The ongoing 2023/24 Premier League campaign has been a rollercoaster ride right from its August kick-off. Initially, Tottenham Hotspur emerged as a potential title contender, raising eyebrows across the country. However, true to the way of the Tottenham - as Giorgio Chiellini so aptly once put it - Spurs began to falter, dashing hopes of a sustained challenge.
In a similar vein, Arsenal, their North London counterparts, harboured aspirations of their own and aimed to build on last season's accomplishments, ultimately quenching their elusive Premier League trophy thirst, which has lasted 20 years. Regrettably for the Gunners’ faithful, they too have endured a recent downturn in form and fortune, losing their last two games on the bounce and falling five points adrift of the league leaders.
But North London's loss has been the North West's gain, and Manchester City and Liverpool have once again emerged as the dominant forces. Over the past few years, these two have battled it out for the title on multiple occasions. From 2018 to 2022, they went head-to-head three times, with the Citizens winning the title twice, with the margin of victory on both occasions being just one point. Let's take a look at our protagonists in depth and determine who exactly will win the league this year.
Manchester City
The reigning champions are none other than the Etihad Stadium side, who managed to overthrow Arsenal last season to claim their third straight English top-flight crown. Adding to their already illustrious legacy, they also clinched both the FA Cup and that elusive maiden UEFA Champions League, the one trophy that their owners so desperately craved when they took over the club back in 2008. Their triumph made them the first English team to achieve a treble since their cross-town rivals, Manchester United, accomplished the feat in 1999, and they will be aiming to replicate that again this term.
Pep Guardiola's squad has demonstrated remarkable prowess this season, but they haven't looked like the imperious team that their rivals have come to fear. With only 12 victories out of their initial 19 matches, they currently hold the fourth spot in the standings and trail leaders Liverpool by five points. However, online sports betting sites still make them the favorites, with some outlets pricing them as short as -120. But what possibly odds providers see in City that make them still crown as possible champions?
Their lineup is as formidable as ever though. Spearheaded by Erling Haaland, the league's leading scorer with an impressive tally of 14 goals, as well as a Phil Foden, who has returned to his very best in recent months. Moreover, the imminent return of their influential captain, Kevin De Bruyne, after recovering from his injury, only adds to City's dominant position as favourites.
Liverpool
Liverpool have experienced phenomenal success in the last decade or so, returning to the type of triumphs that saw them become the dominant club in the country back in the 1980s. They clinched the Premier League after a drought of almost thirty years in 2020, as well as securing their sixth European Cup victory the year before that, with a 2-0 victory over Spurs in Madrid. Despite being contenders once more this term, they encountered numerous challenges last season, mainly due to adapting to a revamped attacking trio.
Jurgen Klopp's squad has encountered its fair share of obstacles this season. However, they recently clinched back-to-back victories against Newcastle and Burnley, bouncing back from discouraging draws against Manchester United and Arsenal at Anfield. Their former feared attacking trident of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino is no more, and the Reds have undergone a transformation in recent years. Mane and Firmino have made way for promising talents such as Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Cody Gakpo. While these new additions possess undeniable skill, their ability to handle the pressures of a title race remains to be seen.
Long Shots
If this article had been produced a month ago, Arsenal would have been perceived as a legitimate contender. However, their recent run of poor form with only one victory in the last five matches, including three losses and two consecutive defeats, has pushed them down to a distant third place in terms of favourites. Despite having their strongest squad in years, they still seem vulnerable after their disappointing performance last season.
Heading into the penultimate month of last season, Mikel Arteta's men held a lead of eight points over their closest contenders, Manchester City. However, their fortunes quickly took a turn for the worse as they threw away two-goal leads in back-to-back games against Liverpool and Arsenal. To add insult to injury, they suffered a resounding 4-1 humbling at the hands of their closest rivals effectively ending their season. It appears they may still very well be mentally fragile from that heartache, and it remains to be seen whether they can bounce back as the title race heads down the stretch.
Aston Villa have also made a remarkable leap into the title race this season. Under Unai Emery's guidance, the Villans have climbed to a commendable third place in the current standings. Despite their lofty position, the team would likely be content with a top-six finish and potentially securing success in the Europa Conference League. Anything beyond that would be considered as the cherry on top of an already impressive cake.
