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The new season is right around the corner and Liverpool will be looking to start their title defence on a high.

The Reds had a phenomenal first season under Arne Slot but now the real test is about to begin as the Dutchman will look to lead his side to glory once again.

Only Jose Mourinho has won the Premier League in his first two seasons in charge, so Slot will be keen to join him on the list, although doing so might be harder than before.

The likes of Arsenal and Manchester City have strengthened, so too have Chelsea to try and close the gap, with these three seen as Liverpool’s closest competitors.

The Reds will be favourites after the amount of money they have spent, and both Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard, even if they have never done in the past, are in total agreement over whether Liverpool will retain the title or not.

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images/Getty Images For The Premier League

With the curtain-raiser getting underway on Friday 15th August, predictions seem to be the biggest talking point, with almost everyone having their say.

In previous years, there seems to have been a lot more debate over who will pick up the trophy come May, although this year feels a little different.

In fact, Liverpool’s summer has been so impressive that it even has ex-Manchester United players agreeing with formers Reds, with both Ferdinand and Gerrard backing the Merseyside club to go back-to-back.

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In a TikTok video posted on the GOAL’s FanZone account, both former England teammates predicted Chelsea to finish fourth, Man City third, Arsenal second and Liverpool first.

Although in a slightly different order, Alan Shearer, Theo Walcott and Jermaine Defoe all also had the Reds finishing top and successfully defending their title, suggesting there is a very clear favourite.

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@goalfanzone

Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand, Alan Shearer, Theo Walcott & Jermain Defoe make their Premier League top four predictions for 2025-26 ? @Topps The Topps Premier League 2026 collection is out now at topps.com, and from the Fanatics Collectibles store!

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? original sound – GOAL’s FanZone

View TikTok

Of course, a prediction is simply a guess and that is really it, with anyone having the potential to look very silly in nine months’ time.

However, based on just how good Liverpool have looked and the money they have spent, everyone clearly believes that they should really be winning it again.

Just because Liverpool have signed a lot of players, this does not mean they will be successful and run away with the league.

These players will likely need time to gel first and understand each other’s game, suggesting it could be a slower start to the season than fans might hope for.

The Reds’ opening fixtures are also rather tricky, with the standout game being against Newcastle in gameweek two, an encounter that should be rather fiery given the Alexander Isak transfer saga.

It certainly will not be as nailed on as some of the ex-professionals think, but at the same time, it would be no surprise to see Liverpool go back-to-back, with the 2024/25 season set up to be one for the ages.


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