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Liverpool will kick off the new the Premier League campaign against Bournemouth today with Arne Slot's side hosting the Cherries in the first match of the 2025/26 season.
For the first time in the modern era, Liverpool is the favorite to win the league title, having done so last season with four games to spare. And there is plenty to look forward to after a transfer-filled summer.
But who could challenge the Reds? And which players should we be watching out for? Our Liverpool.com writers have had their say— and you can let us know if you agree in the comments section.
Top scorer
Matt Addison (MA): There's only one answer here: Mohamed Salah. The winger should never be written off.
James Findlater (JF): It's a brave man who goes against Salah, but with the Egyptian away at AFCON this season, and with this new-look setup at Liverpool, I actually think the striker will become a lot more important, so I'm backing Hugo Ekitike to be the Reds' top scorer.
Manchester City will surely come back stronger this season, and if they reach the sort of levels you'd usually expect, then it's nearly enough a guarantee that Erling Haaland will finish as the league's top scorer.
James Martin (JM): I think Manchester City will be a contender again this season, and that means Haaland is bound to be among the goals. I wouldn't be surprised to see another 30-plus haul.
I expect the goals to be spread more evenly across the Liverpool attack this season, but Salah is still the main man. But I’ll need to change my answer if Alexander Isak signs.
Player of the Year
MA: If it isn't Salah, it will be Florian Wirtz. I've only seen him three times in the flesh so far, but each time he just oozes class. Wirtz is a superstar, and he's at the perfect club to show exactly that.
I think Bukayo Saka will have a good season, and being English usually helps with these things. Cole Palmer fits into the same category.
JF: For all the scoffing rival fans have been doing at Wirtz's pre-season performances, he is far too good a player not to make an impact this year, and his influence will surely grow the more he gets comfortable with his new surroundings.
Away from Liverpool, I'm actually expecting Chelsea to do well this season, and for Palmer to stand out once again.
JM: I'm not exactly straying into controversial territory with these picks, am I? Salah continues to age like a fine wine, and if Liverpool enjoys another strong campaign, you can bet he'll be right at the heart of it.
Elsewhere, I'm still not 100 percent sold on Arsenal, but I expect Mikel Arteta to preside over a mean defense once again. William Saliba is likely to be at the heart of that, and will rightly earn more plaudits.
Title winner
MA: Liverpool. The other teams have improved, but only as much as the Reds have. Viktor Gyokeres is canceled out by Hugo Ekitike. Wirtz is much better than Rayan Cherki. Slot's men, even before a potential move for Alexander Isak, look strong.
JF: It has to be Liverpool, doesn't it? It will be much closer than last season, but once the new signings are a bit more bedded in, it's hard to see a better team than the Reds.
JM: It's an exciting campaign, with lots of the big hitters having undergone slight reshuffles, but the others are ultimately playing catch-up. And Wirtz should ultimately make the Reds even better than last season.
Manchester City will finish as runners-up. Pep Guardiola doesn’t go two seasons in a row without challenging.
Surprise package
MA: Team-wise, I'm going for Crystal Palace. It hasn't liked dropping into the UEFA Conference League, but it has a much better chance of winning that than the Europa League.
Player-wise, I wasn't sure what Jeremie Frimpong would look like defensively. So far in pre-season, he's looked good (and he is absolutely rapid; I can't emphasise that enough).
JF: Everyone seems to have written off the newly-promoted teams, but I actually think Sunderland haven't done too bad business in the transfer market. I don't think they'll pull up any trees, but I also think they could prove some people wrong and avoid relegation.
JM: It could be a brutal return to earth for Nottingham Forest after a fairytale campaign (and a less-than-fairytale route into the Europa League). Let's see how it gets on while competing across multiple fronts, especially now everyone is familiar with its approach — I've got a 14th-place finish in my predictions, and I wouldn't be totally shocked by a flirtation with the bottom three.
As for Liverpool, I'm going with Conor Bradley. Many have effectively written off Bradley and assumed Frimpong will be the new starter, but the Northern Irishman has a bright future and will still get plenty of minutes. Without an injury setback, he would have started the campaign as first-choice.
Breakout star
MA: Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni are the obvious Liverpool picks, plus the not-yet-confirmed Giovanni Leoni. Elsewhere, I really like Archie Gray at Spurs. He's a real player.
JF: He might still be a teenager, but I think we're going to see a lot more of Ngumoha this season. He just looks like a sensational player, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him get a few opportunities in the Premier League at some point.
JM: Joao Pedro, unfortunately, seems like a very astute signing for Chelsea, and I anticipate him finding some new levels.
Just to avoid everyone saying Ngumoha (or Wirtz, if he counts!) for Liverpool, Nyoni is very highly rated by people who matter, and I think he could surprise people with the amount of minutes he gets.
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