Liverpool vs Manchester City: Who is the Main Contender for the 2025/26 Premier League Title?
The last decade has seen Manchester City establish an almost unbreakable hold over the Premier League top spot with six titles, including a run of four consecutive triumphs and a treble-winning season in 2023.
However, a shake-up last season saw Liverpool snatch the most coveted crown in English football while Pep Guardiola’s Man City settled for a Champions League spot after placing third, three points below Arsenal.
With the new 2025/26 season set to kick off on the 15th of August, the Reds of Liverpool will be looking to defend their crown. And very possibly, Arne Slot’s side will hope to join Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City as the only back-to-back PL winners in history.
In this article expert tipster Kate Richardson, leading review betting site https://www.mightytips.com/, walks us through the sides tipped to win the PL title next season. As part of this analysis, you’ll also get up-to-date information on underdogs, players and MightyTips betting odds.
MightyTips also helps you choose from the best bookmaker in the United Kingdom while also providing free betting tips on the EPL, the Champions League and the FA Cup.
Slot’s Liverpool Favored to Defend Title in 2025/26 Season
On the final day of the 2024-25, Liverpool annihilated Tottenham Hotspur in a 5-1 win at Anfield for their 20th title in English top flight football. It was only the second time they had won the Premier League in its new iteration, after first lifting it amid COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.
Speaking of the triumph, Mohammed Salah, who won the Golden Boot said, "It is incredible to win this with our fans. This is 100 per cent better than last time, especially with the fans. We have a different group now so to show we can do it again is something special."
Arguably the strongest English team right now, Liverpool has also been busy in the transfer market, maximizing the short window open before the start of the Club World Cup. In June, the club announced that it had signed Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, both from Bayer Leverkusen and ex-Bournemouth left back, Milos Kerkez.
These signings will replace star players who exited the team, including right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah and Caoimhin Kelleher. Unfortunately, Liverpool also lost its No. 20 Diogo Jota in a fatal motor accident early in July.
While it may take some time for the Reds to regroup, Arne Slot has proven time and again that he can coach a squad to triumph without needing an overhaul. Plus, the team still has its veterans in Mohammed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Allison as well as last season’s high performers Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch.
Manchester City Reinforcements Could Close in on Gap
On the flip side, Man City looks poised to capitalize on any slip-ups that Liverpool or any other title contender may make in the run-in for the EPL trophy. The club had typically won its titles this way-having a slow start to the season, picking up pace mid-point and maintaining a flawless finish.
With Ballon d’Or winner Rodri back to fitness and featuring in the Club World Cup, there’s more than enough reason to expect that the team will regain its rhythm come next season. Additionally, Erling Haaland netted in three of four games at the just-concluded tournament, a precursor to him finding his goalscoring form ahead of a new period of English football.
Although talisman Kevin de Bruyne has now completed a move to Serie A club Napoli, Guardiola’s side made no delay deploying reinforcements. At the end of June, Man City had made four big-money signings totalling a whopping €130.70m. The new players are:
- Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan
- Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Rayan Cherki from Olympique Lyon
- Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea
Three of these players were a part of the Club World Cup squad that beat Juventus. With some preseason action and time to consolidate on their strengths, Manchester City may well close in on the gap between them and Liverpool.
Arsenal and Chelsea are Underdog Contenders for the League Title
Last season, Arsenal finished as runners-up, marking their third successive second-place finish. But with so many tries, Arsenal are just a few more knocks on the door away from being title winners themselves. Arsenal has also shown visible signs of growth, with a notable example being making it to the Champions League semifinal for the first time in 16 years.
Chelsea is another team with what it takes to contend for the league title, and possibly even win it. Off the back of recent trophy hauls at the UEFA Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup, Chelsea has proven their quality at one of the biggest stages.
While the lack of experience of the squad may prove problematic, Enzo Maresca seems to be managing his youthful side well. In a recent interview, Chelsea legend John Terry, when asked if Chelsea could win the Premier League, he said:
"In terms of talent and what the owners are doing, I love the idea of it. I’m not sure it goes and wins you a Premier League. I personally feel Manchester City and Liverpool are probably too strong at the moment, but we could come off the back of this (Club World Cup) and start the season really well."
Concluding Remarks: Looking Ahead to May 2026
It’s too early to say who may definitively win the Premier League. Unlike most leagues in Europe, the EPL is competitive and has some of the most intriguing underdog stories. Plus with the structure of the Big Six breaking up, it won’t be surprising to see other contenders like Aston Villa and Newcastle pull their weight beyond expectations.
Nonetheless, next season promises to be an exciting watch, and regardless of who wins, fans can be guaranteed entertaining match-ups, fierce competition between global stars and tactical masterclasses.
The article was provided by Kate Richardson