Can Any Team Dethrone Manchester City at the Top of Premier League?

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We are right in the middle of a summer of soccer across Europe and South America, with the two biggest international tournaments that are not called the World Cup.

But the UEFA EURO 2020 and 2021 Copa America will be coming to a close on the weekend of July 10/11, and then all the focus of the soccer betting world will turn back to the domestic leagues all around Europe.

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Amazing, isn’t it? It feels as though we just ended the 2020-21 season. We did, actually: the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final was just four weeks ago.

If you remember that game, Chelsea beat heavy favorites Manchester City 1-0 to lift its second European Cup. The amazing thing about that is, Chelsea beat the Cityzens three times down the stretch of the last campaign, in three different competitions.

So you would think Chelsea might be the favorites to win the 2021-22 Premier League title, right?

Nope.

Manchester City comes into the new season, which kicks off on Friday, August 13 with newly-promoted Brentford hosting Arsenal, as the overwhelming choice with sports books yet again this campaign. The Cityzens are priced with odds of around -150 to win the Premier League 21-22 title outright, with Chelsea coming in as second choice at +500. Liverpool, which had a disappointing run last year after its first English championship in three decades, is third choice at odds of +550, with last season’s runners-up Manchester United fourth choice with odds of +650 with Illinois betting apps.

Then, the odds fall off a cliff to Leicester City at +3300 and Tottenham at +4000.

So basically, what that is telling me is, four teams can win the title, but Manchester City is the clear choice.

Chelsea did win those three matches down the stretch against the Cityzens, but also won just half (19 of 38) its games over the course of the season. Manchester City got a big break last December when it had a game postponed due to COVID-19, which allowed the club to get some much-needed rest in the busiest time of the season.

The reason the Cityzens are favored is due to their depth, as well as the signings they are linked to in the transfer window. Manchester United could be a very dangerous team, but might be one year away from challenging the depth of City.

This should be City’s year, with United and Chelsea set to challenge in 2022-23.

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