As competitive a betting heat in the Premier League outright market for many a pre-season, with four sides quoted at 11/2 or less for glory come May, and a fascinating nine-month battle in prospect.
Predictably it is defending champions Chelsea under manager Jose Mourinho that are favoured to follow up and there can be no disputing their position at the head of the market.
A top price 6/4 to be the first team to successfully defend the Premier League title since Manchester United achieved the feat in 2009, the Blues are well equipped to go all the way once more but they laboured somewhat during the second half of last term and there is certainly hope for the rest.
It all starts again on the 8th of August.
If Chelsea are to prevail, much will rest on the form of Eden Hazard. The Belgian picked up PFA Player of the Year honours in 2015 and Hazard was frequently the man the Blues turned to when struggling to break down opponents in some of the season’s more combative fixtures.
Much like Hazard, Manchester City relied heavily on the goals of Sergio Aguero last season when many of their established stars went missing in action and there is no reason to believe the Argentine is about to come off the boil.
Aguero is 3/1 to finish top of the Premier League scoring charts and that’s the same price about his side regaining their title crown.
I much prefer the former, with City looking like they need reinforcements in several areas and it remains to be seen who will be the Citizen’s manager on the opening day of the season.
Manuel Pellegrini is the current incumbent but City’s owners would have been exasperated with another hugely disappointing Champions League campaign under the Chilean and the former Malaga manager could well be on borrowed time at Eastlands with Pep Guardiola just a phone call away in Munich.
Yet again the money is coming for Arsenal in the off-season but this time it is easier to see why the Londoners are being so well backed, as reported by these avid Arsenal fans where you can download the NetEnt casino software to play real money games.
The Gunners finished the 2014/15 season with a flourish, culminating in FA Cup success at Wembley. However, the capture of Petr Cech from Chelsea for £11million is a significant addition looking to the future and Arsene Wenger will be delighted to have finally secured the services of a top class goalkeeper to marshal what is often a vulnerable back four.
The Gunners are just 5/1 to finish the season at the summit and surely there is more to come from Alexis Sanchez during his second season in England.
Sanchez thrilled the Emirates crowd on several occasions en route to 25 goals in all competitions and he can spearhead a credible title challenge if the supporting cast at Arsenal can remain injury free.
Completing the quartet is Manchester United, 11/2 chances under Louis Van Gaal to provide the Dutchman with yet more silverware in his illustrious career.
The Old Trafford club have perhaps the biggest chequebook in the land these days and Morgan Schneiderlin, Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane are all among the names being linked to fellow Memphis Depay to the north-west.
United’s much criticised defence would be bolstered hugely were Sergio Ramon to arrive from Real Madrid too and I can’t wait to see what the Red Devils starting line up looks like come their opening day clash with Tottenham.
Whether it features Angel Di Maria is open to debate but one poor season in which the former Real Madrid star was unsettled off the pitch can be forgiven and, much like Sanchez, he could prove to be United’s talisman.
