Manchester City -180 Favorites Entering 2019-20 EPL Season

• Man City favorites to land EPL title again
• Liverpool a close second
• EPL looks to be another two-horse race

With the English Premier League season just one week away, Manchester City are favorites to win it again. The Citizens have won the league over the past two seasons and their dominance shows no sign of abating.

Their Premier League odds have continued to shorten over the offseason and after opening with an average of -150 they went to -160 last month. That average is now average -180.

2019/20 English Premier League Odds

*Odds taken 8/2/19. 

At -185, City offer little value for those looking for a big win. But such is their quality, some will see it as easy-money. Others have questioned whether their squad has been sufficiently strengthened since the spring, something that may be significant with most of their rivals looking to spend big.

The only other team whose odds have shortened are Liverpool – the second favorites – while every other title contender has seen their odds worsen. We’ll have a look to see if there is a good value bet out there, or whether it is another straight two-horse race for the Premier League title.

Unstoppable City?

While Pep Guardiola’s summer spending spree has been modest compared to previous ones, they have still managed to spend a cool £81 million, the majority of which was spent on the £63 million capture from Atletico Madrid, Rodri – a defensive midfielder.

Also incoming at the Etihad Stadium has been Angelino – a Spanish left-back from PSV Eindhoven – and goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who was bought from MLS side Columbus Crew, but then loaned out to German side Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Pep Guardiola Backs Rodri to Play Key Man City Role for ‘the Next Decade’ Following Club-Record Move pic.twitter.com/YpwpJJVLeX

— Lantan Sport (@Lantansport) July 28, 2019

Of the three, Rodri will likely have the most direct impact on City’s fortunes as he has been brought in as the eventual successor to Fernandinho – tricky shoes to fill given the Brazilian’s huge impact on their glory years.

Guardiola has clearly decided his squad is of such quality he only needs to tweak it rather than make any drastic changes, and who could argue. City have top-level internationals in every position and played a brand of soccer last season that was up there with the best the Premier League has ever seen.

Good win tonight! Off to Tokyo tomorrow ?? @ManCity pic.twitter.com/qXJpJSuFtM

— Bernardo Silva (@BernardoCSilva) July 24, 2019

A midfield that contains Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and David Silva, amongst others, is guaranteed to create chances and with Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling all red-hot in front of goal, City will look to continue this season where they left off last.

Pep Guardiola’s summer spending spree has been modest compared to previous ones.

Klopp’s Men to Take City All the Way

Only Liverpool look to be in with a realistic shout, having won last season’s UEFA Champions League and finishing the Premier League in second place, having lost just a single game (to City). Jurgen Klopp is in the market for reinforcements but in that regard, it has so far been an unsuccessful summer for the German, who now sees the Premier League title as the club’s Holy Grail.

"Reminds me of Bernardo Silva."

One of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool starlets has supporters gushing after last night's performance????https://t.co/nOIuSIhMA2 pic.twitter.com/G0MH0oLKoB

— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) August 1, 2019

What Klopp has done successfully over the summer however, is retain all of the much-sought-after key players in his squad. To have taken City so close last season will have told Klopp that they’re now within a whisker of their first title since 1990, and so it will be small tweaks and, perhaps, a slice of fortune that will give the Reds the title rather than new players.

Make no mistake, they are going to push City mightily close and will have learnt from last season’s heartbreak.

Pochettino Wanting More New Faces

The best of the rest is certainly Tottenham, who for the first time in two transfer windows have spent some money.

The £65 million they splashed out on Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele was significant by Spurs’ standards, who have to balance the financing of a new stadium with the spending in new players, but manager Mauricio Pochettino has made clear he wants more new faces.

Tanguy Ndombele: How new signing has settled into Spurs' team @bobbyhogs20 pic.twitter.com/3KauPMHVU7

— yinbuzz (@YINBuzzz) July 26, 2019

A few significant reinforcements in key areas would take Tottenham to the next level and closer to City and Liverpool, but until they arrive it feels as though they will fall just short yet again, and their best chance of a trophy may be in one of the English domestic cups.

Big Test for Lampard

Chelsea, who are in the first of a two-window transfer ban, have brought in a new manager, Frank Lampard, but obviously no players. Even more significantly, they have lost their superstar and talisman, Eden Hazard, to Real Madrid. So, while it’s possible Lampard will get a tune of out Chelsea’s many talented young players, it’s almost impossible to see them challenging.

Daily Star | #Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has made transfer decisions over 11 players at the club and is willing to let them go this summer. #CFC I pic.twitter.com/lolBgBTNql

— The Blues (@TheBlues___) July 25, 2019

And the same applies to Manchester United and Arsenal, both of whom have spent over the summer but who are still in transition phases both on the pitch and in the technical area. Neither will have enough to challenge City and Liverpool.

Our pick: Liverpool to win the EPL title (+275)