Since the original article discussed how the Premier League title race was panning out after 10 games, the league has more or less remained the same. Chelsea are still failing to play football, Manchester United are continuing to find a suitable attacking brand of football, and Leicester are still blitzing teams. Many have called this the most surprising Premier League season for years and with the league’s top spot repeatedly changing, who’s looking likely to win the title this year?
Leicester – Pos 1st P16 W10 D5 L1 Pts 35
The team that embodies how bizarre and crazy the Premier League so far has been. A team riding the wave of optimism, with Jamie Vardy’s goals, Ranieri’s motivation, a rocking King Power Stadium and Kasabian songs, has played some of the league’s best counter attacking football and quickly proved to be a serious threat. A win against Chelsea and a draw against Manchester United show that Leicester have the confidence, quality and unity to stand toe to toe with the Top Four clubs. This, combined with mandatory wins against lesser sides, has given their fan base a remarkable first half of the season. Can Leicester win the title? No, yet nonetheless they can trouble the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City. It’s common consensus that Leicester will not win the league, but let’s just enjoy the ride.
Arsenal – Pos 2nd P16 W10 D3 L3 Pts 33
With two wins, two draws and a loss against West Brom in their last five games, something suggests that injuries are continuing to prove a thorn in the side for Arsene Wenger’s men. Their saving grace of late has been the recent poor form of their main rivals, Manchester City; capitalising on the Manchester side’s 2-0 away loss to Stoke with a 3-1 win over Sunderland at the Emirates shows Arsenal must be ready to pounce on City’s errors to build a promising lead. Coupled with Mesut Ozil’s 13 assists, Oliver Giroud defying his critics and the calming presence of Petr Cech, Arsenal are finally looking like a serious title challenging side and their slowly growing maturity and tactical adaptivity will make them strong rivals for Manchester City. Arsenal’s injury record and, at times, erratic form will be obvious obstacles for the Gunners yet something suggests that Arsenal could pip City to win their first Premier League title in 12 years.
Manchester City – Pos 3rd P10 W7 D2 L4 Pts 32
There is something about City that mirrors Arsenal. When fully fit and at full strength, they play the league’s best football and look unstoppable. When players are missing and lacking confidence, they slip up against the likes of Stoke and Swansea. Wins against Bournemouth and Newcastle have shown that City can march their way to the title with goals from Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure. Odd losses against Liverpool, Tottenham and Stoke will question how strong this City squad is and whether or not they can learn to convincingly win games without Vincent Kompany and Aguero. It’s fairly obvious that Man City will challenge closely with Arsenal for the title, but it will be a case of who will make fewer mistakes which will decide the winner.
Manchester United – Pos 4th P16 W8 D5 L3 Pts 29
United have, to their credit, ground out results, kept themselves firmly in position for a Top 4 place and still have an outside chance of a title-winning run. Yet recent form and Champions League elimination have dampened spirits at Old Trafford with many doubting Louis Van Gaal’s tactics, team selections and his summer transfers. An injury list including Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and Wayne Rooney hasn’t helped matters but United can hardly complain; a Bournemouth side missing their key players still managed to convincingly beat United at Dean Court. Despite suspicious results and out of form players, United still have the league’s best defensive record and this is something at the very least to build on. Van Gaal’s men will be a banker to finish in the Top 4 but every loss and 0-0 draw will outline how distant the side are from winning another league title.
Chelsea – Pos 16th P16 W4 D3 L9 Pts 15
Unless Roman Abramovich can set up some match fixing, frame a few clubs with steroid abuse, and Chelsea start playing football again, they have no chance of retaining the title. Officially out of the title race and looking more hopeful for a Champions League run than a heroic march towards an Europa League place.
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