Manchester City and United can hit Premier League rivals with a one-two as Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho fight for title - BETTING GUIDE

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There are more than 200 million reasons why the Premier League trophy will be paraded in Manchester next May after City and United spent the summer splashing their cash.

City start as favourites – they’re no better than 15/8 after spending big ahead of Pep Guardiola’s second season - and there’s hardly any ticks in the negative column.

He could do with an assured start from his latest goalkeeper, £35million man Ederson, but Guardiola’s new arrivals in front of the Brazilian, the likes of Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva, should have no problem settling in to a squad containing Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero and a fit Gabriel Jesus.

Gabriel Jesus finished last season with a few goals for Man City and will be a key man this term

They’re a popular pick for the Premier League. Out of 15 Sportsmail reporters, 11 predicted a first title since 2014 while eight of 13 bookies asked in the Racing Post’s preview to the season opted for a City win. In the same betting paper, six football writers and former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann gave their predictions with four of the seven backing the market leaders.

It’s hard to go against the majority – what is easier is taking a little pen from the bookies and putting a line through the other five contenders one by one - starting with last year’s champions Chelsea (7/2).

Nothing much has changed for Antonio Conte and therein lies the problem. Diego Costa won’t be playing for him again (that’s 20 PL goals right there) and Eden Hazard is injured. Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger and Costa’s fellow Spain international striker Alvaro Morata have been brought in but compared to their rivals, and bearing in mind there’s a Champions League campaign to cope with, many players have been allowed to leave and Chelsea’s squad looks threadbare. Conte has been cutting a frustrated figure – even before they lost the Community Shield to Arsenal.

Antonio Conte led Chelsea to the title in May but a repeat is likely to be too big an ask

Gunners fans watched their team win the curtain-raiser last Sunday and maybe they’ll be happy for a while. But it won’t last. Alexandre Lacazette looks the part but he’d be better with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in the same team. Their futures are far from certain and a plane over the Emirates with ‘Wenger Out’ flying behind it is never more than a couple of results away.

There’s nothing appealing about the 12/1 offered for a first league win since 2004 and we won’t be taking the 10/1 available for a Tottenham triumph. They haven't dipped into the market yet as Mauricio Pochettino insists he doesn’t need first-team players and convincing big names to be back-up is difficult. And then there’s the 38 away games with Wembley (they don’t like it there) providing a temporary home while White Hart Lane is transformed.

They’ve fallen short two seasons in a row and it’s hard to see them improving when their rivals have raised the stakes.

Arsenal lifted the Community Shield but it's hard to see them being in the title mix by May

Liverpool (13/1) have looked good in pre-season and have strengthened - Mohamed Salah has been in fine form - but Daniel Sturridge staying fit is never guaranteed and like Arsenal they’re facing a battle to keep hold of their best player with Barcelona trying to prise Philippe Coutinho out of Anfield. 

It's also worth noting the Reds are the only team in the top six without a player at single-figure odds for the top-scorer prize. Sadio Mane, 25/1 with some firms and as high as 40s with a couple, is the highest-placed Anfield man on the list.

Manchester United (9/2) had an encouraging pre-season before losing to Real Madrid in the Super Cup and beefed up by bringing in Victor Lindelof (jury's out but it's early days), Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku while Jose Mourinho always delivers the championship in his second season. That's his thing.

Romelu Lukaku is the striker Manchester United hope can fire them to glory this season

Flying winger Mohamed Salah has been creating a buzz at Liverpool since joining from Roma

But sixth to first is a hell of a jump and although Chelsea made a bigger leap last term their 10th place the season before was a false finishing position.

Second is achievable and a City-United all-Manchester top two returns 10/1 with Bet365 and BoyleSports.

Top scorer

Harry Kane is on a hat-trick and can match Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry by winning three Golden Boots in a row if he finishes top this season. 

The Spurs hotshot is 10/3 favourite just ahead of Lukaku while City’s South American pair Sergio Aguero and Jesus are next in the betting. The 9/1 available for the Brazilian is more appealing than Wembley-bound Kane at such skinny odds. 

Tottenham star Harry Kane has been the league's top scorer for the past two campaigns

City are the only team represented in the payout places in each of the last four seasons – Sergio Aguero every year with Yaya Toure gatecrashing in 2013-14. 

Jesus bagged three quick goals before his injury back in February and four in five games to finish the season on his return - more of the same will see him give Kane a run for his money. 

There’s too much cream at the top but anyone looking for runners at bigger prices could do worse than Southampton’s Manolo Gabbiadini and Leicester new-boy Kelechi Iheanacho (both 40/1).

Relegation

There will be drama at Newcastle, there always is, but they'll have enough about them to stay up after a busy but somewhat frustrating summer for manager Rafa Benitez (his words). Huddersfield and Brighton will find it much tougher and their stay could be a short one. Burnley were already well backed to join them and it's a stronger fancy now they've lost Andre Gray to Watford. The treble returns 16/1 with Bet365, Betway and Boylesports.

*Prices from oddschecker.com - correct at time of publication, subject to change