2025-26 EPL Title Odds: Arsenal Now Favored

Arsenal had a very weird Premier League campaign in 2024-25. They finished second by a wide margin on both ends. No one truly challenged them from behind, but they also failed to put Liverpool under real pressure at the end of the season.

Overall, it was a mixed year that showed a lot of potential. The squad looked drained after challenging Man City for the title two seasons in a row and playing in the EUROs in the summer. As a result, Arsenal led the EPL 2024-25 injury table convincingly.

The team had 27 total injuries, at least five more than any other side. Mikel Arteta had to cope with long-term injuries of players like Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, Gabriel Jesus, and Martin Odegaard. It was just too much to handle, especially for a team that lacked firepower upfront.

The defense was the best in the league, though, allowing Arsenal to compete for a good chunk of the season. The problem was on the other end, with the Gunner scoring only 69 goals and drawing 14 games. Many of these ties came against teams from the bottom of the table.

The team addressed the issues by going out in the transfer window to buy Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke to bolster the attack. On top of that, they added Martin Zubimendi in the middle of the park, as well as players like Kepa, Norgaard, Hincapie, and Mosquera for more depth.

This is the strongest Arsenal squad Mikel Arteta’s had, so there are no excuses this season. The Gunners need to win big and they look ready for it, especially with a goal machine like Gyokeres up front.

Similarly to Liverpool, some of the new players might need time, but the overall changes in Arsenal should be less significant.

The question here is whether the injuries will persist. The Gunners already had problems with Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, William Saliba, and Martin Odegaard after only three games. Most of them should be back soon, but the trend is concerning. Still, Arsenal’s depth is impressive.

The team lost against Liverpool and drew Man City at home, but that was followed by an impressive win against Newcastle. The Gunners are now only 2 points behinds Liverpool, despite having a much tougher schedule so far.

The defense is amazing, the depth is the best in England, and there’s a sense of unity around the team. Arsenal look ready to win the title after three consecutive runner-up finishes.

Liverpool dominated the English Premier League last season, winning the title with plenty of games to spare. It was one of the least competitive seasons in a while because the Reds were so much better than anyone else.

You wouldn’t expect many changes when that happens, but Liverpool went berserk in the transfer window. They lost some players like Trent to Real Madrid, Luis Diaz to Bayern, and Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen. Unfortunately, Diogo Jota also died in a tragic car accident, so the squad will miss a few big names.

However, the Reds also invested heavily. A quick look at Liverpool’s transfer activity shows that the team spent a fortune bringing the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong.

They also got Giorgi Mamardashvili back to replace Caoimhín Kelleher as the back-up goalkeeper. It looks like the Georgian goalie is ready to learn from Alisson but also challenge him for the starting spot, so I’m not worried about that position.

I do have some doubts about the balance in other places. For a start, the defense was questionable at times last year and should stay the same. The Reds are short in the heart of the defense and tried to get Marc Guehi but failed in the last second.

If that transfer went through, I would’ve back them for the title, for sure. Without another body in that position, I’m not so sure. Furthermore, Konate has refused to sign a new contract which could lead to some tension around him as the season progresses.

On top of that, the team will rely on new fullbacks on both sides. While Frimpong and Kerkez are both good players, they are known for their offensive contributions. Overall, I expect Liverpool to struggle defensively at times.

The big question is what happens on the other side of the pitch. The Reds have loads of talent up front, but cohesion takes time and Salah will likely have a down year compared to 2024-25.

The Egyptian had his best season last year with 47 goal contributions in the EPL, which is very unlikely to happen again. There’s an African Nations Cup scheduled for the winter, right in the middle of the Premier League season, so that will hurt Liverpool.

The bad news is that Salah has struggled early on. The same can be said about Wirtz and Frimpong, with Isak obviously not fit yet. The team has been winning a lot of games with late games, but poor performances caught up with them.

Liverpool lost two in a row against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, so momentum is on Arsenal’s side. Arne Slot needs to find some quick fixes, or the Reds will keep losing points.

Manchester City dominated the Premier League for years, before stumbling last year. Two tough seasons on all fronts and the EURO’s led to fatigue and injuries. It wasn’t quite as bad as Arsenal, but Guardiola had to cope without Rodri for almost the entire season and other key players for shorter periods.

This resulted in a free-fall for months around the middle of the season, when Man City lost any chance to fight for the EPL title or the Champions League. In fact, the team even lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace to add more misery.

Even splashing the cash in the January transfer window didn’t help, so Pep Guardiola is in a tough spot coming into the 2025-26 season. The squad will be refreshed, but I don’t think City are on the same level as Liverpool and Arsenal.

Their defense was leaky last season, the press wasn’t working, and many attacking players looked depleted. Rodri is back, but he’s in the middle of a Real Madrid saga, even if Man City are looking to offer him a huge new deal to keep him.

In short, Man City suffered by the same issue Arsenal faced, but with a significantly older squad that was only going to get worse anyway. And while the Gunners had time to recharge in the summer, Guardiola and his team were involved in the Club World Cup.

I predicted that the extra few weeks will hurt the team, especially at the start of the season, and that has been the case in the first three games.

Man City were beaten twice already in the first three games and although they’ve bounced back a bit since, the team is too inconsistent. I don’t see them as a genuine title favorite. You never know with a squad of such quality and a manager like Pep, but the gap to Liverpool and Arsenal looks substantial.