Premier League 2023/24 Contenders
The 2023/24 English Premier League season is already underway, with the action from the top tier of English soccer coming thick and fast between now and spring. Manchester City started as the defending champions, and Pep Guardiola's men arrive fresh from a history-making treble. The Cityzens grabbed their third Premier League title in three years before adding the FA Cup, beating Manchester United at Wembley and the Champions League with a win over Inter Milan.
Many football fans, pundits, and traders working at the top gambling apps from London to sites offering sports betting in Missouri expect more of the same. Man City was the pre-competition favorite to make it four league titles on the bounce. Will the champions live up to those lofty expectations, or will they become victims of their success? City must fight on all fronts this term, including in England, the Champions League, and Club World Cup. A punishing schedule awaits.
Four titles in a row are well within the champions' reach, but they'll get nothing cheaply this season, especially domestically. The sharks are circling, with Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal among the leading contenders to City's crown. The 125th season and 32nd of the Premier League era promises to be one of the most competitive in memory. But which team will finish as champions?
Do you expect Pep's stars to defend their prize, or will the Gunners go one better than last season's near-miss? Spurs are shaping up like they mean business, too.
All systems are go
With the Premier League season already underway, five games old, and heading towards October, the division is beginning to take shape. The strongest teams have forced their way to the head of the pack and are already chasing the prize places. They join the best-performing underdogs who have taken inspiration from teams like Newcastle United and West Ham United, who performed above expectations in recent years. It's tight at the top, and we expect the race for the top four to go to the wire.
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Things are also taking shape at the opposite end of the EPL table, with the early strugglers sinking to the foot of the table. Relegation is already a threat for some teams, including Everton, who have been poor since the start, failing to escape last season's problems. The Toffees and their fellow strugglers, including Luton Town and Burnley, have given fans little to cheer, but there's still plenty of football to play. Could the Toffees, Hatters, and Clarets pull clear of the danger?
While the league is beginning to take shape, so is the player awards. Man City striker Erling Haaland suffered a slow start by his high standards but soon found his shooting boots and led the top scorer awards after five games. The Norwegian attacker has already bagged seven goals and one assist, making him the pundits' choice to win the Golden Boot and Premier League top scorer. Brighton's Evan Ferguson and Crystal Palace's Odsonne Edouard provide the early competition.
Main runners in the title race
According to betting traders and experts, Man City started the season as the most likely team to win the title, and they've begun the campaign in style. City hit the front in the opening week and have yet to look back, winning each of their first five games to take control of the competition. Unlike last season, when Pep's champions suffered a slow start and didn't find their form until January, they're already setting the heather alight.
Man City collected 15 points in their first five games, scored 14 goals, and conceded just three. That effort makes them the league's second-highest scorers behind Brighton and the best defense, conceding fewer than Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal. A strong attack scores goals and entertains fans, but a solid defense wins titles. That sturdy backline could distinguish between success and failure in such a busy season.
Armchair soccer fans got a taste of what to expect from City when they flattened Fulham 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium in September. It was a fixture the champions had to win, but pundits thought the Cottagers would be more competitive. Goals from Alvarez, Ake, and a Haaland hattrick kept the champions on course for a fourth title while inflicting punishment on Fulham and their fans, who know the team must perform better.
Spurs strong start
After five games, Tottenham is the champion's closest rival, with Ange Postecoglou's team in second place. The born-again Londoners drew their opening match of the season when finishing 2-2 across the city at Brentford in a baptism of fire for Ange, who took charge in the summer.
But the EPL's first Australian manager settled quickly. Spurs claimed 13 of the first 15 points, scoring 13 goals and conceding five. Fans of Tottenham got a taste of what to expect from their new boss when watching Spurs fight back from 1-0 down to beat Sheffield United 2-1 thanks to two stoppage-time goals.
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The Aussie famously bellowed, "We never stop," and his team is living up to their manager's hype. Do they have what it takes to keep pushing and secure a top-four finish or challenge for the Premier League title? Only time will tell.
Gunners take aim
Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to a second-place finish behind Man City in the Premier League last season, securing a long-overdue return to Champions League football. Can the Gunners go one better this term and win the title?
Arsenal started brightly, winning four and drawing one of their first five games, scoring nine goals and conceding four. The Gunners must find their shooting boots to challenge a Man City team that has scored five more goals.
Reds back in business
Jurgen Klopp's 2020 Premier League champions were poor last season, and the manager knew much better was expected this season. The Reds started well, winning four, drawing one, scoring a dozen, and conceding four.
A top-four finish and return to the Champions League is the least fans expect this term, and certain players will feel they have some making up to do to the fans after last term's horror show.
