Newcastle United’s preparations for the new Premier League season are firmly underway, with little under four weeks to go until their opener.
Eddie Howe’s side beat National League side Carlisle United 4-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly last weekend before spending five days at a training camp in Austria.
They returned to the United Kingdom for yesterday’s friendly against Scottish Premiership champions Celtic and now head to East Asia, first to Singapore to face Arsenal before going up against the K-League All Stars and Tottenham Hotspur in Seoul.
Pre-season concludes with a weekend double header at St James’ Park as La Liga, with La Liga sides Espanyol and Atletico Madrid the visitors. And then the competitive campaign begins as United visit Aston Villa on Saturday, August 16 (kick-off 12:30pm).
Newcastle have completed the £55million signing of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest but will hope for at least one or two more new faces in time for the visit to Villa Park. With Champions League football to contend with this season, Howe knows the importance of strengthening to squad to ensure they are robust enough to compete across various competitions.
Ahead of the new season, we asked AI’s Grok to predict how the 2025-26 Premier League table will finish - and here are the final standings.
1. Sunderland - 20th
Their return to the Premier League is likely to be brief. Promoted teams have historically struggled (e.g., Southampton’s 2024/25 relegation), and Sunderland’s squad may lack the quality to survive. | Getty Images
2. Burnley - 19th
Burnley’s promotion brings them back, but their 2023/24 relegation exposed defensive frailties. Simulations predict all promoted sides will struggle, and Burnley’s lack of top-tier depth could see them drop. | Getty Images
3. Leeds United - 18th
Leeds return to the Premier League for 2025/26, but data suggests promoted sides struggle, with all three projected to go down. Their attacking style may not translate against stronger opposition, leading to relegation. | Getty Images
4. Brentford - 17th
Brentford’s established status under Thomas Frank is a strength, but their reliance on key players like Bryan Mbeumo (if he stays) and a potential Frank departure to a bigger club could destabilize them. A 17th-place finish reflects caution. | Getty Images