EPL Team Outlook: Manchester City Seeks 6th Title In 7 Years
Following an uneventful offseason in men’s soccer, the Premier League is back in full force this August as 20 clubs will battle to be crowned the kings of England. But to do that, the 19 other clubs will have to figure out how to stop the powerhouse that is Manchester City. The Citizens have won five of the past six Premier League titles and have cemented themselves as one of the best dynasties the English top division has ever seen.
We preview their upcoming season and look at the best bets you should consider when backing them.
EPL Team Outlooks: Liverpool | Manchester United | Tottenham
Why You Should Be Bullish
Arguably the best player in the world is surrounded by a wide array of talent who has one focus: get him service in front of the net. It was on full display last season as Erling Haaland found the net 36 times in 35 matches, setting a new record for the most goals scored by a player in a Premier League season. With Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and many others pushing the ball forward and constantly looking for openings to feed the world’s best striker, defending this club is even more of a nightmare for the rest of the league.
Why You Should Be Bearish
Some of the marquee players at the club aren’t getting younger any time soon. De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan, and Kyle Walker are just a few north of 30 years old and will be embarking on another gruesome schedule consisting of four competitions, all while logging around 30 Premier League matches. If a few injuries rack up for City, this squad doesn’t quite have the depth of years past and could lead to some tricky tactical decisions ahead of manager Pep Guardiola.
Breakout Player: ST Julian Alvarez
Getting any recognition as the understudy to the best goal-scoring season in Premier League history is understandably challenging. Still, Julian Alvarez put together an incredibly efficient season in 2022-23. The Argentinian scored eight goals across 13 starts and became a regular member of the starting XI towards the end of the season.
X-Factor: MF Mateo Kovacic
After allowing the second-most goals in 2022-23 than they had in any of the previous six seasons, a central defensive midfielder like Mateo Kovacic is a quality signing for City. His arrival will provide further midfield dominance and defensive stability in front of what could be a newer center-back pairing as the club ushers in Josko Gvardiol into their backline. If Kovacic can improve the first-team defense, no club can compete with City atop the Premier League in 2023-24.
2023-24 Premier League Title Odds: -150
As dominant as Manchester City has been over the past several years, it’s impossible to advise a minus-money wager on a nine-month-long future where so much could happen from now until May. There are enough older players and slightly less depth to make some concern for injuries impacting the club, whereas a club like Arsenal did well to outpace City for most of the season. Don’t bother laying such a steep price here.
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