Premier League predictions 2026-27: BBC Sport pundits pick their top four

Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to be Premier League champions last season, but can they successfully defend their crown?

That is the next target for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, whose side finished seven points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City last time out.

So, who will challenge them in 2026-27? We asked 26 BBC TV and radio pundits to pick their top four, with explanations for their selections.

We've also asked AI's opinion, and included what Opta's 'supercomputer' came up with too.

The AI prediction was generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool to "predict the Premier League table for the 2026-27 season".

Opta's 'supercomputer' is actually a complex algorithm that uses a model based on betting market odds and the sports analytics company's own 'power rankings', which are calculated using past results.

It has simulated the outcome of all 380 Premier League games 10,000 times and came to the same conclusion as AI, and three of the pundits.

Disagree with our expert humans or think you know more than any machine? You can make your own top-four prediction, and forecast the rest of the Premier League table, at the bottom of this page.

These predictions were made on the basis of how each squad shaped up on Thursday, 20 August, with 13 days to go until the transfer window shuts at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, 1 September.

Last season, only four teams featured in the forecasted top-four positions, but this time there are seven named, in 15 different combinations.

Overall expected ranking, using all 28 predictions is:

Aston Villa and Tottenham (both two)

Calculated using a system of four points for a first place, three points for second, two points for third and one point for fourth.

Arsenal - 'Arteta's army marches on'

Last year, only 17% of BBC predictors (6/35) thought they would be champions. This year, 89% (25/28) think they will successfully defend their crown and no-one thinks they will finish lower than second.

Theo Walcott: They have got the biggest advantage of all - continuity. Mikel Arteta is still there, they are coming off an 85-point title-winning season and they have strengthened rather than rebuilt.

The Bruno Guimaraes signing is massive, to add to a midfield that already boasts Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. Their defence was also ridiculously good last season, although William Saliba's progress after his World Cup injury is something to watch closely.

Thomas Hitzlsperger: Arsenal are the team to beat. Unlike a lot of their rivals, they kept their manager and, every season, the team plays together and gets additions.

I still don't expect Arsenal to play nice football in the sense that I am excited to watch them play. I just think they really know what it takes to win, and they are going to do the same again this season.

Danny Murphy: It is always hard to call it now, especially when it feels like all the top teams have a lot of business to do before the transfer window shuts, but I can't look past Arsenal as champions.

The main reasons being the momentum and confidence they will have from winning the Premier League already, but also the consistency of having the same manager and same players and just sprinkling even more quality on top.

They have not lost any of their best players and they have got a group who know what the manager expects from them and are completely on board with it. Arteta didn't need to spend half the pre-season drilling them with his methods like a new manager has to.

Joe Hart: It's really important how Arsenal handle the scrutiny of being champions, but they will totally understand that and what is coming their way.

Leon Osman: They look like a team that are ready to have a run at winning three titles in the next four or five years.

Teams like United in the early Premier League days, Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho's Chelsea give me the vibes this team does. And the way they've strengthened brilliantly states the league isn't their only objective this season.

Matt Upson: They are my favourites again but I don't see them running away with it. Staying at the top is always harder - ask any manager - and you also have to remember there were spells when they looked like they had run out of steam last season and were grinding out results a lot of the time.

The biggest challenge for Arteta this year will be picking the right team, or rather resting the right players, for the right games and keeping players engaged and ready to step in when needed.