The Premier League is one of the most popular domestic soccer competitions worldwide.
Featuring clubs such as Manchester United and Liverpool, known on every continent, it is a magnet for the best players. This season is no different; there are many new signings to keep an eye on, including Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez and Lisandro Martinez.
Players don’t always mean prizes; success comes from having a good group of players, not just headline acts, a tactically minded coach, and a little luck. That said, the Premier League is something of a closed shop; only seven clubs have won it since 1993, and three of those teams have only triumphed once. Of the 30 titles since the league began, 24 have been won by just three clubs; Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Will those clubs be in the running this season? The Premier League betting odds at Coral suggest one of those teams will be involved in a two-horse race, possibly adding to their tally. The other 18 clubs, including Man Utd and Chelsea, have little to no chance in most pundits’ eyes. So, who are the favorites? Which clubs could spring a surprise? We’ve got the breakdown of four for you here.
Manchester City
Manchester City are the reigning champions, and the smart money would be on them to repeat the performance this season. They have sold England international Raheem Sterling; he scored 131 goals in 339 outings for City and has now moved to Chelsea. Incomings include Erling Haaland, described by CNN as the last piece of City’s Champions League jigsaw. The one thing that may work against Pep Guardiola’s side is their hunt for European success; they’d swap the Premier League for the Champions League all day long.
Liverpool
In an agonising turnaround, Liverpool missed out on a second Premier League title on the final day of the season, and it seems incomprehensible they’ve only won the competition once. They dominated English soccer in the Eighties, and despite having a couple of Champions League titles in the bank, their fans desire domestic silverware to boost bragging rights. They’ve lost Sadio Mane this summer, replacing him with Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, but they’re looking as strong as ever and will push City all the way
Newcastle United
Newcastle were once one of the strongest teams in the Premier League, finishing second in 1996 and 1997. Their best position this century was fifth in 2012, but since returning in 2017, they haven’t finished higher than tenth. Things are changing in the north east this season; Eddie Howe is a bright, up-and-coming manager with millions at his disposal. They’ve added Sven Botman, Matt Targett and Nick Pope so far but are expected to splash the cash before the window closes. When you add Bruno Guimaraes, one of the signings of the season in the winter they could be a surprise package that upset the status quo at the top of the table.
Chelsea
If the title is to find its way to London, then it will likely be in the hands of Chelsea. They had a fright last season; Roman Abramovic left the club due to restrictions imposed by the British government, and for a while, it looked like the Blues might falter. However, a strong summer has seen them recruit Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly and retain top stars like Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic. They could well be dark horses, especially now the shadow of last season has been shrugged off.
