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Who Will Contest the 2024/25 Premier League Title?

By on May 8, 2024

Arsenal celebrations

It is not often that things change in the Premier League, certainly not at the top of the table. The constant battles between Manchester City and Liverpool for the league titles in recent seasons, with Arsenal also arriving on the scene in that capacity, has become a familiar storyline.

Mid-table teams shuffling around for positions, holding on to the faint glimmers of grabbing a lucrative place in Europe is another. As the curtain draws on another exciting top-flight season, we look ahead to how things could shake out next term.

Title Contenders

In the football odds and fixtures for the 2024/25 Premier League, most eyes will be on Man City and Arsenal in a two-horse title race. Arsenal’s solidity, clear identity and direction under Mikel Arteta will keep them in the title race, more so if they snap up a proven number nine.

Manchester City aren’t going to go away from the title picture. They have proven adaptability, innovation and ability to read the way the game is played around them, and they will push close for another title. They are usually innovative and will get any pieces they need to come on strong again.

But why a two-horse race? Simply because there’s no one else remotely close.

Liverpool face difficulties from this summer’s change when Jürgen Klopp departs and Arne Slot takes over. Transitions rarely equate to a title-winning bid in a new manager’s first campaign. Even in the last decade with Klopp, Liverpool only bettered Man City once in the title race.

Top Four

Liverpool’s top-four spot may not come as easily as it has in recent seasons, but they’ll get there. A lot will depend on what happens to their front line, with Mo Salah heading into the final year of his contract, and Darwin Núñez being an unreliable source of goals to fill any void in the goalscoring charts.

The other Champions League spot could be wide open and Chelsea could spring a surprise here. Mauricio Pochettino had an unstable first season, but things started to come together towards the end of the campaign. A fitter, trimmed squad and perhaps a proven goalscorer could see the young Blues advance and they have the superb Cole Palmer to build around.

Europa League – 5th

Under Ange Postecolgou, Tottenham have been equal parts thrilling in attack and disastrous in defence. His favoured high defensive line left Spurs vulnerable time and time again, with little hint of a tactical Plan B.

Spurs fans will hope that Postecolgou learned from his first season, and if Tottenham can be more flexible and adaptable, plus bring in a centre forward to relieve Son Heung-min, they can crack the top five.

Europa Conference League – 6th

Will Aston Villa be able to sustain their great work from last season by returning to the top six? Unai Emery did a tremendous job for them, but the top opposition often figured them out. So while they need more in what feels like a sophomore season for them at this heightened level to finish any higher than sixth, Villa can still lock in a spot in Europe again ahead of Newcastle.

It’s hard to judge the Magpies’ development last season with so many injuries and the failed Champions League campaign. They won’t have that degree of pressure this time around, but their life still won’t be made any easier by financial constraints this summer.

Arguably, the struggles for Chelsea and Man Utd made Newcastle’s position slightly better than it was last term. There were clear times last season when Newcastle didn’t have the depth, so could just miss out on that top six.

Outside Shots

If the FA Cup winner finishes in the top five, then the Europa League spot goes to the sixth-place finisher, and 7th place takes the Europa Conference League spot. So there is usually an extra place in Europe up for grabs that’s worth looking at.

It would be surprising if Newcastle fell outside the top eight, so they have to be in the picture. Brighton need a big improvement after stalling last season but could be a good outsider for Europe.

Wolves have a decent platform to build on under Gary O’Neil. With the addition of more up front, better fortune and defensive depth, Wolves may not be too far away from the top seven.

What could help the likes of Brighton and Wolves, is that Manchester United need a massive overhaul, potentially keeping them out of the picture, while Julen Lopetegui isn’t likely to change things at West Ham so much that they get a shot.