Liverpool 25/26 Season Preview: Season Recap, Transfers, Playing XI and Expectations

Premier League champions Liverpool had a historic season when they lifted their 20th League title in May 2025. The Reds ended the wait for a title lift in front of their home crowd and arranged a grand parade last time out. After falling short of a fantastic quadruple under Arne Slot last season, with renewed energy, they are back for the new season. Liverpool season preview will give us a clear insight into the squad and their expectations for the upcoming season. Being hailed as one of the top English football teams, Liverpool will be determined to come all guns blazing and not only defend their English Premier League crown but also cement their legacy as one of the best football clubs in the world.

The off-season one was a tragic one for Liverpool. They lost their star Portuguese forward Diego Jota, in a tragic car crash along with his brother Andre. The club grieved collectively but are moving forward without one of their key players. Arne Slot, who won the league in his first season with a squad he inherited, is reshaping it to his liking by spending pounds aplenty in the transfer market. With stars like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike arriving, Liverpool are expected to fight on all fronts again this season.

Let us take a deep dive into Liverpool Season Preview and see what Liverpool Premier League future looks like and what Liverpool Playing XI will look like.

Liverpool 24/25 season recap

Liverpool had one of the toughest jobs on their hands going into the previous season. Replacing their iconic German manager Jürgen Klopp wasn't easy, but Slot was their answer, and the Dutch manager delivered brilliantly. He inherited a world-class squad and added his tactical spin to win a Premier League title on his first time of asking.

They were fighting on all fronts until a late blip in February. A lack of squad depth, largely due to near-zero business in the transfer window, exposed his squad. The squad fell short of other trophies.

Liverpool Premier League Journey

Slot took over a big club for the first time in his career. He chose to observe the squad first before making any transfer calls. Federico Cheisa was his only signing on a cut-price deal. Slot tweaked the squad and implemented his usual 4-2-3-1, giving more freedom to Liverpool's stalwart Mohamed Salah.

The results were spectacular as the Egyptian produced an all-time season. He kept scoring goal after goal as Liverpool swatted everyone away in their path. Liverpool was a mix of exciting counterattacks to master passers of the ball and astute defenders when it mattered.

They stormed to the top spot by Christmas, registering famous victories against Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and arch-rivals Manchester United on the way. Liverpool never gave up the pole position as they cantered to the league title. Although they lost their way in February, a strong finish to the season meant they wrapped up the league early.

Liverpool lifted their 20th league title in front of a packed Anfield crowd for the first time in 35 years, as the previous title was marred by the pandemic. This time, there were no restrictions as the Reds celebrated a supreme Liverpool Premier League season.

Liverpool Cup Journey

Liverpool's domestic cup campaigns proved to be a mixed bag as squad rotation and tight fixtures took its toll. The Reds showed their intent in the domestic competitions but fell short when it mattered most. In the Carabao Cup, Liverpool reached the final and were favourites to defend their title. However, Newcastle United had other plans. Despite the dominance for large spells by Liverpool, the Magpies produced a memorable upset, winning 2-1 to deny the Reds back-to-back Carabao Cup triumphs.

They made it to the finals of the Carabao Cup and hoped to go back-to-back in the competition. But Newcastle United produced an upset as Liverpool were beaten 2-1 against the tide. The FA Cup exit in the fourth round felt like a deliberate loss as Liverpool gave up on the cup for a stronger league run. It yielded a league title, and the Reds won't be complaining about that defeat to Plymouth Argyle.

Liverpool 25/26 Transfers

Liverpool signed only a single senior player in three transfer windows prior to this one. Slot now had a season and knew what he needed in the window. He dealt with the loss of creativity of Trent Alexander-Arnold by signing the German superstar Florian Wirtz. The club is expected to further trim the squad by selling surplus players.

Liverpool Signings

Liverpool never spent like they have in this transfer window. They signed the prolific wing-back Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent directly. However, to replace his playmaking and threat, they needed to make a statement signing. Slot's love for an output-oriented 10 led him to Wirtz. The German international rejected multiple clubs to sign for the Reds in a record-breaking deal.

The club also signed Milos Kerkez to compete for the left-back position. Addressing the striker role was the next concern as they signed Frankfurt's sensation Hugo Ekitike. The Frenchman might not even be their starting striker as the Reds are in talks for a blockbuster move for Alexander Isak.

They are expected to sign a centre-back and even a left-winger to fill the squad. Giorgi Mamardashvili arrived from Valencia after his signing was confirmed last season. They strengthened the goalkeeper position by signing Freddie Woodman and Armin Pecsi.

Liverpool Outgoings

Trent announced he was leaving the club last season. However, he left them early, even before his contract ran out, for a small fee, as Real Madrid wanted him at the Club World Cup. Long-term goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher moved to Brentford to be their starter. Centre-back Jarell Quansah was pried away by Bayer Leverkusen.

The next big departure was that of Luis Diaz. The Colombian, who played a key role in their league triumph, was at a crossroads with the club over his new deal. Failed talks meant he was sold to Bayern Munich in the off-season for big money. Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and Elliott are expected to leave before the window ends.

Expected Liverpool Starting XI

They say do not tinker with a winning combination, but Slot is a firm non-believer in this rule. The Dutch manager ripped up Feyenoord's squad after his first season to build it in his shape, and is doing the same at Liverpool. Liverpool might start with as many as five new players in the starting lineup after winning the league the previous season.

Liverpool Starting XI is easy to build now. Alisson remains the starter in goal despite Mamardashvili's arrival. Frimpong will be expected to partner Kerkez in the full-back role as Slot demands rapid up-and-down shifts from his wide defenders. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate will start in the heart of the defence.

Ryan Gravenberch, who won the Young Player of the Year, will start alongside World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister in the pivot.

Salah has no plans of slowing down, and he will massively boost from playing alongside Wirtz, who takes the number 10 role. Cody Gakpo remains the starting left-winger for now, but that might change if the club ends up signing rumoured target Rodrygo.

Ekitike will be the starting nine unless Isak signs for the club. This gives them incredible depth in all the positions as the Liverpool Premier League double beckons them.

Liverpool Season Preview

After an incredible start, success is pretty much expected of Slot. The fans and the board alike would love to add more silverware. With the huge transfer spend, Slot will certainly feel the heat, but do not bet against the Dutch manager.

Liverpool Premier League 25/26 Season

A 20th league title was sweet, but imagine going back-to-back and lifting the 21st league title. It would take Liverpool to the top of English football with the most titles. By building an excellent squad, Slot has given them a great chance to achieve the feat.

Absence from the Club World Cup gave them a lot of time to relax in the offseason. The signings were done early in the window, allowing the new signings to gel well with their new teammates. Their opponents strengthened well, but the Reds expect to get over the line again.

Losing Jota tragically might propel the squad to do it for their teammate and honour his memory.

Sportsdunia's predicted finish for Liverpool Premier League 25/26 season: Champions

Liverpool Cups 25/26 Season

Liverpool are arguably the most successful football club in England. They would love to add another title to their famed trophy cabinet. That said, winning the Champions League has a lot of variables, and we expect them to at least make it to the semis. Going beyond that will depend on their health and freshness.

Having a deeper squad will help them compete for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup and try for an ambitious treble or quadruple.

Sportsdunia's predicted finish for Liverpool Cups 25/26 season:

Liverpool Premier League Key Fixtures 25/26

Liverpool's first big test comes in the form of last season's runners-up Arsenal when they host them in the third gameweek. The Merseyside Derby returns to Anfield on 20th September as cross-town rivals Everton visit them. 18th April will be a red-letter day as the first Merseyside Derby takes place at the newly opened Hill-Dickinson Stadium of Everton. With the game taking place in the 33rd gameweek, title and relegation implications may well be on the line.

Liverpool face Chelsea and Manchester United back to back in the first half of the season and the order reverses in the second half. Their run-in looks deadly as they visit United in the 35th gameweek and host Chelsea in the following week. Their title might be decided based on the results from these games. They play recent rivals Manchester City in November away from home before hosting them in February. Here are their key Premier League fixtures.

Learnings from Liverpool Preseason

Liverpool’s pre-season campaign for the 2025-26 Premier League season was a mix of impressive performances and a disappointing setback, as they geared up under their new manager following a successful title-winning campaign. The Premier League champions showcased their performance in several matches but faced a much-needed reality check in the recent Community Shield, losing on penalties against Crystal Palace.

• New Signings Making an Impact: Liverpool’s new signings, including the highly rated German midfield sniper, Florian Wirtz, integrated well into the squad. The same has been the case for the young French striker Hugo Ekitike, who has impressed and looks confident in replacing Darwin Nunez. Not to forget Kerkez or Frimpong, all new signings are gluing together and making a fine squad for the upcoming 2025/26 season.
• Attacking Firepower: Liverpool’s attack was relentless, especially against Preston and one of the top Spanish football teams, Athletic Club. The Reds managed to rack up 15 goals across five pre-season matches. The 4-1 thrashing of Athletic City and 1-13win over Preston highlighted their offensive depth.
• Set-Piece Vulnerabilities: Liverpool struggled defensively to pinpoint one area for improvement, its set pieces. The English champions have conceded goals in their friendly loss to AC Milan and the Community Shield final loss against Crystal Palace. This area needs urgent attention to avoid costly mistakes in the Premier League as well as in the European club competitions.

Liverpool Fans’ Expectations for the Upcoming Season

Following their Premier League triumph in 2024-25, Liverpool fans are riding a wave of optimism but remain cautious. The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid was a blow, but the Reds didn't let it bother them as they went all in and broke the record for the most expensive transfers in Premier League history for the German lad Florian Wirtz.. Supporters expect the team to defend their title and make a strong push in the UEFA Champions League, especially after reaching the league stage draw on August 28. However, the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace has raised concerns about defensive consistency. It's to be expected that new faces were introduced and are gonna take a bit of time to gel with the team. Fans are hopeful the new manager can build on last season’s success, but anything less than a trophy will be seen as a step backward for a club now accustomed to winning.