Can Arsenal or Liverpool Win the Premier League in 2024/25?

Despite no team having ever won five consecutive top-flight titles in England, Manchester City are the pre-tournament favourites to prevail again in 2024/25.

The Citizens have now won four titles in a row and triumphed in six of the previous seven seasons. However, it’s worth noting that their current odds of around 2.14 only imply 46.72% of Pep Guardiola’s men emerging victorious.

You can access the outright EPL odds from Ireland’s football betting sites, but there’s no doubt that City aren’t currently the hot favourites that they were in recent seasons. But why is this the case, and which sides are most likely to challenge in 2024/25?

Is the End of the Guardiola Era Near?

City certainly looked short of their best in the 2023/24 Premier League despite ultimately prevailing with 89 points (two ahead of runners-up Arsenal). After all, this was 11 points fewer than their first title win under Guardiola, while City also failed to defend their UCL crown and were beaten by bitter rivals United in the FA Cup final.

The Citizens looked defensively vulnerable for much of 2023/24, especially when influential midfielder Rodri was ruled out. They also missed the balance provided by the skilful İlkay Gündoğan in the middle of the park, while City never really replaced the goals, guile and consistency of former Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez.

Both Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne struggled to find their best form last season, too, and there are concerns that the latter may be a little past his peak in the rough and tumble of the EPL.

Then there’s Guardiola himself. The Spaniard’s contract expires at the end of 2024/25, and he has already hinted that this could be his final season in Manchester. He has already won every trophy available during his eight years at the Etihad, too, while he may also have one eye on City’s ongoing legal battle with the Premier League.

So, Will Arsenal or Liverpool Topple City in 2024/25?

Given this, the most seasoned football betting enthusiasts may be encouraged to wager on Arsenal or Liverpool to win the Premier League title in 2024/25. Certainly, the Gunners have now finished second in consecutive seasons, while they took the title race to the final day in 2023/24. They’ve also strengthened their squad with the signing of stylish centre-back Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, with the Euro 2024 star having been snapped up for €45.00 million.

This affords Arsenal crucial strength in depth in defence, as does the return to fitness of the versatile and technically excellent Jurrien Timber. The Gunners are already stacked in midfield, and they continue to be linked with Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen in the attack.

This would see Arsenal capture a genuinely prolific number nine, which they have arguably lacked for several seasons now. Although this would be welcomed by fans, it should be noted that Mikel Arteta’s men outperformed their xG value of 76.1 by +9.9 goals in 2023/24.

The real concern about Arsenal is their collective hunger and mentality. After all, they have remained trophyless in the last four years under Arteta, who has also overseen a net spend in excess of £600 million. They’ve also thrown away winning positions in each of the last two seasons, appearing to lose momentum and focus when leading the title race.

If Arsenal cannot correct this flaw, Liverpool may be attractive to bettors at a price of around 8.00. Although they’ve yet to make new signings under the incoming manager Arne Slot (or secure the long-term futures of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold), the side impressed during pre-season and will want to build on last season’s third-place finish.

The Reds also topped the charts for shot-creating actions in 2023/24 (36.53), while no side recovered more than their 2,034 balls. Both of these performance metrics could improve under Slot, who prefers a front foot, possession-oriented approach and likes to press opponents high up the park.

The aforementioned Alexander-Arnold could also thrive under the Dutch head coach, especially if he’s allowed to invert from right back and find space in the middle of the park.

The Last Word

Ultimately, this could well be another open and entertaining EPL season, and one in which Man City’s historical dominance is weakened further. I certainly expect the league to be won with fewer points than in recent seasons, opening the door for Arsenal and Liverpool to overhaul their rivals.

The Gunners are the favourites in this respect, given their relatively strong finish last season and marked improvement during the previous 24 months. Sure, there remain doubts over the Gunners’ mentality and ability to defend a lead in the title race, but their squad is stronger than ever, and they’ll be fortified by their recent failures.

You can follow all the Premier League action here at Bet In Ireland, while we’ll continue to provide weekly sports content and insights throughout the campaign!