Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal celebrates with the Premier League trophy after the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Football moves on fast. The Premier League no longer has the enigmatic Pep Guardiola, nor does it have the prolific Mohamed Salah.
“A new era begins” is the operative phrase ahead of the 2026-27 season as five of the ‘Big Six’ clubs come in with a different manager compared to day one of the previous campaign.
Nineteen of 20 head coaches at the helm this season are yet to win the toughest league in the world — a fact that lends weight to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s cause. Counterbalancing the Gunners’ case is a daunting statistic: only three clubs have ever managed to retain the trophy in the Premier League era.
While Bruno Guimaraes adds depth and vision to Arsenal’s midfield, Arteta will have to be wary of the fitness of William Saliba (expected to miss a couple of months), Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice, all coming off a gruelling World Cup campaign.
Manchester City has not only lost Guardiola, after a 10-year reign with 20 trophies, but also midfield masters Rodri and Bernardo Silva. Head coach Enzo Maresca will lean heavily on Erling Haaland’s lethal finishing to anchor the rebuild, even as the club targets midfield reinforcements to partner new signing Elliot Anderson.
Xabi Alonso arrives at Stamford Bridge with a point to prove after his unceremonious time at Real Madrid. Chelsea has already done some good business in the transfer window, the most notable being the acquisition of playmaker Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117 million.
Elsewhere, Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool finds itself deadlocked in a frustrating standoff with Paris Saint-Germain, yet to agree on a valuation for transfer targets Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. The Spaniard’s primary challenge will be maintaining his signature high-intensity style while balancing Anfield’s domestic and European ambitions.
No club has won more points than Manchester United since Michael Carrick took charge of the Red Devils on January 13, 2026 (39 points in 17 games), ultimately taking the club to third on the table. Armed with some prudent midfield signings, it remains to be seen what Carrick can conjure up in his first full season.
While Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Hotspur — having narrowly escaped relegation — has been spending like there’s no tomorrow, Newcastle United, now under Matthias Jaissle, is struggling to hold on to its top players.
The Premier League’s latest tactical chessboard is set. Who will make the better moves as a wave of fresh faces steps forward to dominate the new landscape?
Published – August 20, 2026 05:39 pm IST
