Premier League top-three prediction: Arsenal and Liverpool aim to challenge Man City, according to Graeme Souness

Graeme Souness has shaken up his Premier League top-three prediction for the upcoming season, suggesting that Manchester City's dominance could finally be challenged.

Man City are attempting to win an unprecedented fifth successive league title and made a strong start to their defence on the opening weekend, beating Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

City’s biggest competition over the last two seasons has come from Arsenal and Souness believes Mikel Arteta’s side will improve from back-to-back second-place finishes and lift the Premier League trophy.

If Souness is correct, Arsenal – who began their 2024-25 campaign with a 2-0 win over Wolves – will end a 21-year wait for a league title.

With the Gunners tipped to become Premier League champions, Souness has predicted Manchester City will finish as runners-up – failing to win the title for the first time since 2019 – ahead of his former club Liverpool in third.

The Reds, who appointed Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement, proved too strong for newly-promoted Ipswich Town on the opening weekend.

‘My top three? Well, I’m going for Arsenal to win the title, Manchester City as runners-up and Liverpool in third,’ Souness told the Daily Mail.

‘That’s subject to change in case of any major transfer splurges between now and August 30.

‘I’m hoping Liverpool deliver at least one big signing because Jurgen Klopp got the most out of this group of players and they managed third last season, so will Arne Slot get the same tune out of them?

‘I don’t think he would have come without the promise of money to spend. They’ve brought back Michael Edwards, too, as chief executive of football.

‘His record of recruitment was pretty impressive last time round. No one gets all of their signings right but he did particularly well and his ability to find them will be invaluable to the club going forward.’

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Souness’ prediction would see the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle United and Aston Villa battling for the final Champions League spot.

Villa sealed that spot last season and made a winning start to the new season, beating West Ham 2-1 at the London Stadium.

Fellow top-four contenders Manchester United and Newcastle United were also victorious on the opening weekend, beating Fulham and Southampton respectively.

Chelsea suffered a defeat to Man City while Tottenham could only draw 1-1 with newly-promoted Leicester City.

Looking further down the Premier League table and the clubs battling to avoid relegation, Souness said it would be ‘super difficult’ for the promoted teams – Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton – to avoid the drop.

‘It will be super difficult for the three promoted teams to survive this season,’ he added.

‘The spectre of profit and sustainability rules means clubs that come up now are spending but not to the levels they would like to for fear of reprisals down the line. Leicester already have the threat of a points deduction hanging over them.

‘It just means they are always fighting to survive.’

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