ESPN UK Picks Arsenal for 2026-27 Premier League Title as Chelsea Jumps to 3rd

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Aug 17

Arsenal emerged as ESPN UK's consensus champions for 2026-27, with all but two writers backing Mikel Arteta's side to retain the Premier League title.
Manchester City were the only other team tipped to win it, as Arsenal's relative stability contrasted with major upheaval among rivals, including new managers at five of the traditional top six.
Chelsea ranked third after finishing 10th last season, with Liverpool fourth and Manchester United fifth in a tightly packed chasing group; Tottenham climbed to sixth and Aston Villa rounded out the top seven.
Hull were the clearest pick to finish 20th, while Ipswich and Coventry filled the other relegation spots in most forecasts; Sunderland, despite last season's seventh-place finish, were projected to slide to 17th.
The widest disagreements centered on Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, underscoring how an open transfer window and heavy summer changes still leave much of the table unsettled.