Sports
Who is Best Placed to lift the Premier League Title this Season?
The Premier League has been one of the most competitive leagues for many years, despite the fact the name Manchester City has been etched onto the trophy in five of the last six seasons.
The only team to break that run is Liverpool in the 2019-20 season. And both protagonists are firmly involved in a hotly contested title race this season involving five teams. But who is currently in the best shape to add their name to the lengthy list of past winners?
Reigning champions Manchester City are amongst the firm favourites to add their eighth Premier League title to the trophy cabinet in the Etihad Stadium. And the worry for their rivals, is that they only really get going in January. Pep Guardiola recently said it is important to “remain patient” in the title race, but the Spaniard might feel that now is the time to put the foot down.
The return of Kevin De Bruyne, marked by a goal and an assist in a mesmerising 20-minute cameo from the Belgian against Newcastle United, gives Manchester City a huge boost going into the back stretch of the season. Bet365 Thailand users will also be celebrating the timely return from injury of goal machine Erling Haaland, which further cements Manchester City’s status as one of the favourites. A fully fit City squad certainly swings the odds in their favour, especially when other teams might soon encounter some issues.
Liverpool are back to their best and will want to give departing manager Jürgen Klopp the best farewell possible. The news of the German’s departure at the end of the season sent shockwaves around the world, and their hopes of adding another Premier League title might rest on the fitness of Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian was injured while on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and the injury is worse than originally suspected. Should Salah spend longer on the sidelines, players such as Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez and Luis Diaz will need to step up.
Arsenal are still motivated to go one step further than last season and lift their first title since the 2003-04 season, but their ambitions might be hampered by the lack of a goalscoring “number 9.” Despite that, The Gunners put five goals past Crystal Palace on 20th January. And surprise package Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspurs will not want to be discounted. Villa’s hopes could depend on how their squad fares with the resumption of the Europa Conference League and how far they go, while the return of James Maddison will breathe new life into Tottenham Hotspurs’ outside chances.
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