Manchester City claimed the 2021/22 Premier League title on the final day, finishing one point ahead of Liverpool. What do bookmakers make of each contender’s chances so far this season?
Who are the favourites to win the Premier League?
The last five Premier League titles have been shared between two clubs. The bulk of those (four) has been claimed by Manchester City who are seeking to become only the second team in the Premier League era to three-peat. Manchester United, under legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson managed this feat, which has eluded Pep Guardiola’s men, on two separate occasions. City were pushed to the limit last season and needed to register their third-highest points total to fend off Liverpool who were expected be their biggest threat.
Jurgen Klopp’s side came agonisingly close to recording an unprecedented quadruple. The Reds have finished third or higher in each of the last four seasons, averaging 89.25 points per campaign, among this run was a championship which ended the club’s 30-year wait to be English football’s number one team. That honour is something Man Utd want to claim again. Under Erik ten Hag, the club are once again rubbing shoulders with the title-chasers.
But, it’s been Arsenal who have shown the greatest desire to lift English football’s most prized trophy. The Gunners are currently setting the pace atop the table, have lost just three games this campaign, and are playing some scintillating football to boot. After giving away consecutive 2-0 leads to draw 2-2 and then drawing 3-3 with bottom side Southampton, however, Man City can oust the Gunners at the top of the table if they win their games in hand and beat Mikel Arteta’s side when they meet at the Etihad on Wednesday.
Who are the favourites?
Man City
Pep Guardiola’s men came up short in their concluding game before the World Cup after a late Ivan Toney winner secured Brentford a rare three points at the Etihad. That relative giant killing allowed Arsenal to capitalise on their game in hand against Wolves and carve out a five-point buffer heading into the autumnal hiatus. The gap of five points was maintained as Man City returned from the World Cup break with a 3-1 win over Leeds.
Following that win, Man City blew hot and cold for a while, with dropped points against Everton and Nottingham Forest, as well as defeats to Man Utd and Tottenham. However, since a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest two months ago, Man City have been perfect, winning seven games in a row including a 4-1 defeat of title rivals Arsenal, a game that might have very well determined who wins the league.
Arsenal
As mentioned, Arsenal have been emphatic this season and went into the New Year at the top of the Premier League table, a scenario almost completely at odds with their inauspicious start last campaign, in which they lost their opening three games. Indeed, the Gunners have looked like genuine title challengers throughout the season and they are back in the box seat after a slight wobble in February.
Arteta’s side suffered defeats to Everton and City, as well as drawing with Bournemouth, but the capital club bounced back with successive wins over Aston Villa, Leicester, the Toffees and Bournemouth, bagging last-minute winners in the former and latter matches. Three more wins followed against Fulham, Crystal Palace and Leeds, with Arsenal becoming the first team in Premier League history to win nine London derbies in a single season. Those results have kept Arsenal in the driving seat, but a last-gasp equaliser from Bobby Firmino at Anfield, and further points dropped against West Ham and Southampton, cut the gap to five points to City, who made it two and they have two games in hand.
Premier League outright odds: Other markets
You can bet on many more outright markets than just the Premier League winner. As well as backing a team to lift the famous trophy, many bookmakers offer markets such as To Finish Top Four, To Be Relegated, To Finish In The Top Half, Without the Big Six and even more player specific markets such as the Top Scorer and the PFA Player of the Year winner.
Culled from squawka.com
