Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.
The 2020/21 Premier League campaign has yet to conclude, but thoughts are already are turning to next season when the division’s title contenders start with a clean slate.
bet365 have released their Premier League outright betting for next season with champions-elect Manchester City once again topping the market, however, behind Pep Guardiola’s relentless Citizens, there has been some interesting movement in the odds.
Liverpool were clear 2nd favourites at the beginning of the current campaign; however, Jurgen Klopp’s side find themselves behind traditional rivals Manchester United in the pecking order with Chelsea just behind as fourth-best.
bet365’s Steve Freeth “There was some debate at the beginning of this season as to why Manchester City were starting as favourites after Liverpool had won the league so convincingly – there won’t be many eyebrows raised in seeing the Citizens sitting at the top of the betting once again.”
“The big movers are Manchester United, who after a solid season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, find themselves as second-favourites with an out-of-sorts Liverpool struggling to finish in those all-important Champions League places.”
Remember – you can find all of our latest top-flight betting tips and analysis on our Premier League predictions page.
Premier League 2021/22 outright odds
- Manchester City – 4/6
- Manchester United – 9/2
- Liverpool – 5/1
- Chelsea – 7/1
- Tottenham Hotspur – 40/1
- Leicester City – 40/1
- Arsenal – 66/1
- Everton – 100/1
Premier League 2021/22 title contenders
4/6 Manchester City the team to beat again
Manchester City look like winning their seventh league title at a canter this season, and armed with the deepest squad along with the biggest financial clout, Pep Guardiola’s Citizens will be the team to beat again in 2021/22.
It’s difficult to find many positions that need strengthening at City over the summer, however, with club icon Sergio Aguero moving to pasture’s new, the Manchester giants are in the market for a centre-forward.
While budgets are tight for their rivals, City have the deepest pockets in football, and if they do sanction a deal for either of their primary targets, Erling Haaland or Harry Kane, the Citizens will be an even more frightening prospect for their challengers next term.
Glazers’ frugality to hold 9/2 Manchester United back?
The Glazer family could have coined the term “never let a good crisis go to waste” and the controversial American owners were content to watch their rivals outspend United against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic last summer.
Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa, Leeds, Wolves and even Sheffield United splashed more cash than the Red Devils last year, and the same reluctance to spend in 2021 could see United passed by some of their more ambitious counterparts.
United are on course for a solid second-place finish and Champions League qualification in successive seasons for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, though it could be difficult for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to exceed expectations again in 2022/22 without top-level reinforcements.
5/1 Liverpool could bounce back
Liverpool’s collapse has been one of the Premier League’s most compelling plotlines this season, and few could have anticipated the Reds’ rapid descent from title winners to top-four outsiders inside the space of nine months.
Much of Liverpool’s plight has been attributed to the season-long injury to Virgil van Dijk, but in truth, there seems to be more at play than the Dutch defender’s absence alone.
Several of Jurgen Klopp’s key performers seem to be in the grip of a crisis of confidence, though motivational issues and burnout could also be factors following two all-conquering campaigns for the same set of players.
With Van Dijk fit and firing and Liverpool expected to throw their weight around in the market, a Reds team with pride to restore still look the biggest challengers to Man City’s crown.
7/1 Chelsea a potential darkhorse?
Lavish spenders in the summer of 2020, Chelsea were tipped to launch a Premier League title charge this season, however, Frank Lampard paid the price when few of the club’s marquee signings delivered.
Lampard was replaced by German tactician Thomas Tuchel in January and his blueprint has turned Chelsea into a formidable, tough-to-beat outfit that leans on defensive solidity for success.
The next step for Tuchel is to make things click further up the pitch, and extracting better performances out of his compatriots Timo Werner and Kai Havertz would help.
Chelsea are certain to hand another summer war chest to their new manager in the summer window, and some smart maneuvering could make the Blues an interesting prospect in next season’s title race.
More betting news:
European leagues outright odds and predictions
FST on fire with another six winners on Sunday
Premier League top 4 & relegation predictions
Champions League semi-final bet builder tips
All of Europe’s top leagues are covered in our football predictions, from the Spanish La Liga to the French Ligue 1. No matter where your interests lie, Free Super Tips has you sorted.
