Arsenal's Triumph and Manchester City's Vulnerability

The Community Shield rarely decides a season, but it can twist its mood. Arsenal’s 3-0 dismantling of Manchester City in Cardiff has done exactly that, sending bookmakers scrambling and pundits re-writing their top-five lists before a ball is kicked in anger.

City, champions in six of the last nine Premier League campaigns and still fresh from an EFL Cup and FA Cup double in 2025-26, suddenly look vulnerable. The confirmation that World Cup 2026 standout Rodri is heading to Barcelona only sharpens the sense that Enzo Maresca’s first year in the post-Pep Guardiola era could be a bumpy one.

The markets have reacted. Arsenal’s odds have tightened from 6-4 to 5-4 after their Community Shield statement. City have drifted from 11-2 out to 7-2. Liverpool sit at 6-1. Chelsea and Manchester United are both 8-1, Tottenham 28-1, Aston Villa 66-1.

Two years ago, almost nobody would bet against City making it five titles in a row. A year ago, Liverpool’s shock triumph under Arne Slot, followed by a lavish summer of spending, had many convinced they would go again. They finished fifth. Slot was gone by the end of his second season at Anfield. This time, there’s less of a stampede to crown Arsenal, but none of our fan-pundits is prepared to dismiss them.

Christine can claim early bragging rights: she said her beloved Liverpool would finish “first or fourth” last season, and crucially, that they might not retain the title in 2026. None of the four Manchester United fans in our panel last year backed them for the top four; Niall went for an unsolicited fifth. Inspired by that, we’ve moved to a top-five prediction format this year. I had United second behind my own team, Liverpool, and pushed Aston Villa up to third. Only John also had Villa in his top four. Now we even have a real Villa fan, Dave, in the mix.

My fourth-place shout, Nottingham Forest, was a flyer. John makes the case for them again below, and it’s another reason to expand to a top-five. There is, unofficially, a new “Big Six” for the rest to navigate – Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Villa and Spurs – with the betting odds underlining that hierarchy.

Two years back, Scott and a couple of others managed to name the top four clubs, if not in the right order. Last season nobody did, largely because almost everyone trusted Chelsea, who staggered home in 10th.

This time, I expect Chelsea to rise, with London – led by Arsenal and the Blues – crowding the top spots. My five: 1. Chelsea 2. Arsenal 3. Liverpool 4. Tottenham 5. Brentford.

One absence from our usual roll call: boxing columnist Jay, who is dealing with a serious family situation in Zambia and couldn’t file his thoughts on Manchester City. He sends his apologies.

Leeds United: survival, then what?

PAUL GALLIGAN, LABOR ATTORNEY, LEEDS UNITED

Leeds stayed up. On its own, that’s a serious achievement. With Coventry joining this season, and Leeds and Sunderland already back, the Premier League suddenly has an old-school feel.

Paul Galligan believes Leeds can now do more than cling on. With James Trafford, Tarik Muharemović and Harry Wilson arriving, he sees the makings of a solid mid-table side with an outside shot at Europe – if they can add another goalscorer. The concern is depth. The squad still looks thin.

His top five? The “usual suspects”: 1. Chelsea 2. Arsenal 3. Man City 4. Man United 5. Liverpool.

He enjoyed the World Cup, praised the refereeing – particularly the official in the final – and still wishes, as he puts it, that FIFA “goes up in flames.”

Everton: new home, old anxieties

JAMES ROGERS, NEW YORK EVERTONIANS

Everton enter their second season at the gleaming Hill Dickinson Stadium with David Moyes trying to jolt a side that sleepwalked through the run-in last year. Their European push disintegrated with three points from the last seven games, leaving their famously patient supporters exasperated.

There is fresh blood. Christian Nørgaard, Hayden Hackney and Brennan Johnson arrive, Johnson in a swap that sends Dwight McNeil to Crystal Palace. There is also agitation. The search for a right-back has become an obsession, transfer noise surrounds Iliman Ndiaye, and there’s the lingering question: will Jack Grealish wear Royal Blue again?

Ndiaye’s World Cup cameo against Iraq reminded everyone of his talent. Grealish had been superb for Everton before a season-ending injury cost him his World Cup place. James Garner, unlucky to miss out on the tournament, is expected to be central again, as are Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and England No. 1 Jordan Pickford, back from his heroics in the U.S. and Mexico.

The stadium is settled. The fanbase is restless. Progress is non-negotiable.

Rogers’ top five: 1. Man City 2. Arsenal 3. Man Utd 4. Liverpool 5. Chelsea.

Liverpool: Slot out, Iraola in, and a Kop in flux

CHRISTINE KINEALY, HISTORIAN, LIVERPOOL

Christine and her family boycotted the World Cup in person, despite the games being on their doorstep, as a protest against what she calls blatant corruption at the top of the sport. Instead, they watched on TV and went to see Liverpool face Wrexham at Yankee Stadium on July 29. Scotland and Cabo Verde, their chosen teams, exited early.

She backed France to win the World Cup and was relieved it wasn’t Argentina, even with Lionel Messi and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister involved. Spain, who lifted the trophy, included Víctor Muñoz, now a Liverpool player. Nine other Liverpool men went to the tournament, three with the Netherlands.

The Arne Slot era, she says, was “short and not always sweet.” Heavy spending didn’t translate into cohesion. When games unravelled, Slot had few answers. New manager Andoni Iraola has already shifted back towards a more direct style, with high pressing, zonal counter-pressing and echoes of Jürgen Klopp’s intensity, sharpened with his own tweaks.

Pre-season has exposed teething problems. Late transfer business – Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Muñoz and Ronald Araújo among the arrivals – hints at another turbulent year. The hope is that Iraola’s Premier League experience will help a reworked back line settle more quickly than last summer’s intake.

There is also the emotional wrench. Mo Salah and Andy Robertson, two modern icons, have gone. The “Kop-Factor” remains, but the involvement of Jeff Bezos in the club leaves Christine cold.

Her verdict: this transition could delay a full return to elite form, but a purposeful, front-foot style offers hope of a new, more authentic era.

Prediction: Liverpool to finish third.

Tottenham: from horror flick to survival story

DOM STINGAS PACZKO, TOTTENHAM

For Dom Stingas Paczko, last season at Tottenham was a horror film. A malevolent force dragging everyone towards oblivion, only to be banished by a late, unlikely hero.

He had been cautiously optimistic about Thomas Frank replacing Ange Postecoglou, believing a more controlled approach might be needed. By October, it was clear it wasn’t working. Dom warned his father Spurs could be dragged into a relegation fight. He was dismissed as alarmist. By the time Frank was finally sacked – “far too late,” in Dom’s view – Spurs were in real trouble. The Igor Tudor interlude barely merits a mention.

Then came Roberto De Zerbi. Dom is convinced he was one of the very few who could have saved them: a coach to lift confidence, push the team onto the front foot and reconnect with the crowd. Without De Zerbi, Dom reckons he’d now be previewing trips to Preston North End and Lincoln City.

The board took heavy criticism in the post-Daniel Levy era, but Dom sees signs of a course correction. The wage structure has been overhauled, allowing Spurs to compete for highly rated signings. Recruitment, both in and out, looks sharper. Losing Cristian Romero and Djed Spence would once have triggered meltdown online; this time, the fanbase is largely calm, buoyed by the calibre of replacements.

Spurs still need two or three more attacking signings to mount a serious top-four push, Dom argues, but for the first time in years there is a coherent plan off the pitch and genuine belief on it.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Chelsea 3. Manchester City 4. Aston Villa 5. Tottenham – if those extra signings arrive. If not, he nudges Manchester United into fifth.

Arsenal: champions with room to spare

SCOTT SILVER, ARSENAL

Scott Silver is unapologetically bullish. Arsenal finally got their hands back on the league trophy last season and he thinks they can do it again. “We got the recipe correct,” he says, and he doesn’t see a compelling reason why it can’t be repeated.

Many Arsenal players impressed at the World Cup – “not you Havertz,” he jibes – but the focus now is on what he calls “home cooking.” Gabriel Martinelli may be sold for around £38 million, but Scott is unfazed. Names are swirling, reinforcements will arrive. Bukayo Saka is fit again. Declan Rice is, in his view, one of Europe’s best midfielders. With Eberechi Eze, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard, he calls it “almost an embarrassment of riches.”

He didn’t watch much of the World Cup beyond the USA games, but he saw the semi-finals and final and concedes there was “no denying Spain.”

His Premier League top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Man City 3. Liverpool 4. Man Utd 5. Chelsea.

Manchester United: Carrick’s quiet revolution

JOE BEHAN, MANCHESTER UNITED

Joe Behan sees a title challenge in Manchester United – if Michael Carrick stays put. Carrick walked away from United’s coaching staff in 2021, drained after Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s sacking and his own stint as caretaker. Four years later, he returned, and last season he took full control.

The effect was immediate. United surged to third and back into the Champions League. Kobbie Mainoo and Benjamin Šeško were restored to the starting XI and, in Joe’s words, “played out of their skins,” as did most of the squad.

United fans, he insists, could argue that last season’s football under Carrick was the best in the Premier League – and the best United have played since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Manchester United 3. Manchester City 4. Aston Villa 5. Liverpool.

On the World Cup, Joe loved Spain’s possession game en route to the title, even if he felt there were too many matches. Lisandro Martínez was the only United player to reach the final; the other 12 had mixed tournaments, some barely featuring.

Newcastle United: new era, old scars

JOHN SPINKS, NEWCASTLE UNITED

For John Spinks, the U.S.-hosted World Cup felt like a second job – a glut of football at prime-time hours. While everyone was glued to their screens, Newcastle were quietly dismantled.

Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães. All gone. Barcelona, Spurs and Arsenal the beneficiaries.

Three weeks before Newcastle open at home to Liverpool, Eddie Howe walks away. In steps a new German coach, Jaissle, hand-picked by the Saudi owners and bringing his own staff. It is a clean break.

The defence still has a spine: Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Dan Burn, Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw. Experience that will be vital, because the new faces are young. Goalkeeper Ivan Jaouen arrives from Reims at 20 years old and 6ft 7in, reputedly “good with his feet.” In midfield, Bamba from Monaco, Steur from Ajax, and Park Seung, the Korean prospect who blossomed last season. All 20 or under.

John calls it a “hybrid squad with exotic ingredients,” and wonders whether a German chef can get them cooking.

The death of Kevin Keegan has cast a long shadow. The outpouring of scarves, shirts and flowers on Tyneside spoke volumes. Another tribute is planned for the opening fixture, adding emotional weight to a club already at another turning point.

His prediction: 1. Man City 2. Man Utd 3. Arsenal 4. Villa 5. Sunderland – the last, he admits, “for divilment.”

Manchester United again: expectation restored

RAY O’HANLON, IRISH ECHO, MANCHESTER UNITED

Ray O’Hanlon frames United’s last year as a journey from frustration to expectation. From mid-table to top four is an achievement at any club, but United’s bar is higher. Titles and trophies are the standard.

Carrick, he argues, has earned the right to lead the club into a season where they will chase the Premier League, fight in Europe and attack the domestic cups. Pre-season brought three wins, a draw and a loss. The draw with Leeds United at Croke Park – settled on penalties in front of 82,000, a record for a soccer match in Ireland – underlined the club’s reach. The defeat, 4-2 to AC Milan now managed by Ruben Amorim, carried its own sting. Ray suggests those setbacks might prove more instructive than the victories.

Carrick wants more signings, potentially one marquee addition to join four summer recruits, including midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea. The academy, as ever, lurks as a wild card.

Targets? The league, for starters. Ray knows Arsenal will not surrender their crown easily. Top four is a minimum. Finishing above “noisy neighbours” City remains a daily prayer for many United fans. The pressure will be there from the opening game against newly promoted Hull City.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Manchester United 3. Liverpool 4. Aston Villa 5. Everton.

Aston Villa: Emery, Madjo and belief

DAVE HANNIGAN, ASTON VILLA

Dave Hannigan writes in the afterglow of the Super Cup, where 17-year-old Brian Madjo lit up PSG and sent the English media into a frenzy. He calls the reaction “over the top” for what is effectively a glorified friendly, but he also knows what this Villa side have become under Unai Emery.

Emery is the reason Villa can credibly aim for a Champions League quarter-final and another top-four tilt. Those ambitions remain despite the exits of Morgan Rogers, now at Chelsea, and Youri Tielemans, who has joined Manchester United. Ezri Konsa could yet leave before the window closes. Fans might be tempted to panic.

Hannigan refuses. Emery, he says, is more important than any single player. The last two seasons have proved that. Viktor Lindelöf’s free transfer a year ago raised eyebrows given his struggles at United, but he started 27 games, filled in admirably in midfield and made key contributions. “In Emery we trust” remains the mantra, even if the arrival of Alejandro Garnacho – a talent with baggage – makes some supporters nervous.

Keep Boubacar Kamara fit, keep John McGinn’s low centre of gravity as unmovable as ever, and give Ollie Watkins the minutes he didn’t get at the World Cup – and Villa should at least match last season.

Hannigan’s top five: 1. Chelsea 2. Manchester City 3. Liverpool 4. Aston Villa 5. Manchester United.

Liverpool again: transition, injuries and old loyalties

MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN, JESUIT PRIEST, LIVERPOOL

Michael O’Sullivan didn’t see much of the World Cup live, but he rooted for Argentina because of Messi – and because the forward was driven, he says, to win for his dying father. He wants FIFA to strip third-place play-off goals from the Golden Boot equation and argues Messi had a greater impact on the tournament than Rodri.

On Liverpool, he sees a club mid-transition and short in key areas. Alexis Mac Allister impressed at the World Cup and Michael hopes he carries that form into the new season after a slow start last year. Isak scored a superb goal for Sweden; again, the hope is that club form follows.

Injuries remain a problem. Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Leoni are all out long term. Michael welcomed the managerial change, believing the previous coach’s style increasingly held Liverpool back. Andoni Iraola, he stresses, must be given time and reinforcements.

He tips Spurs – the team he followed as a boy in Jimmy Greaves’ day – to do well. He expects United to struggle to match last season’s league finish while juggling the Champions League. He wonders when the investigation into Manchester City’s practices will finally conclude. Villa, he says, could soar if they avoid last year’s sluggish start. Arsenal’s set-piece threat from corners, he believes, will be better handled this time around.

His reluctant top five: 1. Man City 2. Arsenal 3. Aston Villa 4. Liverpool 5. Tottenham.

Manchester United: talent, temperament and a familiar ceiling

ANTHONY C. MURPHY, MANCHESTER UNITED

Anthony C. Murphy’s World Cup lens is firmly United-tinted. Bruno Fernandes, he argues, could never fully shine for Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo still on the pitch. Diogo Dalot barely featured. Manuel Ugarte and Uruguay disappointed. Brazil flattered only against a poor Scotland; Casemiro has now gone, while Matheus Cunha is “great but inconsistent.”

He’s unsure if Tyler Fletcher saw any minutes. Morocco impressed him, with Noussair Mazraoui looking more authoritative than he does at United. Marcus Rashford, battling Anthony Gordon for a starting place with England, remained a major outlet despite his habit of losing the ball at key moments. Anthony believes Rashford is a better finisher than dribbler.

Kobbie Mainoo, in his eyes, is United’s best player alongside Bruno and underused. Lisandro Martínez stayed steady as Argentina’s title defence unravelled in a final Anthony felt made them look like “petulant kids.” Amad Diallo, meanwhile, seized his chance with Ivory Coast, scoring against Ecuador and Norway to become their youngest ever scorer.

Back at United, Anthony sees volatility. Third place flattered them, he thinks; they hung in while others faded. New arrivals Santos, Orozco and Tielemans could give them more stability, especially if Tielemans and Mainoo form a partnership. Goalkeeper Lemmens, he says, veers between brilliance and calamity.

His forecast: a top-five league finish, an early European exit, maybe an FA Cup win. The top three? Arsenal, City and Liverpool – unless Rodri’s departure truly destabilises City, in which case he sees a stumble. That, of course, has now happened, with Rodri confirmed at Barcelona.

Liverpool, once more: anger, fatigue and a tight race

STEPHEN BOLAND, LIVERPOOL

Stephen Boland feels vindicated. He said last year that Arne Slot had won with Klopp’s team and Klopp’s style, and that once Slot tried to impose his own system, it fell apart. He didn’t like the football. He’s convinced many fans agreed.

Big-money signings failed to meet expectations. Injuries, including to Isak, bit hard. Florian Wirtz looked lost. There were flashes, but too few. Salah, he says bluntly, was “a shell of himself.” The season as a whole? “Pretty poor.”

He enjoyed the expanded World Cup more than he expected. The 48-team format didn’t dilute the quality in his eyes. He disliked Argentina’s win-at-all-costs approach and what he saw as Messi-centric coverage and favourable calls.

From a Liverpool perspective, he’s almost relieved most of their players didn’t go deep into the tournament. He hopes continuity and fewer miles in the legs will bring more cohesion. Injured players returning could transform the side.

He expects a tight title race. His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Liverpool 3. Man City 4. Man United 5. Chelsea.

Manchester United: champions or bust?

NIALL O’LEARY, MANCHESTER UNITED

For Niall O’Leary, the World Cup was “great” – though if anyone mentions “hydration breaks” again, he threatens to launch his adult sippy cup at his Mini-LED AI screen.

United’s limited influence on the tournament, he argues, is a blessing. They are fresh, rested, and ready for what he calls “the season of their lives.” His prediction is simple and bold: Premier League champions.

The logic is straightforward. Most of their rivals have changed managers. New coaches need time to impose ideas and integrate signings. United, by contrast, have had Carrick in place since January 13 – his father’s birthday, a date Niall treats as a good omen. He doubts Arsenal will retain the title and doesn’t fully trust any other contender in flux.

He even picks his player of the season: Marcus Rashford, now wearing No. 14. “The children have been fed,” he says, “he is back from his ramblings on the Ramblas, and this will be his second coming.”

His top five: 1. Manchester United 2. Manchester City 3. Arsenal 4. Liverpool 5. Chelsea.

Chelsea: chastened, dangerous, and done with chaos

PAUL FINNEGAN, CHELSEA

Paul Finnegan tipped Chelsea for the title last year. They finished 10th. He doesn’t hide from it. He still believes they had an outside shot until Manchester City fluttered their eyelashes at Enzo Maresca and lured him away, derailing the season.

He felt genuine sympathy for Cole Palmer, who missed out on England’s World Cup squad and never hit his previous heights. One glaring stoppage-time miss against Leeds at Stamford Bridge, which should have won the game, summed up a campaign blighted by injuries and exhaustion.

This year, Paul is more restrained. He puts Chelsea second but insists that’s still optimistic rather than blind. He likes the squad’s raw talent, and he likes the arrival of experienced figures such as Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. No European football means total focus on domestic fronts. Crucially, he stresses, Xabi Alonso is not just a head coach but the manager, and he wants those who “don’t know the game” at Chelsea to stop interfering.

He’s content Arsenal finally won a title – if only so he can stop feeling sorry for them, and for Mayo. He thinks Mikel Arteta’s side “have it all now” and can defend their crown. The Champions League is, in his view, a realistic ambition too.

He expects Liverpool to respond well under Iraola. He suspects Maresca will need time to emerge from Guardiola’s shadow at City. Villa will stay strong. United, he believes, are on an upward curve and will edge Spurs, who will improve but still fall short of the elite pack.

His top five: 1. Arsenal 2. Chelsea 3. Liverpool 4. Manchester United 5. Spurs.

One Community Shield, one seismic transfer, a dozen clashing predictions. Arsenal as repeat champions, United reborn under Carrick, Chelsea revived, City dented but dangerous, Villa refusing to go away. The numbers on the coupons have shifted; the arguments have only just begun.