Yesterday, we kicked off the Ultimate Premier League Preview with the first 10 teams in England’s top flight, which means today we have the other 10. That’s how the alphabet works, and thankfully the back half has plenty to keep us entertained.
Liverpool and Manchester City both enter the season with legitimate hopes of winning the whole thing, even though both look quite a bit different than they did a year ago. Manchester United finished third last season, which means it’s once again perfectly reasonable to ask the question we’ve been asking for what feels like my entire life: Is Manchester United back? Tottenham spent an ungodly amount of money this summer in an attempt to make sure it never finishes 17th again. Please, please let that work.
And then there’s the rest of the pack.
Newcastle basically blew everything up, but could it still work? Sunderland is somehow playing European football four years after being in League One. Nottingham Forest had approximately 700 managers last season and hopes to not go through that whole song and dance again. I have talked myself into Leeds being good. Hull City got promoted despite allowing so many goals in the Championship. There is a lot going on here!
There are title contenders and Champions League hopefuls mixed right alongside teams that would happily throw a parade for 16th place.
That’s just all a part of the fun.
Let’s talk about the other half of the Premier League.
Hull City
Hull City entered last season as one of the favorites to be relegated from the Championship, only to find its way into the promotion playoffs and then into the Premier League when everything was said and done. It was a fantastic rise — one that came despite allowing 66 goals in league play — and it should be celebrated. The fact still remains that this Hull City squad was one of the worst teams I’ve ever seen promoted to the Premier League, which might sound like a slight but is actually a major compliment. Props to them for overcoming such odds and making it to the big dance!
Now the goal is simple: find a way to stay up in the EPL at all costs. To me, this is a team that’s likely to be relegated strictly on that basis, but it’s important to point out that anything is possible. And I’m not just trying to spew out a cliché there. Performance last year doesn’t necessarily inform performance this year, particularly when going from one league to the next, and while on paper it’s easy to say Hull City’s level won’t translate to the Premier League, we won’t actually know that for sure until much later in the season.
Still, relegated. Probably.
Ipswich Town
Similar to Hull City, it’s impossible to discuss Ipswich Town without stating that this season has one goal, plain and simple: stay up at all costs. It’s important to be clear that this is not something that’s going to be achieved easily, though I’m certain you all have deciphered that at this point.
Manager Kieran McKenna, who was able to uplift Ipswich Town from a meager third-division side into one that was capable of being promoted twice in the last three seasons, is gone. In his stead came a new face in Gary O’Neil as well as a slew of transfer signings that include Emersonn from Toulouse (€28 million), Abdul Fatawu from Leicester City (€23.45 million) and Florentino from Burnley (€18.7 million), among many others. It was a busy summer for Ipswich, though how much that helps it in its goal of staying up in the first tier is a question all unto itself. There’s a whole lot of new here, and sometimes “a whole lot of new” turns into something wonderful. Other times it just turns into a whole lot of new.
I’ll just say this when it comes to Ipswich: If you’re an American that’s searching for a fun story to latch onto, then this might be a team I’d be interested in rooting for this season. Because if Ipswich is able to remain in the Premier League for one, or two, or potentially even three — or who knows, maybe even four! — seasons, then this will quickly evolve into something that’s worth watching. The club is just flat-out charming, making it a fantastic pick for any newbie that’s desperately wanting something fresh and delightful.
But relegation is likely, at least according to yours truly. I’d love to be wrong.
Leeds United
I was unusually high on Leeds in my inaugural Corner Poll, which ranked all the Premier League teams based on vibes and feelings. Because while Leeds is just in its second season since being promoted back to the Premier League — and only managed to finish 14th last year — I still feel a lingering sense of hope that something incredible could be brewing.
Here’s why: Not only have manager Daniel Farke’s crew played well in the preseason, which you can take for what you will, they’ve also been completely on fire since December 2025. According to ESPN, from Dec. 1 to the end of the season, Leeds “ranked seventh in points per game (1.44), seventh in goal differential (plus-5) and ninth in xG differential (plus 2.23).” Those fancy statistics paint a picture that says Leeds played better than its 14th-place finish last season, particularly over the back half of the campaign.
Furthermore, if the season had started in December rather than August, then Leeds would’ve ended up in seventh instead of 14th. Unfortunately, the Premier League remains stubbornly committed to counting all 38 games, which feels a little unnecessary when some of them don’t support my argument.
Now the team has been forced to turn the page to 2026-27, hoping that some of the momentum that propelled the squad to stay up in the top flight remains. Will Farke’s tactical changes continue to pay off? What about injury-prone forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin? Will he be able to stay on the field and create the chances that Leeds needs him to? What about supporting pieces such as American Brenden Aaronson or transfer Harry Wilson? What will their level of contribution look like?
There are a ton of questions I have surrounding Leeds, yet I still remain somewhat high. There’s something about this group I like, even if I’m not completely sure I can explain it without resorting back to the original premise of The Corner Poll: vibes and feelings.
Perhaps that’s foolish.
We’ll see.
Liverpool
It feels like the same tune as so many other teams. A new manager in place, plus the changing of the guard on the roster. Liverpool isn’t alone in going through a major transition this summer, but everything feels a little more dramatic when it’s happening at Anfield.
Anyone skeptical of Liverpool heading into the season has several valid reasons. For one, Mohamed Salah, the backbone of the operation for years and one of the best pure goalscorers on the planet, is no longer there. Additionally, Virgil van Dijk isn’t getting any younger, though he was still exceptional at the World Cup this past summer for the Netherlands.
If you have belief, it’s because you see the vision that Liverpool is going for with its hire of Andoni Iraola to replace Arne Slot. What plagued Slot for much of last season was his inability to corner down what Liverpool’s identity was meant to be. He was also faced with what many would categorize as insurmountable challenges, with the death of Diogo Jota being chief among them. Add in the fact that Salah went on a public rampage that sought to undermine his manager, and everything was just flat-out not fun at Anfield last year.
It’s Iraola’s job to put all the pieces together and form a cohesive unit. Anybody that’s watched his work at Bournemouth over the last several seasons knows that he’s certainly capable of doing just that. Bournemouth is playing European football this year, for crying out loud, and a big reason why is because of Iraola’s genius.
Still, Liverpool is a whole other can of worms that features immense pressure one simply doesn’t have at Bournemouth. Slot wasn’t able to live up to the expectations necessary, and Iraola now gets the pleasure of discovering what happens when finishing fourth or fifth is treated like a personal attack on the institution. Fun!
The good news for him is that he’ll have plenty of talent to help him achieve that goal. Van Dijk is still a formidable defender even at his advanced age. Alisson is terrific in net, with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak providing what could be a scrumptious attack — though there were some diminishing returns with that last season.
The same applies in the midfield with Alexis Mac Allister, who should — at least on paper — be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, though he too was not up to par under Slot in 2025-26. Maybe it was the hair plugs? Hopefully Dominik Szoboszlai’s rise helps alleviate those concerns.
At the end of the day, Liverpool’s immense wealth of players should be enough to see it find a way into the top five once again. But top five isn’t good enough at Anfield. Only titles will suffice.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola built a dynasty at Manchester City. He brought the club 20 — that’s right, 20 — trophies over his time in City blue, meaning that anybody who attempts to replace him will have the mighty task of maintaining those expectations without possessing the same genius that inhabits Guardiola’s mind.
Of all the lucky men in the world, Enzo Maresca has been charged with spearheading this operation into the future, one without Guardiola and also one without stalwart midfielder Rodri, perhaps the best player in the world. So all he needs to do is replace the greatest manager in club history, replace arguably the most important player from the entire dynasty and make sure City keeps winning things. No biggie. Should be simple.
The impact of Rodri’s departure to Barcelona over the summer can’t be overstated. It leaves a massive hole in the midfield that few players could even hope to replace. While Elliott Anderson, who Manchester City bought from Nottingham Forest for €135 million this past summer, will be able to provide a meaningful stopgap, there’s no one in the world that can do what Rodri does at the level he’s able to do it.
Oh, but Rodri’s not even the only other meaningful departure. Bernardo Silva and John Stones are also gone, with Nathan Aké also taking a hike. That’s a lot of change for a squad that’s already seen some diminishing results after winning six Premier League titles in the span of seven years.
There’s also the fact that the club is still under the pressure of the 130 charges brought against it for violations of Premier League rules, something it has yet to be found guilty of after being charged three years ago, meaning that the vibes have the potential to go to the gutter really fast. There are a whole lot of clouds floating over Manchester City right now.
And then you remember Erling Haaland exists.
No matter how poor the aura is, he’ll be standing like Atlas attempting to lift everybody up with his immense talent and charisma. He’s a true supernova up front, and Manchester City can win a whole lot of games simply because Haaland plays for them.
The same applies to several other players on the team, including incredible chance creators in Rayan Cherki, Jérémy Doku and Antoine Semenyo. One can’t forget about Phil Foden, either, who’s long been a mainstay at the Etihad but whose fall-off in play has been a major reason why the club hasn’t been able to perform up to its caliber in recent years. Regardless of the fall-off, however — and the fact that he was left off England’s World Cup roster this summer — Foden is still quite formidable.
There are so many other great stars on Manchester City that it’s hard to even wrap one’s head around just how talented it truly is. So for all the squabbling about how the dynasty is over, just know that Haaland and company are still capable of achieving great things for Manchester’s “second” club.
Manchester United
Is Manchester United back?
Much like Texas in college football, soccer fans have spent years asking that same question. Is this the year that everything clicks for Man U? Will the resurgence finally emerge for good? It’s a hard question to pin down. Over the last five years, Manchester United has finished sixth, third, eighth, 15th and third. Talk about inconsistency.
Ever since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, consistency has been hard to come by. Heading into 2026-27, the only question that fills my head is whether consistency can be achieved. It really is like Texas, isn’t it?
One quick way to analyze Manchester United’s squad makeup is that it’s old. Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire were all centerpieces of last year’s team, and all of them are on the wrong side of 30. That’s not to mention that Casemiro, 34, was also one of the linchpins of the operation, though he’s no longer involved.
That begs the question of whether those players will be able to sustain the level of performance necessary to compete at a high level in the Premier League. If they aren’t, which young guns will step up in their place and make sure that everything is as delightful and wonderful as an Ella Langley song?
Twenty-one-year-old Kobbie Mainoo would be a prime candidate to fit this bill, as would 22-year-old Andrey Santos. There are others as well, such as Leny Yoro (20), Ayden Heaven (19), Patrick Dorgu (21) and Shea Lacey (19). Twenty-three-year-old Benjamin Sesko is a good contender to step up, too.
To me, that’s not the major question heading into the season, though. Instead, it’s what will Manchester United do with Marcus Rashford?
This isn’t a secret to anybody familiar with what’s going on in Manchester. Rashford wants to leave. Man U wants to shed the money attached to him.
He was on loan at Barcelona last year, and Barça didn’t desire to keep him around as it sought out a three-peat in La Liga. So, can Man U find a suitable home for him before the Sept. 1 transfer deadline, or will he be staying in red until at least January? Talk about drama. Plop down on the couch and pull out the popcorn, because this Bravo show is going to be good!
I think there’s a legitimate argument to be made that Manchester United can succeed at an extremely high level in 2026-27. The floor is very high — maybe even top five — but I’m not sure the ceiling is a title. The squad is back in the Champions League, so that will divert its attention somewhat domestically, but it should also invigorate a fanbase that’s been seeking some semblance of joy since Ferguson decided to call it quits.
But don’t pity the Manchester United fan, by the way. These are still the New York Yankees of English soccer.
Newcastle United
Everybody that is anybody seems to be gone, but there is a new crop of young talent that has entered the fold that will be here to (maybe) save the day from disaster.
Sandro Tonali (Tottenham, €108 million), Bruno Guimarães (Arsenal, €87.5 million), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona, €70 million) and so much more — all gone! Manager Eddie Howe, gone! There’s so much change and so much upheaval that it almost feels unfair to discuss this Newcastle team as a continuation of the last one.
It’s officially “Newcastle 2.0.”
And like most sequels, nobody has any clue whether it will be better than the original or if it’ll make everybody wish for the good old days.
If there’s one goal for Newcastle in 2026-27, it’s a top-10 finish. I don’t know how anything else would be realistic. Because while the club technically has the wealthiest owner in the sport in the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the expectations that came about after that purchase have just never been fully realized.
Now it’s time for Newcastle to find its identity. A young crop of talent is here, but what will the team decide to do with it? The first version of this Newcastle project became about Champions League qualification, massive signings and finally ending a 70-year domestic trophy drought. This one feels a whole lot more mysterious.
Nottingham Forest
Gwen Stefani would’ve loved Nottingham Forest last year because, man, was it bananas.
Two years ago, Forest finished seventh and returned to Europe for the first time in roughly three decades. Last year, everything promptly went bananas. Nuno Espírito Santo left in September. Ange Postecoglou lasted 39 days. Sean Dyche came and went. Vítor Pereira eventually finished the season in charge.
Forest finished 16th, surviving, but only after running through managers like I run through a box of Little Debbie honey buns on a long road trip. At a certain point, I’m surprised they didn’t simply start pulling names out of a hat.
Now Oliver Glasner is here, and if there’s a reason to be excited about Forest, that’s it. Glasner arrives after a ridiculously successful spell at Crystal Palace, where he won the FA Cup and Conference League, and he’s proven that he can take a talented Premier League squad and turn it into something genuinely dangerous.
Forest still has Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood, among others, meaning this isn’t some barren wasteland that Glasner has been asked to rebuild from scratch. There have been changes, most notably Elliott Anderson’s gigantic move to Manchester City, but there’s still enough here that Forest should be considerably better than the team that spent last season wandering through the wilderness.
My biggest question is whether everybody can simply remain calm for nine months. That might be asking too much considering everything we’ve learned about Nottingham Forest, but Glasner is really good, the squad has talent and City Ground remains one of the coolest places in the Premier League.
If Forest can go an entire season without employing enough managers to fill out a starting basketball lineup, something around midtable sounds delightful.
Sunderland
When your stadium is called the Stadium of Light, people’s ears should be perked up immediately. That’s just objectively a wonderful stadium name. Imagine playing somewhere called the Stadium of Darkness. Awful. Grim. I want no part of that.
Fortunately for Sunderland, the soccer was pretty bright last season, too.
Sunderland pulled off a miracle last year, going from promotion to an immediate top-10 finish, placing seventh. European football is all of a sudden on the calendar. After being in League One just four years ago, it’s an unprecedented rise, one that’s sure to capture the hearts and minds of soccer fans across the world.
Doubt is easy when it comes to Sunderland, and I have my fair share of it. Being stretched too thin is definitely a real thing, and Sunderland has the potential to have too much on its plate with the Premier League, domestic cups and Europe. How well the Black Cats juggle all those games will determine whether they’ll be staying up in the Premier League when everything is said and done.
To be clear, I don’t believe Sunderland is destined for a bad season. Sure, I think they’ll finish somewhere near the bottom of the table, but that doesn’t mean a nice run in the FA Cup or Europa League is completely out of the question. This doesn’t have to be seventh place or bust.
The bad news is that some of the standout performers from last year are gone. Jobe Bellingham, the brother of Jude, is now at Borussia Dortmund. Can Sunderland manage without him?
Speaking of managing, Régis Le Bris is now faced with what some would call impossible expectations. He was able to lift this squad out of the ashes and keep it in the top flight. Can he do it again, all while juggling more than just the domestic slate? It’s an interesting proposition, one that I’ll be keeping an eye on for the entirety of the season.
Tottenham Hotspur
Back-to-back 17th-place finishes just aren’t going to cut it at Tottenham. As optimistic as I want to be about Spurs — I picked them to finish seventh — it’s hard to forget that. Yes, Tottenham unloaded the money roll and went for broke this summer with transfers, but this is the same group that assembled the last two teams that were almost sent down to the Championship.
I’ve seen some tout this Tottenham squad as one that could find a way into the Champions League next season, and while I understand the premise of that argument, I’m not going to entertain anything other than a top 10 before going that far. It’s important to remember just how crap the last two seasons have been.
Sure, there’s a Europa League title mixed in there that somewhat alleviates the pain, but there are also two straight 17th-place finishes, with the second one almost resulting in the club being relegated down to the second division for the first time in ages. Optimism is fine. Lord knows I’m susceptible to it when Tottenham is involved. But let’s be realistic here.
The people shouting about the optimism have good reason, though! Roberto De Zerbi came in toward the end of last year and was able to keep everything afloat. He remains.
Add in the fact that Tottenham has spent roughly €267 million this summer on players such as Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United, €108 million), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham United, €99 million) and Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion, €60 million), among others, and one can see how Tottenham fans are getting all high and mighty all of a sudden. Oh, and there are rumors that the club could be after two Manchester City players in Savinho and Omar Marmoush as well.
Talk about greed. I love it.
But the transfer market is historically inefficient, so there’s every possibility in the world that these moves fall flat — at least at the onset. Spending hundreds of millions of euros is very fun in July and August because everybody is new and nothing could possibly bring down the joy.
Eventually, unfortunately, the players have to actually play soccer.
One strength, one weakness: The backline has been completely redone, and I’m extremely pleased. I think this defense will be formidable and much better than previous iterations. The weakness is that, if nothing else is done this transfer window, the front line is not all that inspiring. Where the goals come from is a fantastic question.
At the end of the day, Tottenham is just hoping for two things: improvement and a shot at competing in Europe once again next season. If that is accomplished, then this year will have been a success that can be built upon heading into 2027-28.
And if Spurs actually finish seventh after I predicted them to finish seventh, I reserve the right to become completely insufferable about it.