After Liverpool landed their first Premier League title in 2019-20, normal service was resumed for Manchester City last season as manager Pep Guardiola guided them to their fifth Premier League title and their seventh top-flight league success in total.
But, what does the betting look like ahead of next season (2021-22) in the Premier League?
2021-22 Premier League Outright Betting
Football fans have had the Euros to fill the football summer void, but many will be counting the days down to the start of the new season.
The action gets underway on Friday 13th August with Premier League new boys Brentford hosting Arsenal, then the other 18 sides will play out their opening fixtures on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th August.
Looking at the current Premier League betting market, the bookmakers have the current champions – Manchester City – around 1.66, with Liverpool and Chelsea next best at 6.00, then Manchester United at 9.00. It’s 41.00 plus the rest. (odds are subject to change).
Therefore, the betting very much has a ‘one-horse race’ feel to it. We can expect Man City to strengthen-up a fair bit during the transfer window in the summer too with names like Harry Kane rumoured to be on their shopping list.
Manchester City had 12 points in-hand at the end of the 2020-21 Premier League campaign, so the others do have a fair gap to close.
Champions League winners – Chelsea – are a lot shorter in the outright betting then they’ve been in more recent times and are many people’s idea of the main challengers to City. The blues manager – Thomas Tuchel – has bedded in well to his new role and by winning the Champions League, and beating Man City in the final, he’ll know his players are more than capable of going close in the league too – they just need to maintain the form better over the long season.
The 2019-20 winners – Liverpool – certainly can’t be ruled out though. Many will look to the many big-name injuries last season, like Virgil Van Dijk , as the main reason the Reds were so far off the pace and unable to successfully defend their title.
Most of their big names, including Henderson, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk will be back and raring to go – add in their stalwarts up front – Salah, Mane and Firmino – then it would be foolish to write them off not bouncing back.
Manchester United finished second to rivals, Manchester City, last season – 12 points adrift. But in the Red Devils are only fourth best in the outright betting market at around 9.00. They’ve bolstered up their squad with the likes of Jadon Sancho over the summer, while defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw had a decent tournament at the Euros and seem to both be growing into their roles at Old Trafford nicely.
What About The Rest? Tottenham and Arsenal both seem to have fallen off the pace in recent season and there is a chance that Harry Kane (Spurs) might not even with them next season – they are 41.00, with Arsenal and Leicester both 51.00. After that trio it really is ‘name your price’ stuff.
Overall, it would be a huge shock if Manchester City are not good enough to defend their title.
Yes, Liverpool will be a lot stronger this season with most of their big names back from injury, while Chelsea are the European Champions are a case can certainly be made for them.
But Chelsea will need to be a lot more consistent in their league over the 38 games, while it will be interesting to see how Liverpool go – can they hit the ground running with some of their main players being out for so long. Will they need several games to get back going?
You feel Spurs and Arsenal are a fair way off the pace of the main four, but with Manchester United finishing runners-up last season (12 points adrift), then the Red Devils look the value against City. United have done well in the transfer window too over the summer and still managed to finish 5 points and 7 points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea last season.
BEST BET: MANCHESTER CITY @1.66
NEXT BEST: MANCHESTER UNITED 9.00
PREMIER LEAGUE WINNERS BY TEAM (Started in 1992-93)
MANCHESTER UNITED -13 MANCHESTER CITY -5 CHELSEA -5 ARSENAL – 3 BLACKBURN ROVERS -1 LIVERPOOL -1 LEICESTER CITY – 1
PREMIER LEAGUE – RECENT WINNERS
2020-21: MANCHESTER CITY 2019-20: LIVERPOOL
2018-19: MANCHESTER CITY
2017-18: MANCHESTER CITY
2016-17: CHELSEA
2015-16: LEICESTER CITY
2014-14: CHELSEA
2013-14: MANCHESTER CITY
2012-13: MANCHESTER UNITED
2011-12: MANCHESTER CITY
2010-11: MANCHESTER UNITED
2009-10: CHELSEA
2008-09: MANCHESTER UNITED
2007-08: MANCHESTER UNITED
2006-07: MANCHESTER UNITED
2005-06: CHELSEA
2004-05: CHELSEA
2003-04: ARSENAL