Alan Smith’s Premier League Predictions 25/26: Winner, Top 4 and Relegation

Rating the New Arrivals

We’ll start with Gyokeres. I mean, potentially their best signing. Much sought after, so it’s a 9 out of 10. We can’t give him 10 just yet, but that’s great to get him on board.

I think Zubimendi is another one. Really, really good quality player, hopefully he’ll be a 9 out of 10 as well.

Kepa – it’s hard to get second-string keepers, he’s experienced, so I think they’ve done well there with him. You wonder about keepers that are happy to come as a number two, but that’s an 8, I think.

Madueke – I think this move surprised a lot of people, and even frustrated a few Arsenal fans. But he’s versatile, and I’m hoping he’ll be a good squad player, maybe a 7.

Norgaard – good figure, solid citizen. Another good squad player, somebody that won’t let you down, you can trust, so that’s a 7, I think.

Squad Departures

I think somebody like Jesus, given his track record with injuries, he might be one that you say, well, thanks, and try and move him on, get a bit of money in. Obviously, with Gyokeres and Havertz as well, there might not be too many opportunities for him.

I’d be tempted to keep Trossard, because he’s a versatile player who’s done well, scored important goals. I don’t think you’d want to lose him. And Martinelli as well – he didn’t have the best of seasons, but I think you definitely want to keep him.

Missing Out on Isak

I think they probably knew that Isak was gonna get into a bidding war. Nobody wants to get involved in that, and probably it was too expensive, given that they’d already spent a good few quid. I don’t know what their limits are, but he’s gonna cost an awful lot of money, isn’t he?

But 60-70 million for Gyokeres could be a real bargain if he gets 25 goals and they win the league. So I don’t think they have any regrets about that.

Top 4 Prediction

I said Arsenal, tipped for the league, so I’ll go Arsenal, then Liverpool, Man City. City’s an interesting one. I think they will come back strong with the signings they’ve made. So I’ll put them in third, and then Chelsea, I think, in fourth. That Liam Delap signing’s a good one, I think. That’ll be interesting to see how he fits in. So there’s not too much difference in that top four.

Burnley Under Parker

He’s got to hope that he can keep that defensive resolve. They were sensational defensively in the Championship. And he’s got to try and build on that, but if he can maintain that strength at the back, give themselves a chance to stay in a game and nick the odd win, get a draw.

Vincent Kompany’s team didn’t have that. But you’ve got to have a sharp end up top as well, and that’s always the challenge, and it will be for Scott Parker. They’ve lost some key players as well with Josh Brownhill and Egan-Riley.

So we’ll see, but it’s not going to be easy to keep that defensive resolve from the Championship to the Premier League. Chalk and cheese, really, in terms of the strikers you’re facing. But it gives them half a chance if they can stay solid.

Sunderland’s Leadership

I think that was a coup for them getting Xhaka. He’s a really good personality, I think. Amazing experience. He’ll be the leader on the pitch. I don’t know if he’s going to wear the armband, but he is a natural leader. So I think that was a coup for them.

You need that kind of player in your team, similar maybe to Henderson at Brentford, somebody in the dressing room that knows exactly what it takes. So I think it has been a great signing for Sunderland.

Sterling to Sunderland Links

He’s a bit of a strange one, Sterling. You expected him to produce a lot more at Arsenal than he did. It was a disastrous loan spell. And then you think, well, he’s only 30, but is that hunger, that motivation still there to do it? I’m not saying it isn’t, but he looked lost soul, really, in Arsenal colours.

He’s still got a good few years. I know he started early; he’s got a lot of miles on the clock, perhaps, in his career. But I’m sure he wouldn’t want it to fizzle out, so go to a club like Sunderland, it’s a situation he wouldn’t be used to either, where you’re not getting so much of the ball, but maybe – who knows? It could be a fit; he could give them something different.

Leeds and Vardy Links

I don’t think you can count on him now to be starting week in, week out. I think that time’s gone. He would be a great impact substitute, I think, for a lot of clubs in the Premier League. Because he’s still got that fitness, he’s still got that burst of pace, and obviously, he’s a very good finisher. But I don’t think physically, starting matches regularly is something that he’s capable of now.

Certainly Leeds need some firepower, don’t they? They had some players in the Championship that scored goals – Dan James and Piroe, and Manor Solomon and the like. Big question marks over whether they can do it in the top flight.

Aston Villa’s Transfer Struggles

It’s been an underwhelming transfer window so far, and they’re dancing close to PSR rules and all of it – high wage bill compared to turnover. They’ve lost Rashford and Asensio, so they need to bolster that attack. It’s all a bit flat there at the moment, so the fans would be hoping things can happen in August, because they do need a boost, I think, particularly in the final third of the pitch.

I just don’t think they can afford to sell Watkins. He’s a proven Premier League striker. I wouldn’t say he’s top, top level, but he’s just below. Very good, team player, works incredibly hard, makes good runs. So, unless they could get somebody in very good to replace him, I think they’ve got to keep hold.

Brentford’s Transition

I think the three promoted are the favourites for relegation. But there’ll be others in the mix, perhaps, maybe some surprises. You look what’s happening at Brentford – Thomas Frank’s gone, a new manager. At that level, they’ve lost key players in Mbeumo and Norgaard – and Wissa doesn’t sound happy. So it might be an awkward season for Brentford.