LONDON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Liverpool against the rest looks as if it could be the motto for the 2025/26 Premier League title race when the new season kicks off next weekend, with four big candidates looking to knock Arne Slot's side off top spot.
Slot's first season at Anfield was a resounding success as Liverpool dominated the league, finishing 10 points clear of Arsenal despite relaxing in the closing weeks of the season with the title already confirmed.
Manchester City had its worst season in over a decade, but still finished third, while Chelsea ended up fourth and Newcastle United fifth, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference.
Although Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur look to have improved after dreadful seasons, it's hard to see this season's title winner coming from beyond last season's top five.
There is a saying that when you win a title, the first thing you do is look to build on that and Liverpool has done just that: after a frugal 2024 in the transfer market, the club has spent big, with defenders Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong arriving, along with forwards Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
So far, Liverpool has spent almost 300 million pounds (400 million U.S. dollars) on new players, and that could rise by at least 130 million more if Alexander Isak arrives from Newcastle.
Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold have gone, but Liverpool looks stronger than ever, which puts the onus on their rivals to try and close the gap.
Arsenal has taken up the challenge with the club backing Mikel Arteta by bringing in Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and striker Viktor Gyokeres, with hopes that the big Swede will be the regular goalscorer who was missing last season.
If Bukayo Saka stays fit, Declan Rice will again provide the midfield lynchpin and Arsenal again looks a formidable rival, with width and a striker able to put the ball in the net.
Manchester City looked soft-centered last season as the club suffered after losing midfielder Rodri with a knee injury. Rodri is back this season and should give more midfield control, despite Pep Guardiola insisting he won't be 100 percent fit until mid-September.
The club moved early in the transfer market, with midfielders Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki both arriving before the Club World Cup, along with left-back Rayan Ait Nouri.
The Club World Cup showed positive signs for City, but that soft underbelly was again exposed after crashing out to Al-Hilal, and goalkeeper James Trafford has returned to the club to give competition to the increasingly erratic Ederson.
Guardiola will hope for better luck with injuries in midfield and defense, but the jury is still out on a title challenge.
Chelsea was erratic in the Premier League, but the season ended with a silver lining with the UEFA Conference League title, followed by the Club World Cup, where Chelsea outplayed Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
The revolving door to the Chelsea dressing room has been in full swing again this summer, with forwards Liam Delap and Joao Pedro key arrivals for Enzo Maresca, while Brazilian winger Estevao Willian could be one of the sensations of the Premier League if he can adapt after swapping Sao Paolo for London.
Newcastle United went into the last two games of the campaign with a chance of finishing second, but two defeats left Eddie Howe's side ending the season in fifth.
Howe will have been hoping to build on that, but it has been a difficult summer at St James' Park with the soap-opera over Alexander Isak's future still dragging on and last season's Premier League top scorer looking more out than in at the moment.
Newcastle has also been frustrated time after time with its attempts to sign a replacement for the Swede, with efforts to sign Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko both frustrated by Liverpool and Manchester United and former Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga the only major signing to date.
There is still time, but Newcastle's top-four chances at the moment rest on who comes in and who leaves before the end of the month. ■
微信扫描下方的二维码阅读本文
