The Nation Predicts: Alan Shearer and fans' Premier League predictions for 2025/26 | OneFootball

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Betfair's annual Nation Predicts survey of more than 2,000 football fans, conducted by YouGov Sport, has revealed what supporters are expecting for the upcoming Premier League season.

It's Liverpool title to lose in 2025/26

Fans are backing Liverpool to retain their Premier League crown, with Manchester City and Arsenal the second and third most popular picks for the title, respectively.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of Arsenal fans (54%) say their team will win the league, while 27% believe Liverpool will lift the trophy for a second consecutive season.

Nearly half of Manchester United fans (49%) also think Liverpool will retain their title.

However, just 44% of Manchester City supporters believe they can reclaim the Premier League.

Betfair Ambassador Alan Shearer agrees with the fans' predictions: "I see it between the top four in my predictions, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea. I don't see anyone getting into that top four besides them. The chasing pack must look at what's been spent and think, goodness me, how on earth are we going to make a move?

"I've always said the PSR rules don't sit right with me because, for the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle who have threatened to get into the top four, they now have to sell all of a sudden. It doesn't sit well with me, and even more so when you look at what the top four have actually spent.

"The top four are all huge football clubs. Liverpool won the league by a canter and spent a fortune, which is fine because they didn't spend last season. We've seen what Chelsea and Man City have done - Arsenal had to spend a fortune because it's now or never for them. They can't finish second again; they have to go out and win the title. It'll be a fascinating battle between those four.

"I'm not sure Arsenal could do any more - they may be able to bring one more in. Man City did their business pretty early because of the Club World Cup, and similar with Chelsea, but I guess they won't be finished yet because they've lost Levi Colwill for the season. They've all done good business. Whether it's enough to catch Liverpool, we'll have to wait and see.

"We can't take too much from their loss in the Community Shield because it's a glorified friendly. Liverpool will improve, but the others have all given themselves an opportunity of challenging."

Shearer: Salah will be hard to beat for top goalscorer

When it comes to the race for the 2025/26 Premier League Golden Boot, UK football fans are predicting another tight contest between Erling Haaland and Mo Salah.

Haaland received one in four votes (25%), narrowly ahead of last year's winner Salah (21%). Outside contenders include Cole Palmer (7%) and Alexander Isak (6%).

Betfair Ambassador, Alan Shearer believes Mo Salah will be tough to beat again in the race for the 2025/26 Golden Boot: "I do see it being between Haaland and Salah again, just because of the number of chances both teams will create and how dominant they'll be. They're both on penalties, which is key.

"Joao Pedro could be an outsider too. I'm really interested to see Gyokeres and Sesko, to see if they can continue their goals in the big league rather than where they've been.

"In terms of who wins the Golden Boot, I'll probably go with Mo Salah."

Shearer: Leeds have best survival chance of promoted teams

The Nation Predicts survey brings bad news for newly promoted teams, with fans tipping Sunderland, Burnley, and Leeds to go straight back down to the Championship.

Other sides high on the list of relegation candidates include Brentford (18%), Wolves (16%), and, perhaps surprisingly, Bournemouth (10%).

Betfair Ambassador Alan Shearer agrees it could be a déjà vu season for the promoted teams: "If any one of them is going to do it, my guess is that it'll be Leeds.

"Elland Road can play a massive factor in terms of the atmosphere and they've made a few signings. Sunderland have done the same and spent a right few quid. Burnley have made a few and whether they're a bit more open than they were last season because they were rock solid defensively but as we know, the gap from the Championship to Premier League is huge.

"If the cycle is going to be broken, Leeds would be the ones to do it, for me."

"I think Brentford and West Ham are in for a tricky season. Brentford have lost Mbuemo, the Wissa situation obviously isn't a good one for them and they have a new manager coming in trying to make an impression. It feels as if they could have a long, hard season. Losing that amount of goals, if Wissa goes as well, it's a big task to recruit and cover those.

"West Ham have lost Kudus. It just seems a little flat for them, there isn't much going on for them. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't see them changing much from last season."

Fans think Amorim could win sack race

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is the frontrunner in fans' predictions of the first managerial departure this season, gaining 19% of the vote.

He is followed by newly promoted Regis Le Bris (11%), Scott Parker (9%), and Daniel Farke (9%) in the so-called "sack race".

When it comes to winning silverware, 93% of Liverpool fans believe their side will lift at least one trophy this season. More than two-thirds expect Arne Slot's team to win two or more. Just 1% of Liverpool fans surveyed think they will fail to win any honours.

Manchester City supporters are the second most optimistic about success (88%), followed by Chelsea fans (87%) and Arsenal fans (84%).

By contrast, Manchester United fans are the least confident among the "big six", with 43% believing they will end the season without silverware.