The wait is finally over—Premier League football is back this weekend.
For some fans, pre-season has been a tense and frustrating build-up.
For others, the summer games have only heightened the excitement.
Clubs have juggled transfer drama, injury scares, and tactical tweaks, but the time for warm-ups is over.
Liverpool supporters may still be smarting from missing out on the Community Shield last Sunday, yet the sight of fresh signings like Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Jeremie Frimpong has left many quietly optimistic.
But what about their rivals—those hoping to derail the Reds’ title defence?
Daily Mail Sport’s writers have taken a close look at every top-flight team’s pre-season journey, picking out who’s ready to hit the ground running and who might be facing early headaches.
Burnley – Focused and Grounded Preparations
Pre-season record: Wins over Huddersfield (2-0) and Shrewsbury (2-2), narrow defeats to Stoke and Lazio.
Scott Parker’s newly promoted Burnley didn’t chase glamorous overseas tours.
Instead, they stayed local—apart from a training week in Portugal—to put in solid work on the training pitch.
With 13 new players to bed in and a shift to a more cautious style compared to Vincent Kompany’s gung-ho approach, results were less important than cohesion.
Wing-backs were trialled against Lazio, and England defender Kyle Walker looks key on the right of a three-man defence.
New goalkeeper Max Weiss has impressed, even saving a penalty from Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni.
Stand-out performer: Quilindschy Hartman
Crystal Palace – From Glory to Frustration
Pre-season record: Community Shield win on penalties over Liverpool, mixed results in friendlies against Millwall, Crawley Town, Mainz, and Augsburg.
The summer started with celebration after Palace lifted their first major trophy, but hopes of Europa League football quickly vanished due to off-field complications.
Talk of star players Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze leaving added more uncertainty.
Still, Oliver Glasner’s side showed promising signs in pre-season, bookending it with another Wembley victory to keep morale afloat.
Stand-out performer: Justin Devenny
Manchester United – Progress with Caution
Pre-season record: Unbeaten with draws against Leeds, Everton, and Fiorentina, plus wins over West Ham and Bournemouth.
United look sharper, with new signings Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko adding firepower.
But gaps in midfield and ongoing goalkeeping doubts remain.
Manager Ruben Amorim has admitted the team will “still suffer” in the league despite improvements.
Stand-out performer: Leny Yoro
Aston Villa – Building Towards the Opener
Pre-season record: A slow start but strong finishes, including wins over Roma, Villarreal, and St Louis City.
Unai Emery has used pre-season to experiment tactically, notably with a back-three system.
There’s some concern over Morgan Rogers’ ankle injury, but Ollie Watkins looks sharp and ready to lead the line against Newcastle.
Stand-out performer: Ollie Watkins
West Ham – Turning a Corner
Pre-season record: Wins over Grasshoppers, Everton, and Bournemouth, a penalty win against Lille, and a loss to Manchester United.
After a dismal season end, West Ham’s morale is lifting under Graham Potter.
New faces like El Hadji Malick Diouf and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen have impressed, while Niclas Fullkrug has scored in every pre-season match.
Midfield reinforcements are still needed, with Matheus Fernandes from Southampton on their radar.
Stand-out performer: Niclas Fullkrug
Arsenal – Big Signing, Bigger Questions
Pre-season record: Wins over AC Milan, Newcastle, and Athletic Bilbao; defeats to Tottenham and Villarreal.
Viktor Gyokeres has finally given Arsenal a recognised No 9, but the need for a left-wing option persists amid scrutiny of Gabriel Martinelli’s role.
Fans are also excited about the potential debut of 15-year-old Max Dowman.
Stand-out performer: Martin Zubimendi
Manchester City – Quiet but Controlled
Pre-season record: Two matches, both wins, against Preston and Palermo.
City kept it low-key after their Club World Cup exploits, focusing on training over fixtures.
New signing Tijjani Reijnders stood out with a brace in Sicily.
Pep Guardiola is managing injury issues, particularly with Rodri, and fine-tuning defensive organisation.
Stand-out performer: Tijjani Reijnders
Brighton – Flying Under the Radar
Pre-season record: Seven wins, one draw, 20 goals scored, only five conceded.
Brighton have been in blistering form despite selling star striker Joao Pedro.
Goals have been spread across 13 players, with Yankuba Minteh shining and new left-back Maxim De Cuyper settling in quickly.
Even without midfielder Carlos Baleba for much of the summer, the Seagulls have looked strong.
Stand-out performer: Yankuba Minteh
Liverpool – Promising Attack, Shaky Defence
Pre-season record: High-scoring wins over Preston, Stoke, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Athletic Club; losses to AC Milan and Palace.
This summer has been about integrating new signings, with Florian Wirtz stealing the show.
Youngsters Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni have also impressed.
However, defensive frailties remain a concern with just one clean sheet.
Stand-out performer: Florian Wirtz
Chelsea – Short but Sweet Preparations
Pre-season record: Wins over Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.
Chelsea packed their pre-season into less than two weeks.
Despite losing Levi Colwill to an ACL injury on day one, new arrivals Estevao Willian, Liam Delap, and Joao Pedro have all scored.
The squad looks dangerous, though fatigue from last season’s world-beating run could be a factor later.
Stand-out performer: Joao Pedro