Sports
Premier League strength test: How ready is your club for the new season?
The start of the 2026-27 Premier League season is three weeks away, with the first game, Arsenal v Coventry City, kicking off on Friday Aug 21. So how ready is your club for the season to come?
We asked our experts to select two XIs. The first is the club’s strongest possible starting XI, regardless of current injuries or fatigue. The second is the team they would expect to start the first game of the season from the players currently available.
For some clubs those two starting XIs may be identical, but for others they are quite different, especially for those whose players went deep in an expanded World Cup that asked more of participants than any previous tournament. Some are dealing with challenging injury issues. And others clearly still need to make some signings before the season begins…
Arsenal
Arsenal’s strength in depth played a large part in the Premier League title win, and is still intact.
Declan Rice — who was nursing an injury — is their only midfielder who played an extensive number of minutes at the World Cup.
Arsenal should benefit from Martin Odegaard being eliminated at the quarter-finals, with Mikel Merino an impact substitute and Martin Zubimendi playing just 21 minutes. In Rice’s place, Myles Lewis-Skelly could build on the positive momentum he created in midfield late last season while Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes could refresh their engine room.
In defence, Cristhian Mosquera and Ben White being deputies for an injured William Saliba would satisfy most teams, but Arsenal entering the market for a central defender shows they believe they can add even more depth. Jurrien Timber travelled to Arsenal’s pre-season camp in Girona after recovering from a groin injury, but him “taking things slowly” may mean White starting at right-back on the opening day.
With Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke reaching the final weekend of the World Cup, Mikel Arteta is in a privileged position to choose from either Ethan Nwaneri or Max Dowman to slot in. Nwaneri may play more centrally in pre-season.
This pre-season could be a shootout for the centre-forward spot between Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz. Gyokeres improved as his debut campaign went on, but when fit, Arteta opted for Havertz during the biggest games of the run-in. That competition at the start of the season is something Arsenal did not have last year.
On the left wing, Christos Tzolis is their only signing so far that could break into the starting XI. That could change if Arsenal move for Vinicius Junior, and Gabriel Martinelli is a more than capable option.
Art de Roché
Aston Villa
Predicting Aston Villa’s strongest team and the starting XI for their season opener down in Brighton is a thankless task. Villa are in a state of transition, with several players’ futures uncertain, even following the departures of Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers.
So this could become quickly outdated, should Arsenal or another side match Villa’s valuation for Ezri Konsa, or Emiliano Martinez pushes further to leave. There is also interest in Ollie Watkins. I’ve gone for Lamare Bogarde to start in midfield, given Amadou Onana is injured and Boubacar Kamara is only just returning to fitness, but the young Dutchman has admirers from elsewhere.
Regardless of the flux, Villa’s strongest XI shows they are currently without their best midfield pivot, though Joao Gomes and another (they have been in talks to take Joao Palhinha off Bayern Munich’s hands) may prove ample replacements.
Villa do look light in attacking positions and while Alejandro Garnacho may force his way into both teams and Johan Manzambi is an exciting talent, they do require another wide player plus a general attacker to provide Unai Emery with greater options and variety going forward.
Jacob Tanswell
Bournemouth
The futures of Alex Scott and Eli Junior Kroupi are uncertain but the club want to keep both beyond this summer. Kroupi has just undergone surgery for a foot injury sustained in training and with no public timeline yet for his return, Amine Adli could replace him in the opener away at Manchester City.
Marcos Senesi is the major summer departure but James Hill’s form at the end of the season suggested he can take over and partner Bafode Diakite in central defence.
Right-back remains a problem area. Captain Adam Smith, 35, started their 4-1 friendly win over St. Pauli last week but could Max Aarons, back from loan spells with Valencia and Rangers last season, win over Marco Rose? Aarons was a second-half substitute against St. Pauli.
Scott and Tyler Adams as the holding midfielders with Kroupi ahead of them worked well under Andoni Iraola. Scott and Ryan Christie started last week but Adams, fresh off a solid World Cup campaign, should be ready for the opener.
Bournemouth are well stocked higher up the pitch for their maiden campaign in Europe.
Christie, Lewis Cook, Alex Toth and Justin Kluivert are solid rotation options in midfield. Ben Gannon-Doak and David Brooks provide depth on the wings, while new arrival Alvaro Rodriguez is an exciting Evanilson backup.
Defensive depth is a concern, though there should be optimism about the future. Teenagers Veljko Milosavljevic and Matai Akinmboni, both 19, are the backup centre-backs, while Julio Soler, 21, and Julian Araujo, who struggled early last season before being loaned to Celtic in January, add depth at full-back.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Brentford
Brentford’s biggest issue over the last few years has been at left-back. Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey have struggled to return to peak form after suffering long-term knee and hamstring injuries respectively in the 2023-24 season. Keane Lewis-Potter prefers to play further forward but has deputised admirably at left-back and could start against Spurs on the opening weekend.
Chelsea are working to sign Jordan Henderson, which means somebody else needs to partner Mikkel Damsgaard and Yehor Yarmoliuk in central midfield. Mathias Jensen would provide an extra dose of creativity but Brentford will be hoping Antoni Milambo can make the position his own after his debut season was wrecked by an ACL injury he suffered in October.
Igor Thiago’s position as the first-choice striker is secure despite an underwhelming World Cup campaign with Brazil and the arrival of Callum Wilson. Dango Ouattara should retain his role on the right wing but Jaidon Anthony could nudge Kevin Schade out of the starting XI. Anthony and Schade both scored eight times in the Premier League last season but the latter’s form dropped off significantly, the Germany international only scoring twice in his last 18 appearancesrr. Head coach Keith Andrews might prefer to stick with Schade over Anthony, who only moved to west London from Burnley earlier this summer.
Jay Harris
Brighton & Hove Albion
Just how fit is Kaoru Mitoma? The Japan international had his season cut short and World Cup hopes ended with a foot injury at the end of 2025-26, a frustrating finish to a term in which he suffered with hamstring problems.
Anticipating that he is not rushed back in, Diego Gomez is Hurzeler’s preference on the left. He’s more of a No 10 than a winger, meaning a lot of running and width is required from 2025 player of the season Ferdi Kadioglu — the standout full-back on both sides, and part of the reason that right-back Costinha was signed from Olympiacos.
The departure of Danny Welbeck is reasonable, allowing the 35-year-old to move to Chelsea as the club’s record Premier League scorer, though it truly underlines the lack of ready-made options at striker. Greek duo Stefanos Tzimas (who suffered an ACL injury last season) and Charampoulos Kostoulas have plenty of potential, though Hurzeler is in need of a first-choice No 9.
It’s imperative for all involved that Carlos Baleba rediscovers his 2024-25 form. Veteran James Milner was preferred alongside Pascal Gross at the end of the season. He’s retired, so expect Gross to be paired with versatile midfielder Jack Hinshelwood — Hurzeler moved the academy graduate to No 10 last year with real success.
There is reconfiguration needed at centre-back too. Jan Paul van Hecke’s departure to Tottenham Hotspur meant the loss of a quality passer and line breaker. Luka Vuskovic, who came the other way from north London, cost a club-record fee. He should provide box-defending quality alongside Dunk, meaning greater ball-playing demands will have to be shared among the defence.
Liam Tharme
Chelsea
Selecting an XI for Chelsea to begin the season is made more of a challenge by the uncertainty around what formation new manager Xabi Alonso will employ.
His Bayer Leverkusen team predominantly lined up in a 3-4-2-1, which, given the prospect of new signing Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer playing together behind a striker and the acquisition of right wing-back Marco Palestra from Cagliari, would appeal. But that idea slightly falls down on the lack of left-sided options — though Palestra can play on that flank too, Chelsea have yet to replace Marc Cucurella after his move to Real Madrid. Jorrel Hato had a strong second half of last season but is more of a left-back/centre-back hybrid than a flying wing-back.
A 4-2-3-1, then, which Alonso tended to use at Real Madrid, perhaps makes more sense for now, though there is a question over whether the players that reached the World Cup semi-finals — Rogers, Reece James, Enzo Fernandez and Maxence Lacroix — will be available for the opener against Fulham.
Chelsea fans may also worry about Robert Sanchez in goal. While the club believe the returning Mike Penders has significant potential, it may be wise to ease in the 20-year-old Belgian and begin the season with a known entity in Sanchez, before making a switch during the campaign.
Luke Bosher
Coventry City
Maintaining momentum and personnel from a swashbuckling Championship season has been the priority for Frank Lampard’s side, as they prepare for life in the Premier League for the first time since 2001.
Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth was the only member of the title-winning XI to depart over the summer, initially returning to parent club Brighton, so his pending return plugs Coventry’s main hole.
The signing of 22-year-old defender Aurele Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt is a welcome addition, providing Champions League experience and a partner for either Liam Kitching or Bobby Thomas in central defence. Full-backs Milan van Ewijk and Jay Dasilva are athletic, and it’s possible a back three of Amenda, Thomas and Kitching, albeit not consistently trialled by Lampard, might be used.
The full-backs lack competition, as can be said about captain Matt Grimes. He is the anchor, with box-to-box option and midfield partner Frank Onyeka the only player with prominent Premier League experience, despite never nailing down a starting place in his five years at Brentford. Granit Xhaka’s impact for Sunderland last season proves that acquiring experience has to be Lampard’s priority.
Coventry’s biggest strength is in attack. They scored 97 league goals last term and struggled to find game-time for all their attacking talent, but again, only Ellis Simms has played at Premier League level.
George Edwards
Crystal Palace
Given Palace had 12 players away at the World Cup, their pre-season preparation has been disrupted. Only Oscar Mingueza has to date joined, while Maxence Lacroix has left for Chelsea.
There is an obvious need for a Lacroix replacement at centre-back, something Palace are looking at. Brennan Johnson seems more likely to start the season as the left-sided No 10, given Yeremy Pino was given two weeks off after Spain won the World Cup.
It is possible Will Hughes might start over Adam Wharton in midfield as the latter is recovering from a minor ankle problem and was not involved at the Como Cup.
They are strongest in attack with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jorgen Strand Larsen accompanied by Ismaila Sarr, who was outstanding last season. The first choice XI is strong, but there is a lack of depth in most positions.
In the long term they may be concerned about their striker options should Mateta leave next summer when his contract expires, and right wing-back if Daniel Munoz is sold or struggles with injury — despite Mingueza being capable cover.
They will also need to strengthen their central midfield with Hughes and Jefferson Lerma ageing, Wharton potentially being sold next summer and Daichi Kamada signing only a one-year deal.
Matt Woosnam
Everton
This was tough, mainly because there are so many unknowns when it comes to Everton at present.
A new right-back remains essential, and would allow Jake O’Brien to move inside into his favoured central defensive position. Merlin Rohl has been trialled there in pre-season games, but that looks like a partial fit at best. It’s high time Everton signed a new, long-term option there.
Central midfield also looks light after Idrissa Gueye’s exit and James Garner’s groin surgery. Everton are looking to replace the former, and could ideally do with someone coming in before the Crystal Palace opener given Garner is touch and go for the start of the season too. With Iliman Ndiaye’s future uncertain, a new winger could be needed as well.
I went with Beto up front over Thierno Barry, but that was a close call. Both had moments last season, but also prolonged spells where they were out of form. Manager David Moyes will be hoping one of them makes the position his own this season.
Patrick Boyland
Fulham
Where do we begin? Well, goals could be a problem. Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez have departed on free transfers, taking 40 per cent of Fulham’s league goals from last season and leaving Rodrigo Muniz (one goal all season) as Alvaro Arbeloa’s only senior striker.
Raiding Real Madrid, Arbeloa’s former club, for Gonzalo Garcia could help solve the issues in attack, but other gaps need plugging, too. Reinforcements are needed at centre-back before the opener against Chelsea, particularly since Joachim Andersen is suspended after his red card against Bournemouth last season.
If Fulham fail to add another defender, Arbeloa may be forced into fielding an untested partnership of Calvin Bassey and Jorge Cuenca, two left-footers who rarely play on the right side.
Sander Berge is established in midfield, but Sasa Lukic looks destined to leave for Ipswich Town. Cesar Palacios, another Madrid academy graduate, could boost numbers if he is reunited with Arbeloa, but Fulham desperately lack depth.
This squad has talent and experience, but Arbeloa will know there is work to be done.
Justin Guthrie
Hull City
Hull City snuck into the Premier League through the play-offs after finishing sixth last season, 22 points behind Championship winners Coventry City. The side that beat Middlesbrough 1-0 in the play-off final already looked severely undercooked for the rigours of the Premier League, and little has happened in the transfer window to change that impression.
Their opening day XI is likely to look very similar to the one that started at Wembley in May. One guaranteed change comes in goal, after Ivor Pandur left for Rangers with Hull signing Jack Butland from the same club as his replacement. Experienced, physical striker Oli McBurnie and tricky Algerian winger Mohamed Belloumi give Hull some spark in attack, but this is a side that looks in relegation danger from the outset.
Reinforcements are starting to trickle in. Defensive midfielder Hidemasa Morita has arrived from Sporting CP and Matt Targett from Newcastle United, both on free transfers, and both should feature prominently over the course of the season. They may not be thrown straight in, however, if head coach Sergej Jakirovic initially leans on the players he trusted during their promotion run.
Conor O’Neill
Ipswich Town
Set to embark on their first season without Kieran McKenna since 2021, this Ipswich team feels more prepared for Premier League football than the side who were relegated two seasons ago.
Leif Davis, Dara O’Shea and Jaden Philogene were part of that 2024-25 team and their top-flight experience will be invaluable.
Issa Diop represents an astute acquisition for new boss Gary O’Neil, and the addition of Abdul Fatawu adds more attacking talent to the wide areas — Jack Clarke and Philogene scored 28 goals between them last season, and there are plenty of options to play at No 10, too.
There are questions about other areas, though. How will goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen adapt to the Premier League? Can Azor Matusiwa implement his destructive ball-winning capabilities? Central midfield is an area Ipswich must strengthen after Dan Neil and Jens Cajuste’s loans expired at the end of last term.
Up top, the signing of Emersonn — Ipswich’s first Brazilian player — fits into last season’s system of having a striker to drop deep and feed the wingers, but they lack a proven goalscorer, having failed to replace Liam Delap since he left for Chelsea a year ago.
George Edwards
Leeds United
This isn’t a particularly exciting feature from a Leeds perspective because, as it stands, there’s no reason why their strongest XI should not be starting on day one at Nottingham Forest. The first caveat is in goal, of course.
At the time of writing, James Trafford was understood to be finalising a transfer to Leeds. If that does go through he will, of course, be the club’s starting goalkeeper.
The biggest talking point is the formation Daniel Farke ultimately chooses to use. Undoubtedly, a 3-4-2-1 delivered the best results last season, but the manager’s natural inclination is to play with four defenders.
Whether it is in this shape or in a 4-2-3-1, Noah Okafor may be the biggest question mark. Leeds are keen on adding a left-winger to their ranks, which would challenge the Swiss’ place.
The trade-off between a 3-4-2-1 and 4-2-3-1 is a centre-back vs a No 10. If Farke does want to switch to the latter, it’s hard to call which of the three centre-backs makes way for what would be a new No 10 in the squad.
At the time of writing, Julian Brandt is one of the club’s targets in this position, but it would be no surprise to see Leeds move on to someone else if the German takes much longer to make a decision.
Beren Cross
Liverpool
There’s a lot up in the air for Liverpool at the start of Andoni Iraola’s reign given their injury situation, the late return of star names following the World Cup, and their ongoing attempts to strengthen the squad in the transfer market with Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola their top target.
What the two different XIs shows is that there is greater uncertainty at the top end of the field.
Defensively, captain Virgil van Dijk looks set to form a new centre-back partnership with summer signing Jeremy Jacquet. Milos Kerkez is nailed on to be the left-back going forward, but right-back is a problem area with Conor Bradley to miss the opening months of the season. Unless Liverpool buy another option, Jeremie Frimpong will start the season there.
In midfield it’s pretty settled with Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai expected to line up together. And Iraola has made it clear that he believes Florian Wirtz is best suited to operating in the No 10 role ahead of them.
Liverpool desperately need striker Alexander Isak to stay fit and start repaying that £125million fee. Who plays either side of him this season is unclear. Hugo Ekitike could operate off the left but he won’t be back until midway through the season following surgery on his Achilles.
If Barcola becomes a Liverpool player then he would certainly be first choice in that role. But as things stand in terms of fit and available players Cody Gakpo probably gets the nod.
Iraola has said he wants his wingers to be able to operate off both flanks and he’s been experimenting with 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha on the right. Victor Munoz will be another option once he’s up to speed.
James Pearce
Manchester City
It is hard to predict how pre-season will develop and how quickly the likes of Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Elliot Anderson will be ready for action, but with the final World Cup players expected back three or four days before the Community Shield against Arsenal, there is a decent chance they start the season against Bournemouth, even allowing for a bit of rustiness.
That probably also highlights a couple of areas in the squad that need improving — Anderson is expected to be a key figure in the City midfield next season and probably could do with another high-quality new arrival next to him, especially if Rodri leaves. Haaland’s importance up front is obvious, too.
City are well stocked at centre-back and in truth it could be any combination of Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guehi starting the season, while maybe Phil Foden can take advantage of being on the trip to Asia to get ahead of Rayan Cherki, who will not be back for another couple of weeks.
Sam Lee
Manchester United
United’s strongest XI still appears to have an issue with mobility in the middle, with Kobbie Mainoo and new signing Tielemans highly technical players. It could be that Michael Carrick feels United can progress that way, by maintaining possession rather than showing athleticism, but there will be games in the Premier League when hard running is required. Defence also looks like needing upgrades to get United into title contention, with United considering left-backs to rotate with Luke Shaw, given their Champions League commitments.
The World Cup means it is plausible Carrick selects a team mainly made up of players who have been with him throughout pre-season, with Mason Mount for instance so far doing well in that deeper midfield role, albeit retaining a place for Bruno Fernandes given his importance.
Benjamin Sesko’s rehabilitation from a shin injury might mean a team-mate starts the season up front, with Matheus Cunha perhaps shading Joshua Zirkzee.
Longer-term, bringing in a striker to support Sesko seems necessary, but United might feel Bryan Mbeumo and, if he stays, Marcus Rashford can do that job.
Laurie Whitwell
Newcastle United
There are a few things to note about these selections. Firstly, they are the same. Secondly, they do not begin to tell the story of where Newcastle are and where they are headed. Thirdly, they contain no new signings. Fourthly, they do contain the name of Bruno Guimaraes, who has told the club he wishes to join Arsenal and is edging towards the exit, with dispiriting echoes of Alexander Isak’s contentious move to Liverpool a year ago.
There is hope that both Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley, who have been suffering from injuries, will be fit enough to start the season, but if this is the XI that welcomed Liverpool on the opening day of the season, trouble lies ahead. Newcastle still have a lot of business to do; they need a first-choice goalkeeper, reinforcements in defence and in attack, they have a dearth of leadership and experience. Of the four new additions they have brought to the club so far, none are expected to begin against Liverpool, although this will now be a matter for a new head coach in Matthias Jaissle.
More players will arrive and others will leave. The team above feels recognisable and familiar and stale, but a new Newcastle is on the way.
George Caulkin
Nottingham Forest
Oliver Glasner hopes to add four further quality additions to the squad he has inherited since being appointed Forest head coach, so the dynamic will likely change between now and the opening game.
Discussions over a deal to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP — in a deal expected to be worth around £35million — are at a very advanced stage. Glasner sees him as a key piece of the jigsaw in his back three and he would likely come in for Cunha.
Forest have already signed Xaver Schlager, a man Glasner knows and trusts from their time together at Wolfsburg, but also want to add another midfielder to fill the void left by the £116m departure of Anderson to Manchester City — with Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall still the primary target. If a deal can be concluded for Bergvall, he would immediately be in contention for a starting place.
Forest are also in negotiations to sign wing back Anan Khalaili from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, having had an initial bid rejected, although if he does arrive he may not immediately oust the reliable Ola Aina.
Glasner also believes it is important to sign a quick, powerful striker who can get in behind defences. While they value the quality of Chris Wood — who scored 20 goals during the 2024-2025 campaign — they are also aware that he will be 35 soon and is carrying a knee issue that must be managed.
Paul Taylor
Sunderland
Sunderland are broadly injury-free, and a dearth of transfer activity means there aren’t really any new faces for Regis Le Bris to weigh up just yet. Free signing Thomas Meunier is the sole arrival to date, and it’s doubtful he’ll plunge straight into a starting berth.
Le Bris still has choices to make, principally down that right side and behind striker Brian Brobbey. Chemsdine Talbi is a big moments player but was usurped on the right side of midfield by full-back-by-trade Trai Hume toward the end of last season. It would be no surprise if the Northern Irishman continues in a hybrid role.
To the left of him, it’s uncertain whether the excellent Enzo Le Fee will retain his central spot or be shunted to the left for Habib Diarra, who was hit by injury last year but has undoubted talent.
Either way, reinforcements are both expected and needed ahead of a Europa League campaign, albeit quality is expected over quantity. Sunderland keep their cards close to their chest but hold an interest in Toulouse left-back Dayann Methalie. At the fee it would take to get him, he’d be straight into the team if signed.
Chris Weatherspoon
Tottenham Hotspur
Djed Spence and Pedro Porro’s involvement in the latter stages of the World Cup means that Archie Gray might have to deputise at right-back for the first few weeks of the season. Otherwise Tottenham’s defence looks strong, and their biggest concern is further forward.
Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are all recovering from long-term knee injuries which leaves them desperately short of creativity. Mohammed Kudus missed out on the club’s pre-season tour to Australia and New Zealand but head coach Roberto De Zerbi is optimistic he can be involved in full training soon. Kudus has not played since January which means he might not be ready to start against Brentford on August 22.
Spurs need to improve their options out wide and are interested in Savinho who they tried to sign from Manchester City last summer. Mathys Tel’s role would be under threat if Spurs acquire Savinho or another winger. Tel’s time in north London has been challenging, he has been shunted around multiple positions, and has only scored six times in 44 appearances. If Spurs don’t sign someone before their opening game, De Zerbi might have to use an awkward front three of Tel, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke.
Tottenham’s squad is in a much better position than anybody would have predicted at the end of last season but, as De Zerbi has admitted, they still want a couple more players before the window closes.
Jay Harris
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