Manchester City Favorite to win the Premier League Title

Will Chace
By , Updated on: Aug 20, 2024 12:00 AM
epl picks

The world’s most popular and prestigious soccer league begins mid-August every year, which means the time has come for predictions to be made. Manchester City won the title yet again, their sixth in the last seven years. But many like Arsenal’s chances after two close races have  left them just short in the past couple years. Read on for expert EPL picks and betting predictions and explore stats and an English Premier League preview for the full 2024-25 season.

  • English Premier League
  • August 16, 2024 to May 25, 2025
  • 20 matches between 38 clubs, each home and away
  • Various locations across England
  • Peacock, USA, and NBC

EPL Picks: Who do Sportsbooks Favor?

Manchester City are slight favorites to win their 7th title under Pep Guardiola, but they face steep competition from the Gunners. The two are lined at (+140) and (+175), respectively. The third wheel of the group is Liverpool (+650), who are set to begin a new era under Arne Slot. Man United (+2500) and Tottenham (+2800). Every other remaining team is (+4000) or greater.

Want to better understand the 3-way moneyline (1X2) market? See our soccer betting tips and learn about Premier League betting odds.

English Premier League Preview: Manchester United to Struggle Again?

Manchester United lost a club record 14 games last season in what was described by many as a nightmare campaign. It felt like the club underperformed every weekend and manager Erik ten Hag had no control over the situation. But as time passed, United got closer and closer to an FA Cup Final. They finally triumphed over Manchester City in a shocking upset to not only win their first FA Cup since 2015-16 but also likely save their manager’s job.

Rumors had swirled for months regarding ten Hag’s potential sacking, and reports from major news stations had even seemed to confirm his departure after the domestic cup victory. Yet he remains with Manchester United after signing an extension this summer. Perhaps there were no better options for the Red Devils, or they believed his trophy win warranted a longer leash. But another domestic season such as the last and ten Hag’s days in Manchester may truly be over.

A remnant of the Pep Guardiola coaching tree, ten Hag knows what it takes to win on the big stage. His first order of action this season will likely be towards the defense, an aspect they struggled mightily in last term. Given Maguire’s clear decline and a lack of financial aid, I don’t see this side righting the ship this year. Take Manchester United under 64 points at (-120), even given their 1-0 win over Fulham to start the season.

Manchester United Under 64 points
Bovada
-120

Everton Underrated With Sean Dyche at the Helm

Former longtime center-back Sean Dyche had a rocky first season in charge of Everton, falling to 15th in the table. But part of that position is due to their financial sanctions in which they were docked 6 points. No clubs are allowed to lose more than a certain amount over a three-year period. This rule is designed to limit overspending from cash-heavy owners who wish to acquire big-name players, effectively parity in the league.

But Everton’s on-field performances showed plenty of promise, most notably displayed in a 2-0 win over Liverpool in the derby match late in the season. Dyche’s club was notoriously conservative, opting for low blocks often against strong opponents and grinding out results. But a replenished squad, full summer to plan, and no further points deductions looming grants Dyche a big opportunity to play more aggressively.

So far, a 3-0 loss to Brighton does not support a bullish investment on the Toffees. But advanced analytics indicate this side is much stronger than recent results have suggested. I believe Dyche can bring Everton into the top 10 of the Premier League. But taking bets closer to 50/50 are more conducive to growing capital in the long run. So I will recommend a full unit play on Everton over 43 points.

Everton Over 43 points
Bovada
+120

Futures EPL Picks: Nottingham Forest Should Excel

Nottingham Forest is the second of two clubs who received financial sanctions from the Premier League last season. The club was docked 4 points, which fortunately from their perspective was not enough to force relegation. The Tricky Trees finished 6 points ahead of Luton Town, allowing them to remain in the top flight of English soccer for at least one more year. 

Nuno took over for Nottingham Forest at the end of the last calendar year. The former Tottenham boss has been a welcoming change, guiding the club successfully out of the relegation zone with 7 wins in 27 matches. That split does not necessarily inspire confidence, but expectations are lower for such a small club and their predecessor aided their hopes very little. Indeed, Steve Cooper won just two of their first 11 games, losing 8 of them in the process.

Now fully on board the Nuno train and with expected goals statistics that indicate the club performed more like a top-10 team, there is hope in the Nottingham Forest camp that they are “out of the woods.” A 1-1 draw to begin the season against Bournemouth was a disappointing one considering they led for more than an hour.

There are plenty of reasons to have faith that Nottingham Forest will improve from last season, and few to think they won’t. With plenty of upside potential, I like Nottingham Forest to go over 38 points this season.

Nottingham Forest Over 38 points
Bovada
+120

Odds are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change.

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Meet the author

Will Chace

From Boston, Will's passion for sports is more of a hereditary characteristic than a learned hobby. He regularly attends games in the area such as those of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, New England Patriots, New England Revolution. He also enjoys th...

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