The Premier League’s traditional heavyweights will once again dominate the race for Champions League football, but could an outsider be the team to upset the established order?
Our 2026/27 Premier League Top Six acca backs Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea to secure five of the places, with Nottingham Forest our outsider pick to join them.
It is a bold selection after Forest finished 16th last season, but the arrival of Oliver Glasner and an unusually open battle behind the leading clubs gives them a genuine opportunity to make a major leap up the table.
Our EPL Top Six Acca
- Arsenal – Top Six Finish
- Manchester City – Top Six Finish
- Liverpool – Top Six Finish
- Manchester United – Top Six Finish
- Chelsea – Top Six Finish
- Nottingham Forest – Top Six Finish
Combined odds: 23.00
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.
Why Forest Can Break Into the Top Six
Forest endured a chaotic 2025/26 campaign, going through four managers and eventually finishing 16th. Their run to the Europa League semi-finals, however, offered a much better indication of the quality within the squad.
Now they have appointed Glasner, who arrives after an impressive spell at Crystal Palace in which he delivered two trophies.
The Austrian has already shown he can get a Premier League side punching above its weight, and Forest have recent experience of challenging towards the top of the table. They finished seventh in 2024/25 and spent much of that campaign occupying the Champions League places, so competing at that end of the division is not completely unfamiliar territory.
With a stronger managerial foundation in place, there is reason to believe last season could prove an anomaly rather than the start of a longer decline.
The Door to the Top Six Is Open
Forest’s prospects become particularly interesting when looking at the clubs they need to overtake.
Aston Villa have lost several important players and must balance their domestic campaign with Champions League football. Bournemouth finished sixth last season but are starting again with a manager who is new to the Premier League, while Sunderland combined a seventh-place finish with underlying numbers that suggest repeating that achievement could be difficult.
European commitments could complicate matters for several other potential challengers, including Brighton and Crystal Palace. Tottenham should improve significantly under Roberto De Zerbi, particularly without European football, but they are attempting to recover from consecutive 17th-place finishes.
There should therefore be opportunities for a well-coached side to emerge from the pack, and Glasner’s Forest are an intriguing candidate.
The Big Five Look Difficult to Dislodge
For the other five spots, defending champions Arsenal are the easiest selection to justify after finally ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta has retained the core of his squad and strengthened it further with Bruno Guimaraes, leaving the Gunners well equipped for another season near the top.
Manchester City begin a new era under Enzo Maresca, while Liverpool are adapting to Andoni Iraola following their fifth-place finish last season. Both have enough quality to remain among the leading pack, even if managerial changes bring some uncertainty.
Manchester United finished third under Michael Carrick and Chelsea could be one of this season’s biggest improvers. Xabi Alonso inherits a talented Blues squad without European football to worry about, while the arrivals of Morgan Rogers and other reinforcements have given him even more to work with.
Can Forest Complete Our Top Six Acca?
Backing Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea to finish in the top six means much of this acca rests on Forest being the surprise package.
They do not need to challenge for the title or even necessarily break into the Champions League places. A sixth-place finish would do the job, and the upheaval elsewhere in the Premier League could give Glasner an opportunity to quickly push Forest back towards the European places.
After a season to forget domestically, Forest could be one of the most interesting teams to watch in 2026/27.
