In a recent episode of Rio Ferdinand Presents, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand shared his insights on the upcoming 2025/26 Premier League title race, confidently narrowing the competition to two teams: Liverpool and Manchester City. While acknowledging Arsenal’s potential, Ferdinand’s analysis leans heavily on Liverpool’s strategic moves and Manchester City’s proven dominance.
Liverpool and Manchester City: The Title Contenders
Ferdinand’s prediction is clear: “It’s only going to be between Liverpool and Man City next season.” This bold statement underscores the belief that these two clubs remain a cut above the rest, despite City's struggles last season. Liverpool, meanwhile, are riding a wave of optimism under Arne Slot, who quickly instilled a clear vision at Anfield on their way to becoming Premier League champions.
Arsenal’s Limited Challenge
Ferdinand is less optimistic about Arsenal’s chances, suggesting they might “kick up a fuss for a couple of months – six months maybe – [but nothing more].” Despite Arsenal’s resurgence under Mikel Arteta, Ferdinand believes their squad lacks the firepower to sustain a title challenge over the full season. He pointed to their rumored transfer activity as a potential weakness: “Arsenal’s signings right now look likely to be Norgaard, who is 31 years old, Kepa, who was a reserve keeper at Chelsea, and Martin Zubimendi, but the entire fan base is crying out for a centre forward or a left winger.”
Liverpool’s Clear Vision Under Slot
Ferdinand reserved high praise for Liverpool’s direction under Arne Slot, emphasizing the clarity of their project. “I can see it so clearly at the club right now, I can see their whole process and their vision – it’s so clear – and as a player, that’s what you want when you walk into the club and they’re pitching the project to you,” he said. This clarity, Ferdinand argues, is a major draw for top talents like Florian Wirtz, who he imagines leaving a meeting with Slot convinced to join Liverpool: “I can imagine Wirtz coming out of that meeting with Slot and saying ‘don’t take any calls from any of those other clubs, I’m going here’.”
