2021/22 Premier League Odds & Season Preview: Man City Enter as Odds-on Favorites

• The new English Premier League season kicks off on Friday, August 13th at 3:00 pm EST with Brentford vs Arsenal
• Manchester City start the season as odds-on favorites to win it after a summer of big spending
• We look at possible winners of the EPL title, take a look at the odds, and offer the best bet below

The 2021-22 English Premier League season kicks off on Friday, August 13th at 3:00 pm EST with Brentford vs Arsenal, so now is the perfect time to look at the favorites for the title and those who could be pushing for top four and top six.

The usual suspects of Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are in the frame, but we will look to see if there are any outsiders who could push them for a European place.

We list the EPL odds, contenders, longshots and offer below our best bet for the new season.

English Premier League 2021-22 Odds

Odds as of August 11 at DraftKings

Man City’s Title to Lose

Before a ball has even been kicked, it already feels like Man City’s EPL title to lose after the reigning champions added Aston Villa and England star Jack Grealish to their squad over the last week. Grealish brings with him a level of flair and unpredictability that, it could be argued, was the one element missing from Pep Guardiola’s imperious title winners of last season.

Signing off the session like 👇@JackGrealish 🔥

🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/WQs3QGKa9S

— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 10, 2021

With Grealish operating alongside Kevin de Bruyne, it is a midfield combo that will trouble even the most organized and solid defenses, both in the EPL and the Champions League. If Guardiola, as rumored, is able to also bring in England captain Harry Kane from Tottenham then that would make for an even more formidable strike force, one that would be the envy of every team in the world, maybe apart from PSG.

Tuchel’s Chelsea to Push City Hard

Pushing Man City very hard though will be Chelsea who, let’s not forget, beat the Cityzens in last season’s Champions League final. Thomas Tuchel’s men will have taken great confidence and belief from that night in Porto and, backed by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, will likely be spending big in the next three weeks to try and close the gap on City.

Blues. 💙 pic.twitter.com/pvw9oEiFMl

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 10, 2021

In a slow summer transfer market, no big names have so far arrived at Stamford Bridge but that is about to change with Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku expected to complete a £97.5million return this week. The Blues are also reported to be interested in bringing Sevilla defender Jules Kounde to west London in a move that would help solidify a Chelsea defense that has already improved immeasurably under Tuchel. Under the German’s astute management, Chelsea will make City work hard for the title.

Virgil Is Back for Reds

Last season was one to forget for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp’s men making a mess of defending the title they worked so hard to win in 2019-20, but part was partly due to having a squad decimated by injuries, which included season-long absences for talismanic center-back Virgil van Dijk and his central defensive partner Joe Gomez.

With both returning to full fitness, Liverpool will be automatically stronger and have also brought in defensive reinforcements in the form of Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig. Key to the Reds’ chances, as ever, will be the fitness of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.

Afternoon, Reds 👊

We're back at the @AXA Training Centre 📍 pic.twitter.com/VHPc2HhDR5

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 11, 2021

Sancho to Lift United

Manchester United made their intentions known early on in the summer with a prolonged attempt to sign England star Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. Their persistence was eventually rewarded in a deal worth £76.5 million to BVB and so, as a result, United has added some quality and depth to their attacking options.

Another week of graft awaits our Reds! 😤💪#MUFC pic.twitter.com/aRSgVLUAHY

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 9, 2021

United have also been linked to BVB’s Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland; a move that if it comes off would straight away catapult them closer to City. As things stand, with Sancho on board but still minus Haaland, they look likely to be better but still not good enough to make the top two.

Big-Spending Villa for Top Six?

Where it gets more interesting is when looking at which teams could make it into the top six. With Spurs and Arsenal both looking to be in transition, the door has been left ajar for others to edge their way into the European reckoning, just as Leicester did last season. The Foxes have spent big over the summer, so will again be very much in the mix, as will Aston Villa, whose spending spree – even before the sale of Jack Grealish – has been worth £95m. If Dean Smith’s men get off to a good start, they could well enter the fray.

🆕 @EM10Buendia
🆕 @Youngy18
🆕 @IngsDanny pic.twitter.com/h0fEZCzDVZ

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 7, 2021

Everton under new manager Rafa Benitez is also worth keeping an eye on. The ex-Liverpool man will be given money to spend and look to build on the Toffees promising season last time out under Carlo Ancelotti. Leeds too, under Marcelo Bielsa, will be looking to improve upon last season’s ninth-place finish and are a worthwhile bet for a top-six finish for those who like an outsider.

Best Bet: Man City to retain their title (-165) / Aston Villa to finish in top six (+500)