The 2026/27 Premier League season promises to be one of the fascinating campaigns in recent years.

Arsenal go into the new term as reigning champions and are being backed by many, including Jeff Stelling, to retain their title.

They will not have it easy, though. Manchester City, now managed by Enzo Maresca, and Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool will be desperate to become English champions once more.

Manchester United, who were so impressive at the end of the 25/26 campaign under Michael Carrick, have strengthened this summer and will be hoping to end their title drought.

While Chelsea and Tottenham are both set to be much better this year after spending huge amounts of money bolstering their squad in the summer months.

With the campaign just a few days away, former Premier League player Ashley Young was asked by Sky Sports to blind rank where he thinks all 20 English top-flight clubs will finish this season.

Bottom Half (20-11)

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Young, who made 485 Premier League appearances, thinks Coventry City and Hull City will go straight back down to the Championship.

He thinks that his former side, Ipswich Town, will just have enough to survive relegation, with Leeds United joining Coventry and Hull in the relegation zone.

Young, now 41 years old, thinks Sunderland, Fulham and Nottingham Forest will all have underwhelming seasons but ultimately have just enough quality to survive the drop.

Interestingly, Young doesn’t think Tottenham will finish in the top half. Spurs have spent big this summer, with Sandro Tonali, Andy Robertson and Matheus Fernandes among the players that have joined. The Englishman thinks they will improve this season but not by much.

Completing Young’s bottom half is Crystal Palace, now managed by Pierre Sage, and Brighton & Hove Albion, who will play UEFA Conference League football this season.

Top Half (10-1)

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Brentford, who finished ninth in 25/26 and narrowly missed out on European football, will just creep into the top 10 this season, according to Young.

Young has backed his former side Everton to finish ninth, behind Newcastle United, who lost Eddie Howe and several key players this summer, and Bournemouth.

The Englishman played 247 times for Aston Villa across two spells, but he thinks they will finish outside the top five this season and ultimately miss out on Champions League football.

Liverpool finished fifth in 25/26 and Young has backed them to finish there again, with Man City just ahead of them.

Chelsea, who aren’t competing in Europe this season, will be much improved this campaign and finished third this campaign, according to Young.

Perhaps surprisingly, Young thinks Arsenal will not retain their title this season and finish second, behind his former club Manchester United.

Young, who played 261 times for the Red Devils and was part of their last Premier League winning side in 2012/13, thinks Michael Carrick will lead them to glory.

Unsurprisingly, Young’s decision to back his former side has not gone down very well, with many football fans expressing their disbelief on Instagram.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is set to be handed a conundrum in the goalkeeping department with the expected move of Emiliano Martinez to Juventus collapsing.

The Villans are looking to breathe new life into their options between the sticks ahead of the 2026/27 campaign with Emery looking to move on from the services of the Argentine.

Martinez has made 256 appearances for Aston Villa, keeping 80 clean sheets, and still has another three years left on his deal at the Villa Park. However, the 33-year-old has agreed personal terms with Serie A giants Juventus.

The Athleticnow report that Martinez’s move to Juventus has collapsed. Despite personal terms being agreed between the player and prospective club, Aston Villa have not yet accepted a transfer fee.

It’s claimed that Juventus lodged a fresh bid for Martinez over the weekend with an increased fee, reducing the price gap between offer and valuation. However, Aston Villa’s determination to hold out for a reported €10million (£8.5million) has now seen Juventus pull out of the deal.

The Serie A outfit will turn its attention to other targets with a move for Tottenham Hotspur star Guglielmo Vicario now a priority. On Monday morning, it has been reported that a loan agreement between Juventus and Spurs has been reached.

Unai Emery handed goalkeeping conundrum at Villa Park

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The transfer collapse could leave Aston Villa in a sticky situation. The Villans have now reached an agreement to sign Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma in a €35million deal.

The 23-year-old is expected to sign a five-year contract at Villa Park on Monday with Emery keen to have the Japan international as first choice over the 2026/27 campaign.

Aston Villa now risk having two World Cup heavyweights on the books for the 2026/27 campaign with Martinez once again failing to secure a move away. The goalkeeper had been heavily linked with a switch to Manchester United last summer but that deal collapsed, with the Red Devils ultimately signing Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp instead.

Martinez was not included in the Aston Villa squad to take on PSG in the UEFA Super Cup last week. Marco Bizot started that clash, with James Wright and Owen Asemota on the bench.

Ranking Aston Villa goalkeeping options

Aston Villa and Emery had made a big decision in allowing World Cup winner Martinez to leave the club this summer, even if the player had been halfway out the door at Villa Park 12 months ago. The Villans will no doubt push to find Martinez a new destination and avoid paying the wages of both the Argentine and Suzuki, but who is the best option between the sticks for the club?

5 Owen Asemota

Asemota only signed his first professional contract with the club in September and is yet to feature for the first team. The 18-year-old is a former Arsenal academy member and has represented England at youth level, but still has a lot of learning to do, despite featuring on the bench against PSG.

4 James Wright

Wright offers greater experience to Asemota but is also yet to receive first team minutes and is not a viable back-up option for Emery quite yet. The 21-year-old, who was an unused substitute in the Europa League final, enjoyed a successful loan stint at Real Union in the third tier of Spanish football over the 2024/25 campaign. Wright has been a prominent figure at Under-18 and Under-21 level for Villa.

3 Marco Bizot

Bizot was a reliable deputy to Martinez last season, with his best performances coming in the Europa League. The 35-year-old made 14 appearances last term but his best years are past him, with a crazy red card against Newcastle United in the FA Cup pointing to a player without the credentials for the number one spot.

2 Emi Martinez

Martinez has been a superb servant to the club but, at 33 years old, Aston Villa are right to be thinking about the future. The goalkeeper enjoyed another impressive World Cup campaign, playing through the final with a broken finger and making 11 saves against Spain. Martínez remains a strong first choice option.

1 Zion Suzuki

Suzuki is the most exciting option for Aston Villa. The Parma star is yet to play European football but has all the credentials of a goalkeeper ready to make that step up. The 23-year-old, who still offers huge potential, played every minute of the World Cup for Japan. Suzuki offers an imposing physical presence and willingness to affect play by coming off his line. His signing would be a coup for Villa.

Rory McIlroy gave his honest verdict on Donald Trump’s golf ability after playing with the incumbent US president at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida.

Trump is a keen golfer, and has mixed it up with some of the biggest stars from all walks of life. Footballers Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney are among the big names, as well as the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Jack Nicklaus from the world of golf. He’s even played a round with Northern Irishman and two-time Masters winner Rory McIlroy.

Given Trump’s long affinity with the sport, there’s no surprise that he has been praised for his ability on the course. McIlroy certainly saw this as he gave his thoughts on how good he actually is after their round together back in 2017.

Rory McIlroy Analyses Donald Trump’s Golf Ability

One of the many things that has become synonymous with Trump throughout his years in the spotlight is his affinity with golf. He owns several courses, and has even brought the passion into the world of politics. He’s been seen playing with other world leaders, while also remaining an owner of several locations.

McIlroy isn’t the only golfing legend to rub shoulders with Trump, as Jack Nicklaus has also talked about playing with him. When asked where Trump ranks compared to other presidents, he said: “Well, the ones I’ve played with, actually Trump is probably the best player.”

Bryson DeChambeau has even given his verdict on Trump’s ability before, after they played a round together for the American’s YouTube channel.

Similarly, McIlroy also had plenty of praise for Trump, as he said after their round together: “He probably shot around 80. He’s a decent player for a guy in his 70s.”

It seems evident that all the time on the course has been paying off for the US president, as McIlroy doesn’t talk up everybody’s ability.

Rory McIlroy Criticised For Playing With Donald Trump

Playing with Trump certainly divided opinions, but McIlroy affirmed that the interest in golf was the only thing that brought them together.

He said: “Golf was our common ground, nothing else. I’ve travelled all over the world and have been fortunate enough to befriend people from many different countries, beliefs, and cultures.”

Furthermore, he also responded to some of the political claims sent his way after the event, saying: “To be called a fascist and a bigot by some people because I spent time in someone’s company is just ridiculous.”

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In terms of a return to professional golf for the Northern Irishman, he is still dealing with an injury. Since January, McIlroy has been dealing with a stress fracture in his ribs, which occurred during the BMW SA Open.

He is still eyeing a return to competition at the WGC-Mexico Championship, which occurs next week. Mcllroy has also said, however, that he isn’t looking to rush anything, and potentially run the risk of aggravating the problem.