Premier League Predictions & News
Final One Standing: Gameweek 1 Predictions
The new Premier League season is almost upon us, and I cannot wait to begin this latest offering from William Hill – Final One Standing.
The rules are pretty simple… You need to win to stay in! And for week one, when teams are settling back into the routine of competitive football, my advice is to play it safe, because sometimes the safest choice is the wisest one, especially around the uncertainty of the opening rounds…
Check out Final One Standing on William Hill
Manchester City
Despite the loss of a fully fit Rodri – the Spaniard is stepping up his recovery from an adductor injury – and the fact that City will be on the road, Pep’s men are still highly fancied to take all three points at Molineux.
The Citizens come into the new season having undergone a much-needed squad overhaul, and even though they have had limited game-time since disappointing fans at the Club World Cup, Guardiola knows his side can ill afford a poor start after a lacklustre 2024/25 season.
Check out our Premier League predictions for Saturday
The numbers indicate a fairly straightforward win on the road (58%), with a clean sheet also probable.
Backers shouldn’t be influenced by how the home side finished last season, winning 6 of their last ten matches, as Vitor Pereira is now without the talented Matheus Cunha and influential full-back Ait-Nouri. Worthy of note is also the fact that City ended Wolves’ six-game winning streak.
Preseason has been a struggle for the hosts with new players bedding in, and while they will benefit from more time on the training pitches, I would expect the quality of City to shine through and edge a narrow win.
Brighton & Hove Albion
For now, at least, it looks like Carlos Baleba will still be a Seagull come kick-off, although beyond this, his future looks far from certain.
Regardless, even without the services of their key midfielder, Brighton have enjoyed success over the summer and arrive at week one full of confidence.
With a 46 per cent chance of winning, Fabian Hurzeler will be looking to capitalise on these opening fixtures (pre-international break) to put some decent points on the board.
Bet on the Premier League at William Hill
After a relatively solid start last season, the Cottagers’ form yo-yoed, and where once it seemed a European spot was up for grabs, they ended up taking just 6 points from their last seven games, limping over the finishing line.
This is in stark contrast to Brighton, who won three of their last four, including victories over Liverpool and a 4-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Seagulls have added a few savvy transfers to the tune of £68m and their squad looks much the better for it…
Conversely, Marco Silva has been left increasingly frustrated at a lack of transfer business with no outfield signings. Reiss Nelson, Willian and Carlos Vinicius have all departed, while Antonee Robinson will not be fit after undergoing knee surgery in May.
Nottingham Forest
Forest, at home to Brentford, provides an excellent opportunity to progress into week two, without jumping on one of the Big Boys.
Long-term, I don’t see Nuno Espírito Santo replicating the success of last season, but his side is still capable of getting results, and given the unrest at Brentford over the summer, I do like the home side here.
Backing Forest early doors helps mitigate the risk of an unfavourable fixture as you progress deeper into the tournament.
Check out our Premier League predictions for Sunday
Granted, data at this stage should be used more as a guide rather than giving a definitive answer, but the 41 per cent chance of a win is about right, as Brentford find their feet in a post-Thomas Frank era.
Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard have moved on to pastures new, while striker Yoane Wissa is hankering for a move to Tyneside and is currently training away from the first team.
The arrival of manager Keith Andrews – unproven at this level – hasn’t exactly got the Bees’ supporters jumping for joy, and the statisticians are not convinced that he is the man to save Brentford. Only the promoted sides are priced shorter for relegation… and this is a time to be bold and back Forest.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs will be looking to shake off their midweek loss, and Burnley could provide the perfect opposition.
Post-match on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique admitted that his side ‘didn’t deserve’ to win after scoring twice in the final ten minutes to force a penalty shootout, and Thomas Frank will hope that his side can carry this performance into their first league game of the season.
Bet on football at William Hill
The Dane has had much of the summer to implement new ideas and philosophies, while addressing the defensive issues that blighted former custodian Ange Postecoglou throughout his tenure.
Last season’s Europa Cup win could not paper over Spurs’ abysmal league form, which returned only four wins in 2025. But with renewed confidence, plus the arrival of Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha to bolster the ranks… the side is looking much less Spursy.
However, this fixture is shaped mainly by their opponents, with promoted teams always struggling to bridge the gap between the second tier and the Premier League. In 2023/24 and 2024/25, none of the promoted sides accrued more than three points in their first five games.
