Find all this weekend’s football pundits’ predictions for the latest round of Premier League and Championship matches and the season-long predictions made before the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
Premier League Season Predictions 2026/27: What the Pundits Say
Ahead of the new season, the experts have given their verdicts on who wins the title and who fills the top four — and there’s a clear favourite. Here’s a snapshot of the predictions, with links to the full breakdowns.
The Expert Consensus
BBC Sport asked 26 of its pundits, plus AI and Opta’s supercomputer, to predict the 2026/27 table. Aggregating all 28 predictions, the expected top of the table is:
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal |
| 2 | Manchester City |
| 3 | Liverpool |
| 4 | Chelsea |
| 5 | Manchester United |
Aggregated from 26 BBC Sport pundits plus AI and Opta, via BBC Sport. Arsenal are backed by 89% of the panel to defend their title. Predictions are opinions, not guarantees.
Read the full breakdown, with every pundit’s verdict club by club, in our BBC pundits’ Premier League predictions 2026/27.
BBC Pundits Top 4 Predictions
| Predictor | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Hart | Man City | Arsenal | Chelsea | Liverpool |
| Paul Robinson | Man City | Arsenal | Liverpool | Man United |
| Shay Given | Man City | Arsenal | Liverpool | Chelsea |
| Thomas Hitzlsperger | Arsenal | Liverpool | Man United | Chelsea |
| Glenn Murray | Arsenal | Chelsea | Spurs | Man City |
| Lindsay Johnson | Arsenal | Man City | Aston Villa | Man United |
| Ellen White | Arsenal | Man City | Man United | Chelsea |
| Nedum Onuoha | Arsenal | Man City | Man United | Chelsea |
| Steph Houghton | Arsenal | Man City | Man United | Chelsea |
| Anita Asante | Arsenal | Man City | Man United | Chelsea |
| Chris Sutton | Arsenal | Man City | Chelsea | Liverpool |
| Michael Brown | Arsenal | Man City | Chelsea | Liverpool |
| Tony Pulis | Arsenal | Man City | Chelsea | Liverpool |
| Pat Nevin | Arsenal | Man City | Liverpool | Chelsea |
| Wayne Rooney | Arsenal | Man City | Liverpool | Man United |
| Danny Murphy | Arsenal | Man City | Liverpool | Man United |
| Jobi McAnuff | Arsenal | Man City | Liverpool | Man United |
| AI | Arsenal | Man City | Liverpool | Man United |
| Opta’s Supercomputer | Arsenal | Man City | Liverpool | Man United |
| Steve Sidwell | Arsenal | Man United | Man City | Chelsea |
| Theo Walcott | Arsenal | Liverpool | Man City | Chelsea |
| Rachel Brown-Finnis | Arsenal | Liverpool | Man City | Chelsea |
| Martin Keown | Arsenal | Liverpool | Man City | Chelsea |
| Troy Deeney | Arsenal | Liverpool | Man City | Chelsea |
| Matt Upson | Arsenal | Chelsea | Liverpool | Man City |
| Sue Smith | Arsenal | Chelsea | Man City | Liverpool |
| Chris Waddle | Arsenal | Chelsea | Man City | Man United |
More Season Predictions
- Paul Merson’s season predictions — the Sky Sports pundit’s full top six, relegation contenders and overachiever pick.
- Opta supercomputer predictions — the data-led forecast from 10,000 simulations of the season.
Weekly Pundit Predictions
For predictions on every round of fixtures, our pundit pages are updated each gameweek:
Predictions are the opinions of the named pundits and are not guarantees. 18+. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org.
Where to Bet on the Pundits’ Predictions
| Bookmaker | Welcome Offer | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Betfred | Bet £10 Get £50 | Highest welcome offer + Acca Insurance |
| BoyleSports | Bet £10 Get £40 | Bet Builder Boost on winning builders |
| bet365 | Bet £10 Get £30 | Acca Boost up to 100% |
| William Hill | Bet £10 Get £30 | Acca Boost on winning multiples |
| Coral | Bet £5 Get £30 | Lowest qualifying bet |
For a full directory of welcome offers compared, see our free bets hub.
Predictions sourced from BBC Sport (Sutton), Sky Sports (Merson, Jones Knows). Summarised by the Thatsagoal editorial team. Odds correct at time of writing. 18+. New UK customers only on welcome offers. Always gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org | GamCare.org.uk.
Thatsagoal’s Premier League Predictions this Week
As well as the expert football pundits’ predictions and betting tips, our own expert tipster will also have a go at predicting the correct score in each of this week’s Premier League fixtures. Look at the table below, and you will see a list of this weekend’s fixtures and a prediction for each. This is also a good time to check out the list of UK bookie offers available and try to grab yourself a free bet for the weekend’s betting.
| Fixture | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace vs Man City | 1-2 |
| Liverpool vs Nottm Forest | 1-1 |
| Bournemouth vs Everton | 1-1 |
| Coventry vs Hull | 2-0 |
| Tottenham vs Newcastle | 2-2 |
| Chelsea vs Brighton | 3-2 |
| Leeds vs Brentford | 1-1 |
| Sunderland vs Fulham | 0-0 |
| Man United vs Ipswich | 3-0 |
| Aston Villa vs Arsenal | 0-2 |
Chris Sutton’s Premier League Predictions
Chris Sutton’s weekend predictions will cover each of the Premier League matches, and he will make a score prediction for each game. He will also predict the FA Cup fixtures when the 3rd round comes. You could bet on any of these predictions if you decide you agree with Sutton using a new UK bookies welcome offer for the 2026/27 season.
| Fixture | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace vs Man City | |
| Liverpool vs Nottm Forest | |
| Bournemouth vs Everton | |
| Coventry vs Hull | |
| Tottenham vs Newcastle | |
| Chelsea vs Brighton | |
| Leeds vs Brentford | |
| Sunderland vs Fulham | |
| Man United vs Ipswich | |
| Aston Villa vs Arsenal |
Paul Merson’s Premier League Predictions
Each weekend you will find Paul Merson’s predictions for the upcoming Premier League fixtures. The former Sky Sports pundit is now writing columns online with his predictions in, and you can see all of Merson’s correct score predictions for today in the table below.
| Match | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace vs Man City | |
| Liverpool vs Nottm Forest | |
| Bournemouth vs Everton | |
| Coventry vs Hull | |
| Tottenham vs Newcastle | |
| Chelsea vs Brighton | |
| Leeds vs Brentford | |
| Sunderland vs Fulham | |
| Man United vs Ipswich | |
| Aston Villa vs Arsenal |
Jones Knows Predictions this Weekend
| Fixture | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Arsenal vs Coventry | 3-0 |
| Hull vs Manchester United | 1-3 |
| Everton vs Crystal Palace | 2-0 |
| Ipswich vs Sunderland | 2-1 |
| Nottingham Forest vs Leeds | 1-1 |
| Brentford vs Tottenham | 3-2 |
| Brighton vs Aston Villa | 1-2 |
| Man City vs Bournemouth | 2-2 |
| Newcastle vs Liverpool | 2-2 |
| Fulham vs Chelsea | 1-2 |
These Sky Sports pundits’ predictions are completely free, and we will add them to the table below as soon as Jones Knows publishes his predictions on the Sky Sports website.
If you want to bet on Jones’ Knows predictions for today, you could look at using the Betfred sign-up offer to spend on this season’s football. For example, bet £10 on a Jones Knows prediction (either the correct score or an accumulator of his predictions) and win or lose, you will get £50 in free bets added to your sports betting account.
Lawro’s Premier League Predictions
Lawro is one of the best-known football pundits, and we will always take a look at Lawro’s predictions before each round of Premier League games.
He will pick his score prediction for every match, and you will see them in the table below. There is also the chance to bet on Lawro’s score predictions with one of the latest UK bookies welcome offers, including a bet £15 get £10 free bet.
| Fixture | Score Prediction | Bet |
|---|---|---|
| Man United vs Man City | ODDS | |
| Chelsea vs Brentford | ODDS | |
| Leeds vs Fulham | ODDS | |
| Liverpool vs Burnley | ODDS | |
| Sunderland vs Crystal Palace | ODDS | |
| Tottenham vs West Ham | ODDS | |
| Nottm Forest vs Arsenal | ODDS | |
| Wolves vs Newcastle | ODDS | |
| Aston Villa vs Everton | ODDS | |
| Brighton vs Bournemouth | ODDS |
📊 Premier League Pundit Prediction Comparison: Who Sees the Game Best?
🧮 Jones Knows (The Analyst)
- Style: Data-driven, psychology-aware, betting-market savvy
- Scorelines: Conservative but precise (lots of 1-1s, 2-0s, 1-2s)
- Traits: Loves underlying metrics, momentum swings, and “unpopular” outcomes (draws, unders)
- Risk profile: 🎯 Calculated contrarian
- Vibe: “Ignore the noise — the numbers say this.”
🧠 Chris Sutton (The Former Pro)
- Style: Tactical realism mixed with dressing-room logic
- Scorelines: Practical and grounded (2-1, 1-0, 2-0)
- Traits: Strong on mentality, home advantage, physical match-ups
- Risk profile: ⚖️ Balanced and cautious
- Vibe: “I’ve been there — this is how it plays out.”
🎤 Paul Merson (The Instinct Merchant)
- Style: Gut feel, star players, momentum narratives
- Scorelines: Bold and decisive (3-1s, clear winners)
- Traits: Big calls, confidence swings, emotional reads
- Risk profile: 🎢 High variance
- Vibe: “I just fancy them. Simple as that.”
🤖 Thatsagoal (The Aggregator)
- Style: Crowd-sourced logic and consensus modelling
- Scorelines: Middle-ground, safety-first predictions
- Traits: Often aligns with favourites, avoids extremes
- Risk profile: 🧊 Low volatility
- Vibe: “If most people think it, it’s probably right.”
🔍 Quick Takeaways
- Safest picks: 🧊 Thatsagoal
- Best for value bets: 🧮 Jones Knows
- Most entertaining: 🎤 Merson
- Most reliable over a season: 🧠 Sutton
- Best when markets are wrong: 📉 Jones Knows again
List of Football Pundits
Not all of these pundits offer predictions every week, but they are some of the bigger names from the three main TV channels showing English football.
The main Sky Sports football pundits don’t usually offer their predictions for each match very far in advance of kick-off but they will do in the build-up to the games so make sure you tune in to hear the thoughts of the likes of Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Micah Richards both before and after the match takes place.
Sky Sports Football Pundits this Season
- Gary Neville
- Jamie Carragher
- Roy Keane
- Jamie Redknapp
- Micah Richards
- Alan Smith
- Andy Hinchcliffe
- Don Goodman
- Lee Hendrie
- Kris Boyd
- Sue Smith
- Casey Stoney
- James McFadden
- Jobi McAnuff
- Izzy Christiansen
- Daniel Sturridge
- Michael Dawson
- Paul Merson
- Karen Carney
- Jill Scott
- Alex Scott
BBC Football Pundits this Season
| Pundit | Role / Coverage Area |
|---|---|
| Alan Shearer | Premier League, Match of the Day |
| Frank Lampard | Euro 2024, Premier League coverage |
| Wayne Rooney | Tournament pundit (e.g. Euro 2024) |
| David Moyes | Tournament pundit, occasional EPL |
| Rio Ferdinand | Tournament and Premier League pundit |
| Micah Richards | Premier League coverage |
| Steph Houghton | Football Focus, MOTD, WSL |
| Joe Hart | MOTD debutant, broader BBC coverage |
| Theo Walcott | Studio pundit across programs |
| Ellen White | Women’s Euros, Women’s football shows |
| Jill Scott | Women’s Euros, Women’s football shows |
| Fara Williams | Women’s Euros coverage |
| Anita Asante | Women’s Euros, WSL analysis |
| Ellie Roebuck | Women’s Euros coverage |
| Nedum Onuoha | Women’s Euros analysis |
| Josie Henning | Women’s Euros analysis |
| Rachel Brown-Finnis | Pundit/co-commentator (women’s football) |
| Gilly Flaherty | Women’s football pundit/co-commentator |
| Izzy Christiansen | Women’s football analysis |
BT Sport Football Pundits
- Michael Owen
- Jermaine Jenas
- Robbie Savage
- Chris Sutton
- Owen Hargreaves
- Glenn Hoddle
- Peter Crouch
ITV Football Pundits
- Laura Woods
- Mark Pougatch
- Seema Jaswal
- Roy Keane
- Graeme Souness
- Gary Neville
- Ian Wright
- Karen Carney
- Joe Cole
- Eni Aluko
- Nigel de Jong
- Nadia Nadim
- Hal Robson-Kanu
Who are the best Female Football Pundits?
Laura Woods is widely respected as the best female football pundit at the moment and she was very impressive during the 2022 World Cup coverage in Qatar.
Alex Scott is one of the BBC football pundits and regularly appears on their FA Cup coverage as well as Match of the Day 2.
Karen Carney is a pundit on Sky Sports and she also appears on Sky Sports News taking about the latest football stories, particularly transfer news which you can bet on with one of the free bet bonuses you get this month.
Football Commentators: The Best and Worst
Football commentators and pundits split opinion more than players themselves, but who are the best and worst commentators talking us through the beautiful game?
Worst:
- Sam Matterface
- Trevor Sinclair
- Robbie Savage
- Mark Lawrenson
- Michael Owen
- Andy Townsend
- Martin Tyler
Best
- Ally McCoist
- Peter Drury
- Gary Neville
- Jamie Carragher
- Clive Tyldesley
- Micah Richards
What do Football Pundits Do?
Each week, football pundits pick out their predictions for today’s matches and the upcoming fixtures and we will list them all on this page for you. We’ll also give you the odds and put together some of the football pundits’ predictions to make up a suggested accumulator.
We will feature Premier League predictions from Sky’s Paul Merson, BBC Sport’s Chris Sutton and Mark Lawrenson each weekend and also have Football League predictions from Sky Sports’ expert David Prutton.
There will also be insight from BT Sport’s Robbie Savage and Michael Owen when they offer their thoughts on the upcoming fixtures.
Lawro’s Premier League Predictions
Every weekend BBC’s Mark Lawrenson (or Lawro as he is most popularly called), predicts the score of all the Premier League fixtures. He usually goes up against a celebrity opponent to see who can get the most results correct. In Lawro’s predictions for this week, you will see which team he thinks will win the match and also Lawro’s score predictions for this week. This is great if you’re looking to bet on the correct score in matches, or for a Premier League accumulator tip.
See our own Premier League predictions for this weekend’s matches
Charlie Nicholas Predictions for Sky Sports
As well as Lawro, Charlie Nicholas is also a regular pundit who predicts the results of matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Europa League. He has taken over from Paul Merson as the main pundit who gives there weekend predictions and you can see his latest set of matches below.
He predicts the score in every EPL for the upcoming weekend and if you check out the Sky Sports page, they also have the reasons behind all of this pundits footy predictions.
When there are midweek matches, you will also get Charlie Nicholas’ midweek Premier League predictions on this very page, we will just keep updating every time the Sky Sports pundit predicts the score of the fixtures coming up.
Paul Merson Predictions at Sky Sports
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson also gives weekly Premier League predictions where he also looks at matches and gives a correct score tip. The Soccer Saturday pundit regularly causes laughs with his inability to pronounce players’ names, but Paul Merson’s football predictions are normally quite accurate and he’s another pundit who is worth following.
The beauty with these pundits predictions is that you also get a little match preview from Merson where he outlines his reasons for the selection he makes. We’ll put the best snippets of Paul Merson’s predictions for this weekend below, and show you the odds for his score selections.
Read our weekend Premier League predictions here.
David Prutton Football League Predictions for Sky Sports
The Football League guru is the main pundit Sky Sports look to for the Championship, League One and League Two. In David Prutton’s latest predictions, you will either get a preview of a few matches taking place this week or you will get a focus on one match where he makes his Championship predictions. There is a lot of matches in the EFL which means there are also David Prutton midweek predictions on a regular basis and that is perfect when you’re having a midweek accumulator bet. His expert opinion could be a great help with some of the matches down in the lower leagues of English football.
Michael Owen Predictions for BT Sport
Although the former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Stoke striker isn’t everybody’s favourite pundit, you do get Michael Owen predictions each week through his Bet Victor blog. He also produces predictions in the Metro newspaper on occasions and these are great indicators from an experienced football pundit. There is no obligation to bet on any of the Michael Owen Premier League predictions but it is always interesting to see what the experts think will happen – even if it is just to laugh when they get it wrong!
How to bet on football pundits’ predictions for today’s matches
When you get your hands on the latest pundits’ predictions for today’s football matches, you could choose to place a bet on some, or all of them. You could pick one of the pundits and just place an accumulator bet on their selections, or combine the thoughts of a few of them and pick and choose which selections you want to bet on.
With the football pundit score predictions available from Lawro, Merson, Owen and Prutton, there is the option to have a correct score acca which would return huge odds and be a great way to try and turn a small amount into a huge winning bet.
Always use a free bet when betting on football pundits’ predictions to reduce the risk for yourself. We’d advise betting £10 with either William Hill or Betfred because you get their bet £10 get £30 sign-up bonus.
Who gives the best football pundits’ predictions?
All of the pundits can be very hit and miss because the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two are all very difficult leagues to predict; however, David Prutton seems to do a very good job with his EFL predictions for today’s matches. When you look at his Championship predictions from last season, he was quite accurate in that the table wouldn’t have looked much different if all his selections had been correct. The big difference would have been that Leeds United should have won the title.
Lawro and Michael Owen both get a lot of stick for their predictions and it is easy to see why, but every few weeks you will see one of them pull some fantastic results out of nowhere. Paul Merson is also known to do well in general, but with Merson’s predictions, you always need to watch out for a howler. Like when all three of his FA Cup winner predictions were eliminated in the third round.