Chelsea are finding out first-hand just how tough it is at the top considering they’re still priced out as underdogs to win the Premier League title despite leading after 14 games.
Bet365 offers 3/1 odds on Thomas Tuchel’s pace-setters steering their way to a seventh top-flight crown come May, a signal there’s a lack of faith in the Blues’ staying power.
Second-place Manchester City reside as 4/6 favourites to finish first despite sitting a point off the peak, with Pep Guardiola well-fancied to secure a fourth Premier League gong in five seasons.
Liverpool complete a front three at 7/2 another point behind City, offering another potentially high-value investment at this point in the campaign.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left Manchester United’s helm as they sat eighth in the table and 12 points off the summit, but even then 150/1 odds may tempt the more adventurous.
Wales247 takes a look at the top contenders in the hunt for this year’s Premier League title and their chances as we approach the mid-season mark.
Manchester City (4/6)
The one-point gap between City and the summit clearly isn’t enough to convince bettors nor bookies that the Citizens won’t come good in the end.
Guardiola has finished atop the Premier League in three of his five campaigns at the Etihad Stadium to date, proving his superiority among England’s other big spenders more often than not:
Guardiola: 204 matches
Mourinho: 230 matches
Ferguson: 247 matches
Wenger: 258 matchesPep Guardiola is the fastest manager to reach 150 wins in Premier League history 👑 pic.twitter.com/A2EglFcGNM
— GOAL (@goal) December 2, 2021
City’s top scorer in the league this term, Bernardo Silva, has only five goals to his name, but it’s the strength of the Etihad organism as a whole that makes them such a consistent threat.
Two of the three goals City have conceded at home this season came in an anomalous 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, though they’ve won just as many points away (16) as they have at the Etihad.
Chelsea (3/1)
While one could argue the Blues may not boast quite the same strength in depth as City, there’s a lot to be said for the impact Tuchel has had in tilting Chelsea toward success in 2021.
The reigning kings of Europe have suffered a joint-low sole defeat in the Premier League this season, one fewer than Guardiola’s side and level with Liverpool.
Romelu Lukaku has yet to light England alight since his return to Stamford Bridge, but his three goals in nine appearances doesn’t tell the full story in what he brings to the team.
Chelsea have looked particularly comfortable on the road and remain the only team in the Premier League yet to lose an away game this term.
Liverpool (7/2)
Two points off the top and only marginally behind Chelsea at the sportsbooks, 7/2 Liverpool could well be the best bet of the bunch as they seek a second title in three years.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds may have conceded twice as many goals as the current leaders (12), but their 43 goals is at least 10 more than any other team.
In Mohamed Salah, Liverpool have a player of Ballon d’Or-worthy calibre and a generational talent capable of inspiring the side, backed by a world-class defensive line-up to boot.
The Reds face a daunting trip to the Etihad in April ahead of a favourable-looking end-of-season run-in.
Next PL Manager to be Sacked Odds
| Club | Odds |
| Manchester City | 4/6 |
| Chelsea | 3/1 |
| Liverpool | 7/2 |
| Manchester United | 150/1 |
| Arsenal | 250/1 |
| West Ham United | 250/1 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 250/1 |
| Leicester City | 500/1 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 500/1 |
