RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to be Premier League champions last season, but can they successfully defend their crown?
That is the next target for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, whose side finished seven points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City last time out.
So, who will challenge them in 2026-27? We asked 26 BBC TV and radio pundits to pick their top four, with explanations for their selections.
We've also asked AI's opinion, and included what Opta's 'supercomputer' came up with too.
The AI prediction was generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool to "predict the Premier League table for the 2026-27 season".
Opta's 'supercomputer' is actually a complex algorithm that uses a model based on betting market odds and the sports analytics company's own 'power rankings', which are calculated using past results.
It has simulated the outcome of all 380 Premier League games 10,000 times and came to the same conclusion as AI, and three of the pundits.
Disagree with our expert humans or think you know more than any machine? You can make your own top-four prediction, and forecast the rest of the Premier League table, at the bottom of this page.
These predictions were made on the basis of how each squad shaped up on Thursday, 20 August, with 13 days to go until the transfer window shuts at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, 1 September.
Last season, only four teams featured in the forecasted top-four positions, but this time there are seven named, in 15 different combinations.
Overall expected ranking, using all 28 predictions is:
Calculated using a system of four points for a first place, three points for second, two points for third and one point for fourth.
Last year, only 17% of BBC predictors (6/35) thought they would be champions. This year, 89% (25/28) think they will successfully defend their crown and no-one thinks they will finish lower than second.
Theo Walcott: They have got the biggest advantage of all - continuity. Mikel Arteta is still there, they are coming off an 85-point title-winning season and they have strengthened rather than rebuilt.
The Bruno Guimaraes signing is massive, to add to a midfield that already boasts Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. Their defence was also ridiculously good last season, although William Saliba's progress after his World Cup injury is something to watch closely.
Thomas Hitzlsperger: Arsenal are the team to beat. Unlike a lot of their rivals, they kept their manager and, every season, the team plays together and gets additions.
I still don't expect Arsenal to play nice football in the sense that I am excited to watch them play. I just think they really know what it takes to win, and they are going to do the same again this season.
Danny Murphy: It is always hard to call it now, especially when it feels like all the top teams have a lot of business to do before the transfer window shuts, but I can't look past Arsenal as champions.
The main reasons being the momentum and confidence they will have from winning the Premier League already, but also the consistency of having the same manager and same players and just sprinkling even more quality on top.
They have not lost any of their best players and they have got a group who know what the manager expects from them and are completely on board with it. Arteta didn't need to spend half the pre-season drilling them with his methods like a new manager has to.
Joe Hart: It's really important how Arsenal handle the scrutiny of being champions, but they will totally understand that and what is coming their way.
Leon Osman: They look like a team that are ready to have a run at winning three titles in the next four or five years.
Teams like United in the early Premier League days, Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho's Chelsea give me the vibes this team does. And the way they've strengthened brilliantly states the league isn't their only objective this season.
Matt Upson: They are my favourites again but I don't see them running away with it. Staying at the top is always harder - ask any manager - and you also have to remember there were spells when they looked like they had run out of steam last season and were grinding out results a lot of the time.
The biggest challenge for Arteta this year will be picking the right team, or rather resting the right players, for the right games and keeping players engaged and ready to step in when needed.
Chris Sutton: He will have to try to keep everyone happy but if you are fighting on all fronts, that's possible. They do look like they are at a different level, squad-wise.
They won the title in a bit of a different way so it will be interesting to see how they go about it this time, but it does look on the face of it like they can beat you up, or just play through you.
Nedum Onuoha: Watching them against City [in the Community Shield], you knew how they were going to play and so did their players. Arsenal have not just spent pre-season getting ready for this, they have spent the past five or six years building.
Glenn Murray: They have had continuity for several seasons now, plus winning the league has given the group a wave of belief that will see them win another title.
Michael Brown: It's theirs to lose. Arsenal should win the league because of the transition at other clubs, but also because of the quality and rhythm they have already got.
Rachel Brown-Finnis: Great squad depth and additions this summer. Arteta's army marches on!
Troy Deeney: They are the best team and they going to win the league by a comfortable margin. My only question is can they win the Champions League too? I still think they need an extra player in on that left-hand side to get that done.
Sue Smith: The way Bruno played in the Community Shield, it felt like he's fitted in already. There are probably still players that they will look to bring in, but they have got a couple of great options in every position now.
Ellen White: Bruno gives them ...
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