Football writer Adrian Clarke assesses every Premier League squad and predicts who will start for each team.
AFC Bournemouth
After breaking their record Premier League points tally (56) last season, it will be interesting to see if Bournemouth’s astute head coach Andoni Iraola can take them to the next level in 2025/26.
Out of possession, the Cherries are arguably the most difficult top-flight team to face. With an incessant work ethic at the heart of everything they do, Bournemouth constantly hassle and harry rivals with their pressing up front and inside the heart of midfield.
Last season, nobody produced more high turnovers or won the ball in advanced areas with greater frequency than Iraola's men.
Three key members of their back four and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga have departed this summer. Centre-back Illia Zabarnyi has recently moved to Paris Saint-Germain, defender Dean Huijsen (now at Real Madrid) oozed composure on and off the ball, while the dynamism and creativity of new Liverpool left-back Milos Kerkez is also sure to be missed.
Belgian full-back Adrien Truffert has come in, but he looks a less adventurous player.
So, forming a new defence that's as good as last season's will not be easy.
In a fixed 4-2-3-1, used by their Spanish head coach in all 38 matches last season, pace and energy are always core traits. Brazilian striker Evanilson likes to bully opponents, the speedy Antoine Semenyo carries a threat down either flank, while Justin Kluivert is a terrific finisher when making runs from deep.
Bournemouth's potential best XI
Bournemouth's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Djordje Petrovic, Alex Paulsen, Will Dennis
Defenders: Adam Smith, Julian Araujo, James Hill, Marcos Senesi, Chris Mepham, Adrien Truffert, Julio Soler, Bafode Diakite, Owen Bevan
Midfielders: Lewis Cook, Philip Billing, Romain Faivre, Alex Scott, Tyler Adams, Ben Winterburn, Marcus Tavernier, David Brooks, Ryan Christie, Hamed Traore
Forwards: Evanilson, Enes Unal, Eli Kroupi, Daniel Adu-Adjei, Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo, Dango Ouattara, Luis Sinisterra
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta is set to continue with his possession-based 4-3-3 formation in 2025/26 and will hope it brings Arsenal a title after three consecutive second-placed finishes.
One key feature of Arsenal's style is the use of an inverted full-back stepping into midfield in the build-up phase, while the Gunners will again be a threat from set-pieces this season. They are also likely to be one of the most ferocious pressers of the ball out of possession.
We do expect some differences in 2025/26, though. New holding midfielder Martin Zubimendi is likely to offer better athleticism and mobility at the base of midfield.
Part of the Spain international’s brief will also be to supply Arsenal's forwards with progressive passes a little quicker than before. This, in theory, should help Arsenal cause greater opponents for defensive, low-block opponents. On occasion last season, Arteta's side struggled to create quality chances against rivals who sat deep.
Arsenal scored 22 fewer goals last season than in 2023/24, so they must find more 'chaos' in their attacking play. Too formulaic at times, Arteta will be expecting Viktor Gyokeres' direct style to offer his forward line a fresh and exciting new dimension.
The Swede’s pace and willingness to run the channels will stretch play more effectively. With their new signing leading the line, Arsenal could be significantly more potent on the counter-attack.
Arsenal's potential best XI
Arsenal's squad in full
Goalkeepers: David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Karl Hein
Defenders: Jurrien Timber, Ben White, William Saliba, Christhian Mosquera, Gabriel Maghalaes, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko
Midfielders: Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, Ethan Nwaneri, Fabio Vieira
Forwards: Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Max Dowman, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson
Aston Villa
It has been a quiet transfer window for Aston Villa, who are yet to sign a player who would strengthen Unai Emery’s best XI.
Not that urgent repair work was needed. Across the last two campaigns, the Villans have developed a clear identity that has caused problems for a string of top-class opponents.
They press in a narrow 4-4-2 that is designed to clog up central areas, and by simultaneously squeezing their back four up towards the halfway line, they do a fine job of limiting space for rivals to pass the ball through midfield.
There is a vulnerability to longer passes played in behind them, but Emery feels the pros outweigh the cons.
They are not a possession-heavy team. In truth, last season’s sixth-placed finishers are at their most dangerous when they regain possession. In those transition moments, attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers has become Villa’s main man.
Whether he plays as a central attacking midfielder, or out wide on the left, the England international’s powerful runs and silky footwork are a joy to watch in full flow.
Villa’s set-piece strength should not be underestimated either. They work hard at devising clever corner and free-kick routines, scoring 16 goals from dead-ball situations in 2024/25. It was the second-best record in the division.
Aston Vila's potential best XI
Aston Villa's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Emi Martinez, Marco Bizot
Defenders: Matty Cash, Andres Garcia, Ezri Konsa, Lamare Bogarde, Pau Torres, Tyrone Mings, Ian Maatsen, Lucas Digne, Alex Moreno
Midfielders: Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, Leander Dendoncker, Youri Tielemans, Ross Barkley, Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, John McGinn, Emi Buendia
Forwards: Ollie Watkins, Evann Guessand, Donyell Malen, Lewis Dobbin, Samuel Iling Junior, Morgan Rogers
Brentford
The Bees have lost their head coach, captain and star forward this summer, so new boss Keith Andrews has got plenty of work to do in his first-ever managerial post.
They were always flexible under Thomas Frank in terms of their formation, tailoring it for each specific opponent, and that is unlikely to change under the former Republic of Ireland international.
Andrews is a thoughtful coach, with a reputation for strong analysis and tactical detail.
In essence, Brentford will be a strong, athletic and aggressive team, which is a style that has worked well for them since gaining promotion in 2021. Playing the percentages, they posed a major aerial threat inside the opposition box last season.
From crosses, set-pieces and long throws, they scored 14 headed goals, the most of any Premier League side. Andrews was their set-play coach in 2024/25, so you can be sure they will continue to work hard on dead-ball routines now he's in charge.
Rico Henry’s return from long-term injury at left-back is a welcome boost, and the vastly experienced Jordan Henderson has been signed to replace midfielder Christian Norgaard.
However, the loss of 20-goal Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United is likely to impact their output significantly inside the final third.
After so much unwanted upheaval, Brentford must stay calm, continue with the principles that have worked for them at this level, and look to rebuild sensibly in 2025/26.
Brentford's potential best XI
Brentford's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher, Hakon Valdimarsson
Defenders: Michael Kayode, Mads Roerslev, Nathan Collins, Kristoffer Ajer, Ethan Pinnock, Sepp van den Berg, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Jayden Meghoma
Midfielders: Jordan Henderson, Yehor Yarmolyuk, Paris Maghoma, Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen, Frank Onyeka, Yunus Konak, Fabio Carvalho, Myles Peart-Harris, Romelle Donovan, Mikkel Damsgaard, Antoni Milambo, Kevin Schade
Forwards: Yoane Wissa, Igor Thiago, Gustavo Nunes, Keane Lewis-Potter
Brighton & Hove Albion
In a highly promising debut campaign for Fabian Hurzeler, the Premier League’s youngest head coach guided Brighton to a respectable eighth-place finish.
Tactically, the 32-year-old German has stamped his own imprint on the Seagulls, transforming them into a team with far less emphasis on heavy possession.
Hurzeler’s youthful side averaged a 52.16 per cent share of the ball compared to 60.05 per cent the season before, having sacrificed some control by switching to a style of play that is more direct.
In total they made 5,947 fewer successful passes over the course of 38 matches.
Going forward, they are a tremendously exciting side, scoring more goals than Chelsea, Villa and Nottingham Forest last season. In a 4-2-3-1, or sometimes a 4-4-2, Brighton always carry a positive mantra, committing lots of players to get inside the opponents’ box.
Regular starters Joao Pedro, Simon Adingra and Pervis Estupinan have departed this summer, but some exciting young players have come in to take their places.
Tom Watson, 19, is a winger with stacks of talent, and there is also a buzz around 18-year-old Greek striker Charalampos Kostoulas, who arrived from Olympiakos for £29.8million.
Brighton like to press high, but they must defend counter attacks better this time around. Last season they conceded a league-high 10 goals from fast breaks. Yet with so much depth and quality in their attacking midfield department, it is clear they will rarely be short on creativity.
Brighton's potential best XI
Brighton's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Bart Verbruggen, Jason Steele, Tom McGill
Defenders: Joel Veltman, Tariq Lamptey, Jan-Paul van Hecke, Adam Webster, Diego Coppola, Lewis Dunk, Igor Julio, Olivier Boscagli, Maxim De Cuyper, Ferdi Kadioglu
Midfielders: Carlos Baleba, Mats Wieffer, James Milner, Yasin Ayari, Jack Hinshelwood, Diego Gomez, Brajan Gruda, Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma, Matt O'Riley, Facundo Buonanotte, Julio Enciso, Jeremy Sarmiento, Malick Yalcouye, Andrew Moran
Forwards: Danny Welbeck, Charalampos Kostoulas, Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter, Tom Watson, Abdallah Sima, Stefanos Tzimas
Burnley
Defensive stability was Burnley’s super power in 2024/25 and their rock-solid rearguard paved the way for an impressive promotion campaign.
Conceding just 16 goals in 46 matches, the fewest ever in a Championship season, they will feel they have the necessary resilience to handle a step up in level.
Scott Parker’s 4-2-3-1 is brilliantly organised. Out of possession, it will become a 4-5-1 with Clarets players working overtime to press and close down opponents.
A standout trait from last season was how quickly they funnelled back into position to cover one another whenever the ball was lost. This habit will serve them well in the top flight.
On the ball, Burnley mimic Arsenal’s use of an inverted full-back (usually it’s the right-back) to create a box of four players in central midfield. They also make good use of their pace and dribbling skills out wide where Jaidon Anthony, Marcus Edwards and Luca Koleosho are key figures.
Scoring goals could be problematic. Parker's men netted 26 fewer goals than champions Leeds United in 2024/25 and their attack is unlikely to contain a proven Premier League goalscorer.
The arrival of Kyle Walker shows their ambition, but the losses of goalkeeper James Trafford, defender CJ Egan-Riley and captain Josh Brownhill are huge blows they must quickly overcome.
Brownhill's goals from midfield often made the difference en route to a runners-up spot.
Burnley's potential best XI
Burnley's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Martin Dubravka, Max Weiss, Vaclav Hladky
Defenders: Kyle Walker, Connor Roberts, Oliver Sonne, Shurandy Sambo, Hjalmar Ekdal, Jordan Beyer, Joe Worrall, Axel Tuanzebe, Maxime Esteve, Hannes Delcroix, Quilindschy Hartman, Bashir Humphreys, Lucas Pires
Midfielders: Josh Cullen, Lesley Ugochukwu, Josh Laurent, Marcus Edwards, Loum Tchaouna, Hannibal Mejbri, Aaron Ramsey, Jaidon Anthony, Manuel Benson,
Forwards: Armando Broja, Zian Flemming, Lyle Foster, Ashley Barnes, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Zeki Amdouni, Luca Koleosho, Mike Tresor
Chelsea
Chelsea blew PSG away in the FIFA Club World Cup Final with an aggressive man-to-man press all over the pitch that suffocated Luis Enrique’s side.
It is a tactic which has been used by Enzo Maresca on plenty of occasions, but its success in that showpiece may lead to it becoming a more signature ploy.
The first-choice formation is 4-2-3-1 and in that set-up the Blues head coach wants to domination possession.
On the ball, they resemble more of a 3-2-5 formation, with at least one of the full-backs slipping inside into midfield.
Creating chaos, you will sometimes even see left-back Marc Cucurella playing as a support striker!
This fluid style will continue, and based on his strategic experimentation this summer, Maresca may vary his approach a little more frequently too. Cole Palmer will play centrally or wide on the right for example, and there is an expectancy Chelsea will try to be a touch more direct this season too.
Liverpool were the only side to create more shots from fast breaks in 2024/25 than Chelsea, who will want to utilise Liam Delap’s prowess in that department.
The Blues created the joint-second highest Expected Goals (xG) tally, yet six clubs scored more goals than them last season.
That has been addressed by the arrivals of forwards Joao Pedro and Delap, who will provide extra competition for places up front.
Chelsea's potential best XI
Chelsea's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Gaga Slonina
Defenders: Reece James, Malo Gusto, Alfie Gilchrist, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Josh Acheampong, Axel Disasi, Jorrel Hato, Renato Veiga, Benoit Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Ben Chilwell, Aaron Anselmino
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Mykhailo Mudryk, Carney Chukwuemeka, Omari Kellyman, Cole Palmer
Forwards: Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Tyrique George, David Fofana, Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, Christopher Nkunku, Jamie Gittens, Raheem Sterling
Crystal Palace
The Eagles do not need a lot of the ball to create problems for Premier League rivals. Averaging just over 42 per cent of possession last season, Crystal Palace are magnificent at turning defence into attack as soon as they regain the ball.
Handily, winning the ball back is one of their fortes. Working tirelessly in Oliver Glasner’s 3-2-4-1 formation, the FA Cup and Community Shield winners apply more ‘pressures’ to rival players than any other side.
It was no surprise that by the end of 2024/25, Palace had won more turnovers from pressures than anyone else by a healthy distance.
Off the ball, they stay narrow and block off central lanes, but as soon as they spring an attack Palace love to use the full width of the pitch, with wing-backs Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell integral to their success.
Stretching play creates extra room on the inside for star creators Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr to hurt teams, and with the powerful and fast-improving striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta leading the line, they have one of the most dangerous forward lines in the division.
Glasner’s men are also physically dominant at set-pieces. Racking up 16 goals from dead-ball situations last term, they must be respected every time they have a corner or wide free-kick.
Crystal Palace's potential best XI
Crystal Palace's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Walter Benitez, Remi Matthews
Defenders: Chris Richards, Nathaniel Clyne, Maxence Lacroix. Chadi Riad, Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz, Caleb Kporha, Tyrick Mitchell, Borna Sosa
Midfielders: Adam Wharton, Will Hughes, Justin Devenny, Daichi Kamada, Jefferson Lerma, Cheick Doucoure, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Eberechi Eze, Romain Esse, Naouirou Ahamada
Forwards: Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eddie Nketiah, Odsonne Edouard, Ismaila Sarr, Matheus Franca
Everton
David Moyes worked wonders with Everton after rejoining the club in January, expertly steering them away from the relegation zone into 13th place in the final table.
Defensive strength remains the cornerstone of his tactical approach, either in a well-drilled 4-5-1 formation or 4-2-3-1.
But it was Moyes' determination to control matches with better quality possession which caught the eye during the second part of 2024/25. Making a lot more passes than they did under Sean Dyche, they performed with greater flair and confidence.
Skilful talents such as the lively Iliman Ndiaye and Charly Alcaraz welcomed that shift in style, which Moyes will look to build on in the coming months.
The Toffees will still be more direct in their distribution than most this season – they made more successful long passes than any other side last term – but their experienced manager is trying to make them less predictable.
Scoring enough goals to push into the top half will be their aim this time around, and as they begin life at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton have invested in a new striker, Thierno Barry, who will add competition for the rejuvenated Beto, who finished last season in terrific form, while fans will be excited by the arrival of Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City.
Everton’s tactics will not be super adventurous, but Moyes is attempting to add more flair to his starting XI.
Everton's potential best XI
Everton's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Mark Travers, Harry Tyrer
Defenders: Jake O’Brien, Nathan Patterson, Seamus Coleman, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Michael Keane, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Adam Aznou
Midfielders: Charly Alcaraz, James Garner, Idrissa Gueye, Harrison Armstrong, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tim Iroegbunam, Jack Grealish
Forwards: Beto, Thierno Barry, Youssef Chermiti, Dwight McNeil, Iliman Ndiaye
Fulham
Marco Silva’s Fulham are a lovely side to watch, basing their tactical approach around neat pass-and-move football.
In a relatively simple 4-2-3-1 shape, they move the ball through the thirds nicely; so much so that last season’s top four were the only teams to make more successful passes inside the final third than the Cottagers, who placed 11th in the table.
Fulham like to press when they don’t have the ball, but interestingly, Silva tweaked his approach against Arsenal and Liverpool last season.
In home fixtures against the top two he sacrificed possession, sat deep and asked his players to target counter attacks instead. Given Fulham took four points from those two matches, it is a ploy we may see more of in the months ahead.
Inside the opposition half, Fulham are strong down the flanks. Left-back Antonee Robinson flies forward at will, while the likes of Alex Iwobi and Adama Traore also send plenty of deliveries into the area.
In open play, Fulham made the most crosses, and the highest number of accurate crosses in 2024/25. If that is repeated it will be good news for striker Raul Jimenez.
What must they work on? Fulham will certainly want to be more productive from corners and wide free-kicks, scoring a division-low four times from them last season.
Fulham's potential best XI
Fulham's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno, Benjamin Lecomte
Defenders: Kenny Tete, Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Issa Diop, Calvin Bassey, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson, Ryan Sessegnon
Midfielders: Sasa Lukic, Harrison Reed, Sander Berge, Tom Cairney, Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe, Andreas Pereira, Josh King, Alex Iwobi
Forwards: Raul Jimenez, Rodrigo Muniz, Adama Traore, Martial Godo
Leeds United
In which ways will Daniel Farke adjust Leeds United’s tactics for Premier League football? The calls he makes early on this season will define how successful they will be on their return to the top tier.
The German’s attack-minded style of play and possession-based approach in a 4-2-3-1 has worked wonderfully well, amassing 190 points across two Championship campaigns. Yet, it feels as if a more pragmatic stance would be worth contemplating in 2025/26.
Farke’s flying full-backs will likely have to show more restraint, and the arrival of Sweden international left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson is a nod towards the need for greater defensive security.
Leeds may also consider switching to a 4-3-3 formation. There is no standout playmaker for the No 10 role and Farke's squad is also overflowing with quality central and box-to-box midfielders.
A trio that covers the midfield, supplemented by new faces Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach, makes sense. Adding height and physicality was also a priority this summer, as Leeds were a relatively small side in the Championship.
I sense that Leeds will become a counter-attacking team, rather than dominating opponents, and they have enough speed and quality ball carriers to make that change of approach work. It’s a tactic they enjoy producing, scoring 10 times from fast breaks last season.
The priority now is the acquisition of a Premier League-ready finisher. Leeds will create plenty, but right now they lack depth in the striker department.
Leeds' potential best XI
Leeds' squad in full
Goalkeepers: Lucas Perri, Karl Darlow, Ilian Meslier
Defenders: Jayden Bogle, Isaac Schmidt, Joe Rodon, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, Pascal Struijk, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Sam Byram
Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, Ao Tanaka, Ilia Gruev, Dan James, Jack Harrison, Sean Longstaff, Brenden Aaronson
Forwards: Joel Piroe, Lukas Nmecha, Patrick Bamford, Wilfried Gnonto, Largie Ramazani
Liverpool
Since winning the title comfortably at the end of his first season with Liverpool, Arne Slot has overseen a major facelift to his all-conquering squad.
Two new full-backs will start 2025/26, with Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong both revered for their dynamism and creativity inside the opposition half.
It will be exciting to see the impact they make on Merseyside, but their buccaneering approach does have potential to leave the centre backs exposed.
In attack, Liverpool now boast one of European football’s classiest No 10s in the shape of Florian Wirtz.
His skill, movement and creative genius are sure to wow Reds fans, while the pacy Hugo Ekitike offers a fresh injection of goalscoring prowess up front.
Last season, Liverpool got the balance just right. Capable of controlling matches with the ball, but also seriously destructive on the counter, they can hurt you in a multitude of ways. Slot’s sensible, composed style worked beautifully.
The only minor concern is over a possible downturn from ageing stars Mohamed Salah, 33 and Virgil van Dijk, 34, who were both phenomenal when inspiring the Reds to glory.
Can they maintain the same extraordinary standards? If they can, Liverpool will be very hard to stop.
Liverpool's potential best XI
Liverpool's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Armin Pecsi
Defenders: Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Rhys Williams, Calvin Ramsay
Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister, Stefan Bajcetic, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Harvey Elliott, Trey Nyoni
Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa, Ben Doak, Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha
Manchester City
We are anticipating a bold, emphatic response from Pep Guardiola following a below-par campaign from Manchester City.
The legendary Kevin De Bruyne may have gone, but a host of new faces have arrived to breathe new life into their next title challenge.
Attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki is an especially brilliant player to watch and he is joined by energetic midfielder Tijani Reijnders, attacking left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and goalkeeper James Trafford.
At the Club World Cup, City’s head coach dabbled with a new 4-3-2-1 formation, so it will be fascinating to see if he persists with that in the early phase of the new season.
It’s a shape that will certainly suit Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Phil Foden, but flying wingers Jeremy Doku and Savinho would prefer a shape that asked them to play wider.
When you assess the options at Guardiola’s disposal, it is clear City now have major strength in depth. Every area of the side is covered by at least two experienced players.
We know they will score plenty of goals, but the key to City’s success will be how they go about making improvements to their work out of possession.
Rodri’s return will help, but for a while now they haven’t pressed well, making them vulnerable to counter attacks and long balls played over the top. That weakness needs to be addressed.
Man City's potential best XI
Man City's squad in full
Goalkeepers: James Trafford, Ederson, Stefan Ortega, Marcus Bettinelli
Defenders: Matheus Nunes, Rico Lewis, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Nathan Ake, Nico O’Reilly
Midfielders: Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic, Rodri, Nico Gonzalez, Kalvin Phillips, Tijjani Reijnders, Ilkay Gundogan, Sverre Nypan, Rayan Cherki, James McAtee, Oscar Bobb, Claudio Echeverri, Phil Foden
Forwards: Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush, Savinho, Jeremy Doku
Manchester United
Tactically we know what to expect from Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United. They will line up in a 3-4-2-1 shape, but on the back of a disastrous 15th-place finish, the way his players perform within that system has to dramatically improve.
Signing good players will help facilitate that, and there’s no question attacking midfielders Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo – with 48 direct goal involvements between them last season – will add much needed class in the final third. Only four Premier League teams, including all three who were relegated, found the back of the net less often than Man Utd in 2024/25.
They needed a striker, and they have signed one in Benjamin Sesko, but their midfield unit should not be neglected.
For his tactics to function properly Amorim demands athleticism, mobility and high fitness levels, and when you look at Man Utd's midfield, those qualities are lacking. Without dynamism in the middle third, they will not find it easy to overcome their problems.
With and without the ball, Amorim's wing-backs are crucial in this tactical set-up, so all eyes will be on Patrick Dorgu and Amad's form. If they can learn to master the art of supplying energy, width and creativity without neglecting their defensive duties, it will be a big step in the right direction.
Man Utd's potential best XI
Man Utd's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton
Defenders: Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Ayden Heaven, Diogo Dalot, Patrick Dorgu, Diego Leon, Tyrell Malacia, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson
Midfielders: Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Toby Collyer, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Amad
Forwards: Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee, Chido Obi, Alejandro Garnacho, Jaden Sancho, Bryan Mbeumo, Antony
Newcastle United
Eddie Howe trialled a back three towards the end of last season, but we fully expect the Newcastle United boss to revert to his favoured 4-3-3 in the early part of the new campaign.
The Magpies have upgraded two positions so far this summer, adding the super-fast Anthony Elanga to their ranks, who will fight it out with Jacob Murphy for starts on the right wing. The Swede’s searing pace on the counter is highly likely to give him the edge.
Aaron Ramsdale has also come in on loan, and the talented goalkeeper will relish the opportunity to represent a big Premier League club once again. He impressed at Arsenal, and his temperament looks well-suited to performing with confidence in front of the raucous St James’ Park fans. His quality distribution will also add a layer of quality to Newcastle when they play out from the back.
The two main ingredients that mark the Magpies out as a top side are speed in forward areas and outstanding tenacity in central midfield.
Tailor-made to hurt you from turnovers, the aggressive midfield of Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes consistently set up great opportunities for the likes of Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak.
Newcastle's potential best XI
Newcastle's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Aaron Ramsdale, Nick Pope, Odysseas Vlachodimos
Defenders: Tino Livramento, Kieran Trippier, Harrison Ashby, Fabian Schar, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Matt Targett, Malick Thiaw, Alex Murphy
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Joe Willock, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy
Forwards: Alexander Isak, William Osula, Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon
Nottingham Forest
Averaging only 41 per cent of possession in matches last season, Nottingham Forest proved you do not need a lot of the ball to flourish as a Premier League side.
Astute head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is a master at positional organisation, constructing a solid back four that is well protected by the midfield in front of them. Confident that they can keep rivals at bay, last season’s surprise package will be content to absorb pressure once again in a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape. Centre-backs Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo balance beautifully together as one of the best partnerships around.
Forest's biggest strength is exploding into action on the break via their two flying wingers and mercurial attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. The loss of Elanga, one of the division’s fastest players, to Newcastle is a blow but Swiss international Dan Ndoye has made a terrific impression in pre-season. He suits Forest’s style perfectly.
Leading marksman Chris Wood will also have competition for a starting berth in 2025/26 from new signing Igor Jesus. The 24-year-old Brazilian links play superbly and has sharper movement than the New Zealander.
Set-pieces will also be a factor for Forest. They netted the most goals (17) from corners and wide free-kicks last season, carrying a major threat every time they stood over a dead ball.
Nott'm Forest's potential best XI
Nott'm Forest's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Matz Sels, Angus Gunn, Carlos Miguel
Defenders: Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Jair Cunha, Willy Boly, Murillo, Morato, David Carmo, Neco Williams, Omar Richards
Midfielders: Nicolas Dominguez, Ryan Yates, Marko Stamenic, Elliot Anderson, Ibrahim Sangare, Morgan Gibbs-White, Josh Bowler
Forwards: Chris Wood, Igor Jesus, Taiwo Awoniyi, Dan Ndoye, Jota Silva, Eric da Silva Moreira, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Emmanuel Dennis
Sunderland
When steering Sunderland to an unexpected promotion, Regis Le Bris proved to a very clever and adaptable coach.
The Black Cats used a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 at various points, depending on who was available and the type of opponents they faced. This flexibility is likely to continue in the top flight, which could make it difficult to second-guess the Wearsiders’ approach.
Le Bris is a coach who wants to play high-tempo, attacking football – and we saw plenty of that in 2024/25 – with overloads out wide, and quick-tempo passing a feature of their play.
Yet we also saw the other side of Sunderland come to the fore, especially at the business end of the campaign when they were low on confidence. Happy to sit back and relinquish possession, late on in the season they turned into a deep-lying outfit who wanted to go direct on the counter. Up against better opponents, this could be a feature of their play in the months ahead.
A large influx of new signings have arrived with Granit Xhaka the most eye-catching of all. Defensive midfielder Habib Diarra, winger Simon Adingra and Chelsea’s teenage loanee Marc Guiu have also given Sunderland supporters optimism they could survive on their Premier League return.
A lack of top-level experience at the back is the main concern. As a team they must protect that back four outstandingly well.
Sunderland's potential best XI
Sunderland's squad in full
Goalkeepers: Anthony Patterson, Robin Roefs, Blondy Nna Noukeu, Simon Moore
Defenders: Trai Hume, Timothee Pembele, Niall Huggins, Dan Ballard, Nectarios Triantis, Jenson Seelt, Luke O’Nien, Aji Alese, Leo Hjelde, Reinildo, Dennis Cirkin, Arthur Masuaku, Omar Alderete
Midfielders: Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, Alan Browne, Abdoullah Ba, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Jay Matete, Granit Xhaka, Pierre Ekwah, Patrick Roberts, Enzo Le Fee
Forwards: Simon Adingra, Romaine Mundle, Milan Aleksic, Eliezer Mayenda, Marc Guiu, Wilson Isidor, Nazariy Rusyn, Luis Semedo, Ian Poveda, Chemsdine Talbi
Tottenham Hotspur
Thomas Frank is a multi-purpose head coach who is sure to stamp his own imprint on Tottenham Hotspur’s style of play.
Earlier this summer, he stressed his new side would be ‘brave, aggressive and attacking’, but the way they go about that from a tactical perspective will be different to what we saw from Ange Postecoglou. Finding greater levels of resilience and abrasiveness will be high on Frank's to-do list.
The Dane used a variety of systems at Brentford, so we could see him take a horses-for-courses stance, but the most likely formation is 4-3-3. He has sensibly beefed up the side’s weakest area, central midfield, with loan signing Joao Palhinha - and the defensive midfielder is likely to be flanked by twin box-to-box players. Frank will also utilise 4-2-3-1 on occasion too.
When he took the Bees up from the Championship, Frank coached an entertaining brand of possession football, so do not assume Spurs will go direct as a matter of course. They will almost certainly pass and move in a way that fits the club's identity.
Frank likes power and pace up front though, so Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson are going to enjoy playing for him. When they get on the front foot, his forward line’s physicality will be hard for rivals to handle.
Spurs' potential best XI
Spurs' squad in full
Goalkeepers: Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, Brandon Austin
Defenders: Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragasin, Kota Takai, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies
Midfielders: Pape Sarr, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, Archie Gray, Mohammed Kudus
Forwards: Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Dane Scarlett, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel, Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Brennan Johnson
West Ham United
Graham Potter has enjoyed a strong pre-season with West Ham United winning two of their three Summer Series matches in the United States. In those games he primarily deployed a 5-3-2 formation, so we expect him to start the new campaign in that fashion.
He is one of the most fluid and flexible head coaches around though, so over the course of 2025/26, the Hammers will line up in a variety of different ways.
The key alteration this time around could be the signing of left-sided wing-back El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague.
The 20-year-old Senegal international has been very impressive during the friendlies, flying down the flank to produce a stream of top-class crosses. His dynamism and quality is great news for Jarrod Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug who will be waiting inside the box to get on the end of chances.
Tactically, West Ham still look a little one-paced inside the midfield – and heavily reliant on the creativity of Lucas Paqueta - but Potter’s desire to deliver intelligent pass and move football across the whole pitch should make them a better watch in 2025/26.
Losing the pace and ball-carrying skills of Kudus was a blow earlier this summer but the Hammers have recruited a natural finisher in the shape of Callum Wilson, on a free transfer. If the 33-year-old can stay fit, he will be a very handy option.
West Ham's potential best XI
West Ham's squad in full
Goalkeeper: Mads Hermansen, Alphonse Areola, Wes Foderingham
Defenders: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, Nayef Aguerd, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Emerson, Oliver Scarles
Midfielders: James Ward-Prowse, George Earthy, Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, Freddie Potts, Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek, Andy Irving, Lewis Orford
Forward: Niclas Fullkrug, Callum Wilson, Luis Guilherme, Callum Marshall, Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, Maxwell Cornet
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Vitor Pereira loves to play in a 3-4-2-1, a shape he has used in all 22 of his Premier League contests in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Losing talisman Matheus Cunha is a disappointment they must quickly overcome, but the Portuguese head coach has immediately brought Fer Lopez and Jhon Arias in to try and fill that void. How quickly those two attacking midfielders settle in at Molineux will influence how well Wolves perform in the first few weeks of the season.
The club’s new left wing-back, David Moller Wolfe, also has large boots to fill as he looks to make sure Wanderers don’t miss Ait-Nouri’s creativity too much.
Pereira has added greater control to his side when they have possession since replacing Gary O’Neil, with Wolves now much more comfortable at producing neat passing patterns.
That said the team's super-strength is solidity down the spine of the pitch. Central midfielders Andre and Joao Gomes are both outstanding ball winners who work incredibly hard as a pair to retrieve possession, and to screen service into opposition strikers. Behind them, Emmanuel Agbadou was also a towering presence last term.
While Pereira did improve Wolves’ defending from set plays, it is still an area of weakness that others may look to exploit. If they can significantly reduce the 20 set-piece concessions suffered in 2024/25, it will help their points tally greatly.
Wolves' potential best XI
Wolves' squad in full
Goalkeepers: Jose Sa, Sam Johnstone, Dan Bentley
Defenders: Matt Doherty, Ki-Jana Hoever, Emmanuel Agbadou, Yerson Mosquera, Toti Gomes, Santiago Bueno, Pedro Lima, David Moller Wolfe, Hugo Bueno
Midfielders: Andre, Marshall Munetsi, Joao Gomes, Rodrigo Gomes, Tawanda Chirewa, Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-Chan
Forwards: Jorgen Strand Larsen, Sasa Kalajdzic, Nathan Fraser, Fabio Silva, Fer Lopez, Enso Gonzalez