Man vs AI: Premier League 26/27 season predictions

Jonathan Victoria • 18 Aug 2026 Features

A new season calls for another round against the machine.

The 2026/27 Premier League campaign is upon us, bringing back the top-tier English football excitement which has been missing from our homes for 89 days.

To honour its return, I’m going against the AI’s once more in the latest round of Man vs AI.

This time, it’s not just a one-on-one as I’ve thrown Gemini into the mix too, for an added mix of picks.

Champions

Johnnie: Arsenal

Almost every other Champions League-hopeful side is under new management. The defending champs are basically the only ones in a comfortable position where they know themselves. They’ve also bolstered themselves sufficiently.

ChatGPT: Arsenal

They’re the most complete and settled side in the league for me. They’ve got the squad depth, defensive quality and consistency to handle a title race, and I think that stability gives them the edge over City and Liverpool. 

Gemini: Arsenal

Arsenal are back-to-back title favourites due to their defensive foundation (19 clean sheets last season), elite midfield stability with Bruno Guimarães alongside Declan Rice, and the title-winning maturity required to hold off Manchester City again. 

Relegated

Johnnie

18th | Ipswich Town - Kieran McKenna’s sudden departure could prove costly for the side, although I think it will be close.

19th | Coventry City - I’m not convinced with Frankie Lamps as a Prem manager and I don’t think they have what it takes for survival.

20th | Hull City - No hate on Hull, but they don’t belong here. They were lucky with all the drama in the playoffs last year and will struggle hard.

ChatGPT: 

18th | Fulham - My slightly bolder pick. Marco Silva’s departure, several experienced players leaving and Álvaro Arbeloa taking his first Premier League job makes this rebuild feel risky. 

19th | Ipswich Town - They’ve invested heavily, but bedding in a new manager and so many new players while stepping up to Premier League level could prove too much. 

20th | Hull City - The clearest pick for me. Their promotion was a huge overachievement, they conceded 66 Championship goals last season, and the jump in quality looks brutal.

Gemini

18th | Coventry City - Despite winning the Championship in emphatic style, the step up in quality proved too steep historically for newly promoted sides trying to adapt their open, transitional play. 

19th | Ipswich Town - Back in the top flight after winning the play-offs, but a lack of top-tier depth across their backline leaves them exposed against established Premier League attacks. 

20th | Hull City - Hampered by off-field transfer restrictions and a quiet summer window, they simply lack the squad firepower required to compete over 38 games. 

Player of the Year

Johnnie: Martin Odegaard

I reckon it’ll be one of the Arsenal boys in their successful retention campaign but I was finding it hard to pick between Odegaard, Rice and Gabriel. I’ve gone with Odegaard because I think he’ll be instrumental to what could be an incredible offensive campaign, orchestrating the attacks like a prime De Bruyne for City.

ChatGPT: Erling Haaland

I’m backing him for another ridiculous goalscoring season. He won last season’s Golden Boot and is the early favourite for the 2026/27 individual awards; even with City finishing second in my table, 30+ goals could make him impossible to ignore. 

Gemini: Bukayo Saka

With Arsenal tipped to secure back-to-back league titles, the award usually follows the star performer on the champion side. Saka is entering his absolute physical and tactical prime at 25 years old, operating as the main creative engine and goal threat down the right flank in Mikel Arteta's system. 

Golden Boot winner

No prizes for the pick from all three of us here. It’s really the Erling Haaland award at this point. Heck, it might even be named as such when he’s done terrorising the league.

Johnnie: Erling Haaland, 32 goals

I can’t see anyone besting Haaland for Golden Boot, even under the new offense from Maresca. They might start slow in every other area of the field but the Norseman will be the one cog still turning as usual. As such, he’ll bag 30+ for the first time since his record-breaking debut campaign.

ChatGPT: Erling Haaland, 31 goals

He scored 27 last season and remains the clear favourite to finish top of the charts again. I’m expecting City to create plenty under Maresca, and I think Haaland nudges back above the 30-goal mark. 

Gemini: Erling Haaland, 28 goals

Even with Arsenal taking the title in my scenario, Haaland remains the premier focal point in world football. With Manchester City pushing all-in to reclaim the crown and summer additions providing plenty of supply, his raw conversion rate inside the box makes him the safest bet to lead the goal charts over a 38-game campaign.

Biggest surprise package

Johnnie: Fulham

Take what ChatGPT said about Fulham being a relegation candidate and bin it. I think Arbeloa is going to breathe some life into this team. I get they have a young core and are looking at the future, but I think it’s still a quality side who will be in the fight for Europe again this year. It might be rebuilding mode for them, but it’ll be a very promising start.

ChatGPT: Leeds United

I’m backing them to turn last season’s solid survival campaign into a top-half finish. They ended 2025/26 strongly, have recruited well and Daniel Farke now has a side that looks much more established at this level. 

Gemini: Brentford

Brentford are primed to surprise as European contenders under Keith Andrews, backed by elite data-driven recruitment, deadly set-pieces, and Igor Thiago’s explosive goalscoring to push well clear of relegation and comfortably into the top half.

Biggest flop

Johnnie: Newcastle United

Eddie Howe’s gone and they’ve lost basically all their key players now from the last two seasons and look bang average now. The PIF experiment worked well enough to get them a piece of silverware, but all it’s done is raise the stock of their top guys until they left and are now in a position where they’re either back to rebuilding or the club will be sold again.

ChatGPT: Fulham

I’m doubling down on my relegation call. They finished 11th last season and were only a point off the European places, but losing Marco Silva and handing the rebuild to Álvaro Arbeloa feels like a recipe for a dramatic collapse 

Gemini: Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs remain the prime disappointment candidate because, despite jumping to 7th after consecutive 17th-place finishes, their top-four ambitions and elite resources will clash with Roberto De Zerbi’s volatile system, leaving their exposed defence and high-risk style falling short of Champions League expectations.