Rating Top Four’s Title Credentials
With the busy festive period of football fast approaching, Nick Seddon looks at the current top four in the English Premier League standings and rates their respective seasons so far at almost the halfway stage.
1. Liverpool (37 points)
It’s certainly been a case of substance over style at times for Liverpool, who have mastered the art of getting the job done. A disappointing campaign last term led to a total revamp of the midfield, with the arrival of younger legs in the engine room allowing them to gradually move back towards the counter pressing system which has served them so well under Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds were at times devastating last season but lacked consistency, so the fact they’re showing an ability to grind out results is reflected in the fact they are the 3.45 second favourites behind Manchester City to win the title. They have ridden their luck at times however and the festive break could be crucial, with tricky ties against Arsenal (twice), Newcastle and Manchester United sure to test their credentials.
2. Arsenal (36 points)
The Gunners fell agonisingly short with their surprise Title challenge last season and they have picked up from where they left off this time around, sitting one point off top and winning their Champions League group with relative ease.
The £105m arrival of Declan Rice headlined a £200m spending spree in the summer and, while star signing Rice has undoubtedly impressed, an injury to Jurrien Timber and the struggles of £65m man Kai Havertz means their squad still feels a little bit bare. Especially in the final third of the pitch.
The Gunners have been linked with several strikers in January but must first negotiate a Christmas period which includes tough games against Brighton, West Ham and Liverpool (twice). Their price of 3.80 with kwiff shows they should be taken seriously in their title bid, though a sustained run in either the Champions League or the FA Cup would push their resources further.
3. Aston Villa (35 points)
To say that Aston Villa have been the surprise package of the season would perhaps be an injustice to the job that Unai Emery has done since arriving last October, guiding his side out of relegation trouble and into the Conference League places thanks to a scintillating run of form.
There’s no doubt that Villa were underperforming under Steven Gerrard 12 months ago, but the summer arrivals of Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby in particular have allowed them to take their performances up a notch.
A series of stunning performances, including the recent scalps of Manchester City and Arsenal, means we have to consider them as title challengers at this stage. Festive fixtures against Brentford, Sheffield United, Manchester United and Burnley will tell us more, but Villa’s odds of 14.10 suggests that plenty feel they’ll struggle to keep this up – particularly if they go far in Europe or the FA Cup.
4. Manchester City (33 points)
Last year’s treble winners were largely expected to dominate on all fronts once again, though they will have to fight if they are to repeat the feat. Defeat at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup in September quickly ended their quadruple hopes, while each of Wolves, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea have taken points off them in the league.
It leaves Guardiola’s men four points off top heading into the festive period, though there’s a distinct feeling that they’re yet to hit top gear. City’s Christmas schedule will be a reduced one due to their participation in the Club World Cup, playing Everton and Sheffield United, but they remain the 1.74 favourites to win a record fourth straight title.
City have shown an ability to step things up a gear in the second half of the season under Guardiola – recording 12 straight wins when chasing down Arsenal last season. It would be incredibly foolish to rule them out just yet; it ain’t Pep’s first rodeo!
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By Nick Seddon
