoo of Championship teams immediately dropping back into the second tier being broken last term. Coventry have looked like a top-flight team for the last couple of seasons, and their ability to score goals will give them a fighting chance.
I also feel that Ipswich have added strong EPL-proven players with Issa Diop, Sasa Lukic, and Florentino this summer, and they could surprise a few. Hull look destined for a return to the Championship, but their summer business will give them an excellent chance of bouncing back straight away.
Fulham are a team that I am very worried about, as the decision to appoint Alvaro Arbeloa could backfire spectacularly after years of consistency under Marco Silva. The same could be said of Crystal Palace, who have replaced Oliver Glasner with the unproven Pierre Sage.
Signings of Oscar Mingueza and Takehiro Tomiyasu are hardly exciting, and they could be in deep trouble if they lose any of their proven attacking stars, especially with a busy schedule in 2026/27 after qualifying for the Europa League.
- Hull City to be Relegated (-500)
- Crystal Palace to be Relegated (+550)
- Fulham to be Relegated (+500)
Nikola: Fulham, Coventry, and Hull – those are my picks for a trip to the Championship.
The Cottagers have lost many good players, plus the manager, Marco Silva. Raúl Jiménez is gone, as are Harry Wilson, Issa Diop, and Samuel Chukwueze as well, and in return they didn’t get any reliable players. Plus, the manager is Álvaro Arbeola, who is mediocre; let’s be real here.
Two other teams are newly promoted, and we picked them because, unlike Ipswich, they didn’t sign any proven players with enough experience to cope with EPL challenges.
Premier League Expert Picks: Who Will Win The Golden Boot?
Alex: One of the safest Premier League picks this season looks to be Erling Haaland to win the Golden Boot for the fourth time. Haaland’s scoring returns since joining Man City have been staggering, hitting 27 in 35 games last term.
Despite the uncertainty that comes with Maresca’s arrival, one thing remains assured: Haaland looks likely to hit at least 20 goals in 2026/27. In truth, there look to be few other players capable of breaching that barrier, with fitness concerns surrounding Isak and the question of whether Viktor Gyokeres will even be Arsenal’s main striker.
Nikola: Isak is my pick. Ekitike will be out, Salah is gone, and the Reds will play ultra-offensive football under Iraola. The Swedish striker has everything around him for one very productive season. I really think that Wirtz will explode now when he’s without Salah next to him, and along with that, Isak will profit.
The German should take the wheel now, without Salah, who was obviously suffocating the Wirtz during the previous year. And when he has enough creativity, the guy who will benefit the most is Isak who will now have more usage and space.
