The race for Champions League qualification is so congested as Premier League giants, and upstarts, scrap for the (likely) five spots available.

A change at the top? And what do our writer, the algorithm, a child and this week's subscriber expect to see on Matchday 25?

Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Brentford (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Rice, Zubimendi; Madueke, Havertz, Martinelli; Gyökeres. Arsenal eased to a routine victory in the reverse fixture at the start of December, but Thursday’s game is bound to be a bitty, stodgy affair decided by the barest of margins.

Here are our predictions for the midweek Premier League action, which comes at a pivotal point of the 2025-26 season.