With the January transfer window now shut, Premier League clubs have their final squads for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Certain teams have strengthened in areas as they bid for titles or survival, while others have kept things as they were.
There’s a lot left to be decided in the final few months of the season. Although Liverpool romped to their first league title since 2019-20 last time out, it would take a miracle for the Reds to make it successive wins now. At the opposite end of the table, a select few teams are all battling to avoid the drop, including newly promoted Leeds United.
Predicting what the next three months have in store for football fans is a difficult ask, but GIVEMESPORT have turned to X’s (formerly Twitter) Grok AI tool, asking it to predict the final Premier League table and each team’s points tally. Factoring in current form, results so far and recent additions in the transfer window, it seems like it could be a season to remember for some and one to forget for many.
After visiting all 20 top flight venues, a definitive ranking of the worst to best has been revealed
20 Wolves
Predicted Points Total: 22
What AI said: “Adrift; signings too late for revival (1.0 PPG last 6). Relegated.”
The Old Gold were predicted to fill a relegation spot at the start of the season and performances so far have done little to alleviate concerns. Wolves made a dismal start to the campaign, not winning a match until December 2025 when they overcame fellow strugglers West Ham.
Vitor Pereira’s sacking and Rob Edwards’ arrival has led to a slight improvement. But the concerns remain and even the signings of Adam Armstrong and Angel Gomes in Janaury won’t seemingly be enough to propel them out of the relegation places, considering that they are already 18 points adrift from safety.
19 Burnley
Predicted Points Total: 23
What AI said: “Dismal form (0.5 PPG last 6); no turnaround. Relegated.”
All three newly promoted teams for the 2024/25 season went straight back down last time out, and while it’s not the same situation this time around, Grok doesn’t believe that Burnley will do enough to avoid the drop. Scott Parker’s side lost England goalkeeper James Trafford in the summer and while data shows Martin Dubravka has performed above expectations, he’s still an aging veteran.
Couple that with the fact that their squad just aren’t of the same calibre as the teams around them, even after signing Lesley Ugochukwu and Marcus Edwards, and it feels as though the writing is on the wall for the Clarets. Their sole signing in January, James Ward-Prowse on loan from West Ham, seems to hint at acceptance around Turf Moor that they’ll be playing Championship football in 2026/27.
18 West Ham
Predicted Points Total: 37
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
What AI said: “Recent uptick (1.17 PPG last 6) not enough; poor overall (0.83 PPG). Relegated.”
AI thought that West Ham United would drop to 16th this term, but it’s re-evaluated its prediction and actually thinks they’ll be even worse off. The Hammers had a bleak start to the season under Graham Potter and while new boss Nuno Espirito Santo has at least picked up some wins, it comes too little too late.
Overall, West Ham haven’t averaged enough points throughout the campaign. They’ve not been helped by Mohammed Kudus and now Lucas Paqueta’s departures, but it remains to be seen that Taty Castellanos, Mateus Fernandes and Adama Traore can be the players to guide them away from the relegation zone.
17 Leeds United
Predicted Points Total: 40
What AI said: “Leaky defense; average form (1.0 PPG last 6) scrapes survival.”
Forecast to go straight back down at the start of the season, Leeds United aren’t quite out of the woods just yet. But Daniel Farke’s men are likely breathing a little easier than they were in August.
Six points clear of 18th place with 14 games left to play, it only takes a few bad weeks for things to go wrong at Elland Road. But they are now predicted to make it to the seemingly magic 40-point line and finish three points ahead of West Ham.
The Premier League table could look very different in some key areas by the time May rolls around.
16 Nottingham Forest
Predicted Points Total: 44
What AI said: “Improved form (1.33 PPG last 6); just enough to stay up.”
Nottingham Forest fans likely would have dreamt of maintaining their status as a European contender at the start of the season. But a lot has changed since then. Nuno Espirito Santo is gone, as is his successor Ange Postecoglou, and now the Tricky Trees are simply hoping to keep their top flight status instead of anything else.
It seems as though they have enough to survive, at least in the eyes of AI. Currently 17th, Grok is predicting them to climb one spot and finish on 44 points come May, which it puts down to their improved form and recruitment.
15 Tottenham
Predicted Points Total: 46
What AI said: “Conor Gallagher helps, but weak run (0.67 PPG last 6) costs positions.”
Europa League winners Tottenham would have been hopeful of a dramatic improvement from their disastrous 2024-25 campaign. But even Thomas Frank replacing Ange Postecoglou hasn’t managed to change their domestic fortunes too dramatically.
Although Spurs are into the knockout rounds of the Champions League, they have not looked convincing at all in the Premier League. Frank continues to come under pressure, but Grok believes that Conor Gallagher will be a useful addition, despite their poor run of form presently.
14 Crystal Palace
Predicted Points Total: 47
What AI said: “Strand Larsen and Johnson to lift poor form (0.5 PPG last 6) to survival.”
Crystal Palace ended the 2024/25 season in memorable fashion with their FA Cup success and carried that form into the new term by winning the Community Shield and making a good start to the season. But that positive atmosphere has faded away lately – Marc Guehi is gone, Oliver Glasner wants out, and Jean-Philippe Mateta is also pushing for a move.
The Eagles might well be looking over the shoulder, given that they last tasted victory in the Premier League back at the start of December against Fulham. But, having brought in reinforcements, most notably Jorgen Strand Larsen, Brennan Johnson and Evann Guessand, they should have enough to finish mid-table.
13 Brighton
Predicted Points Total: 48
What AI said: “Draws heavy (1.17 PPG last 6); no big moves.”
Like Palace, Brighton have also struggled for consistent wins of late, managing just one in their last 11 league games. Fabian Hurzeler’s side have more often than not shared the spoils with their opponents, which hasn’t helped them push up the table.
Currently languishing in 13th place, Grok believes that the Seagulls will remain there come the season’s end. A lack of signings in January, aside from Pascal Gross, means that it will be down to their talented youngsters, such as Carlos Baleba, Yankuba Minteh, to help them defy the odds.
12 Fulham
Predicted Points Total: 52
What AI said: “Balanced but unspectacular (1.33 PPG last 6).”
Considering that Fulham are currently ninth, just six points outside the top five, you wouldn’t put it past the Cottagers to mount a challenge to qualify for a European competition. They are aided by the fact that Marco Silva, one of the league’s smartest coaches, is at the helm, and their recent addition of Oscar Bobb from Manchester City.
No team will relish a trip to west London in the games that remain this season. But, in spite of all that, Grok believes that the squad lacks star power to maintain their performance levels.
11 Bournemouth
Predicted Points Total: 54
What AI said: “Good form (1.83 PPG last 6) is tempered by Antoine Semenyo’s loss.”
Andoni Iraola has done a superb job ever since taking the reins at the Vitality Stadium. The Spaniard’s high-intensity style of play saw the Cherries claim multiple scalps such as Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal last term. But there was a sea of change on the south coast over the summer, as Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi all departed.
Bournemouth have managed to keep the good times rolling despite all the departures, with survival all but guaranteed and new stars like Eli Junior Kroupi rising to the occasion. Antoine Semenyo’s sale could see results dip slightly, but a mid-table finish will do them just fine.
Kylian Mbappe is lighting up the 2026 World Cup as he looks to fire France to their second success in world football’s biggest competition since 2018.
The Real Madrid forward is firmly in the Golden Boot race against the likes of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior, having found the net four times in the group stages. Mbappe was crucial to his nation lifting the trophy in 2018, bursting onto the scene as a teenager.
He then had an incredible tournament four years later in Qatar. Despite his side having to settle for second place, the 27-year-old fired in a hat-trick in the final, something only Sir Geoff Hurst has previously managed.
Kylian Mbappe Wearing Different Shirt to France Teammates
Kyle Ross (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
That treble in the final against Argentina helped Mbappe to the Golden Boot in the 2022 World Cup. The versatile forward netted eight times in total, and was undeserving of being on the losing side.
He tends to step up on the big stage when his country needs him. Some eagle-eyed fans may have spotted a difference in the shirt Mbappe is wearing this summer compared to the rest of Didier Deschamps’ men.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane are all expected to finish among the top goalscorers in this summer’s tournament.
The reason for that is his Golden Boot victory in 2022. Any active player who has won the individual award at the World Cup is allowed to wear a special patch on the sleeve of their shirt.
England’s Harry Kane and Colombia’s James Rodriguez are the only other players at the tournament this summer allowed to wear the patch, after winning the 2018 and 2014 Golden Boots, respectively.
The award has never been won back-to-back in the competition’s history. But with France being among the strong favourites and expected to go far, there’s every chance their talisman can scoop the honour once again. After all, he’s only four goals away from being the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe: Lionel Messi Still the Best
Reuters/Maria Lysaker
While Mbappe is hunting his old Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi down in the current Golden Boot race and the all-time scoring charts, he still concedes he has a lot to do to overtake the Argentine.
It was no surprise to Les Bleus’ number nine that Messi has continued to deliver on the big stage. He said (per ESPN): “I already knew Messi was going to keep scoring goals. He always does. He’s ahead of me and I’m behind him. I’ll keep scoring to help my national team go as far as possible.”
Following the greatest footballer of all time smashed a hat-trick against Algeria, Mbappe declared him still the best in the world. He claimed:
“It’s clear that Messi is the best in the world, and so is Cristiano [Ronaldo]. For 16 years, he [Messi] has shown his extraordinary talent. I’m just trying to do what I know how to do: show my talent on the biggest stage possible and help my national team.”
Newcastle United have lined up a deal to sign a midfielder this summer, as the Magpies face the possibility of losing some key players in the coming weeks.
A deal for the former seems the most likely, meaning Newcastle are on the market for replacements, and one target is now seemingly in the club’s sights.
Newcastle Add Felix Nmecha To Shortlist
According to a report from journalist Craig Hope, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is on Newcastle’s shortlist as a transfer target for this summer.
The Magpies are described as “long-term admirers” of the 25-year-old, who has impressed in the Bundesliga as well as in the World Cup with Germany in recent weeks.
Nmecha has a release clause in his deal worth £73.5 million, though that doesn’t come into effect until next summer. That said, the report claims that there is hope a move can be negotiated for lower than that price.
There is likely to be some competition for Nmecha’s signature, as Manchester United have been linked with a transfer, along with fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle can get an agreement with both Dortmund and the Germany international over a potential transfer in the coming weeks as a result.
Newcastle are facing a tough summer transfer window, with Anthony Gordon’s exit set to be just the first of a few key moves away from the club.
Given the struggles in the Premier League last season, the Magpies will be keen to not be in a weaker position next campaign when it comes to the options available.
However, it may be the sales that help ensure that is the case. Selling some important players in favour of huge transfer fees could allow it to be reinvested in a way that will add a better balance of quality across the whole squad.
Newcastle United are in the market for a striker, as one star looks set to leave the club this summer.
That, in theory, should allow the team to become stronger. But that will only happen if the right transfer replacements are found for the right price.
That was the theory in practice last summer, with Alexander Isak’s sale generating a club-record fee, but resulting in the wrong options being signed to take his place.
Newcastle cannot allow a repeat of that, especially in the midfield engine room, which has been among the key areas of strength under Howe.
Yan Diomande’s early coach Faissal Chehade explains why Liverpool could be the perfect fit, and why his ceiling may be Ballon d’Or level.
Chehade, who worked with Diomande at Leganés, reveals on Market Madness what stood out from the very beginning: the confidence, the one-v-one ability, the training-ground moments that made coaches take notice, and the mentality behind his rise from rejection across Europe to becoming one of the most talked-about young players in world football.
He also breaks down why Leipzig was the right step, why Liverpool could give Diomande the platform to become “the main man,” and why he believes the winger has the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Chapters:
0:09 — Yan Diomande’s First Coach Reveals the Talent
2:07 — The Training Goal That Made Everyone Stop
3:36 — Why Yan Diomande Was Rejected Across Europe
4:21 — Why Leipzig Was the Perfect Move for Diomande
4:55 — Why Liverpool Could Be Yan Diomande’s Perfect Fit
8:02 — Yan Diomande’s Ballon d’Or Ceiling Explained
