After Nottingham Forest came close to earning Champions League football last term, which team is best placed to perform above expectations this time?
Here we go, then. The Community Shield has 'officially' raised the curtain on the 2025-26 football season, and we are now just days away from the Premier League's big kick-off, with champions Liverpool set to get us under way on Friday when they host Bournemouth at Anfield.
That means its predictions season, and here at GOAL we're no different. Over the next few days, our writers will be giving their takes on all the biggest issues, from the teams who are likely to be scrapping for survival to those who will be fighting for top-four finishes and the title, and everything in between.
Today, after a season in which Nottingham Forest led a bunch of mid-table hopefuls in challenging the established order, we've taken a look at potential surprise packages for 2025-26:
Getty Images Sport'Top six within Palace's reach'
Richard Martin: Crystal Palace will feel emboldened by their first-ever trophy win and, crucially, they have managed to keep their squad together, resisting the interest in Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze thus far. Oliver Glasner's side had a slow start last season but hit their groove in the New Year, only losing four times in their final 21 league games. If they can pick up where they left off last campaign then a top-six finish is well within their reach.
AdvertisementAFP'No Europe will benefit Amorim'
Mark Doyle: Manchester United were atrocious last season – even after the much-heralded arrival of Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP – and Old Trafford remains beset by problems. However, there are some grounds for optimism surrounding a team coming off the back of a 15th-placed finish – not least the acquisitions of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. United may have overpaid for the pair, but they should help resolve the team's primary problem: scoring goals. Amorim should also benefit enormously from not only having a full-season with his players, but also the lack of European football, which means he'll regularly have a full week to prepare for Premier League games. So, while a top-four finish is beyond a still-unbalanced squad, United have every chance of re-establishing themselves as one of England's 'Big Six' – maybe even by winning a domestic cup competition.
Getty Images Sport'Fulham can qualify for Europe'
Amee Ruszkai: I'm backing Fulham to grab a European spot. Marco Silva is a great manager, and while his team have not made a splash in the transfer market, they've kept hold of all of their key players, something the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth can't say. Fulham were great at turning up against the big guns last term, and I think the consistency in their squad can help them become more reliable against the sides around them this year, especially given the likes of Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest will be juggling European football.
Getty Images Sport'Brighton can earn a top-six finish'
Tom Maston: Some might argue that predicting Manchester United to finish in the top five would qualify them as a surprise package, but given the money that has been spent on that squad, both this summer and in previous years, that should be the bare minimum requirement for Ruben Amorim. So, instead, I'm going to tip Brighton to force themselves into the European qualification picture and earn a top-six finish. The Seagulls went under the radar in finishing eighth last season, and Fabian Hurzeler has thus far been able to keep hold of the likes of Carlos Baleba, Kaoru Mitoma, Jan Paul van Hecke and Bart Verbruggen despite links with more storied clubs. They have taken a risk in spending big on young talents this summer rather than adding one or two more established names, but if any club is going to nail such signings, it's Brighton, and I expect them to be a more consistent force in Hurzeler's sophomore season.