Who Will Win the EPL in 2023-24?

Figure 1 The new EPL season will soon be kicking off

With fans of the big European leagues having to make do with seeing how Lionel Messi gets on in Miami, the Women’s World Cup, and the early qualifying rounds of the European cups, the EPL has taken something of a back seat since Manchester City lifted the trophy at the end of May.

But the 2023-24 season kicks off on August 11th and all the best betting sites have offered up who they think will win the league. Manchester City looks set for a sixth title in seven years according to the bookmakers – but can any other team upset the odds? Leicester City is not around any more, so we won’t see a repeat of the Foxes’ incredible triumph of a few years ago. But can anyone stop Pep Guardiola adding another medal to his extensive collection?

Manchester City – Odds On Favorites

If he is completely honest, it is likely that Pep Guardiola was a little worried that his protégé would be the one to take the title away from him last season. Arsenal pushed City up until the final weeks of the season and gave every neutral EPL fan something to be interested about when that is not always the case.

But, even when Arsenal enjoyed a healthy lead at the top of the table, most people still expected to see City come back and eventually lift the trophy – and they were right. There hasn’t been a lot of transfer activity this offseason yet, but there doesn’t have to be. Signing Erling Haaland completed the jigsaw last summer and now any new player is really just a bonus.

The transfer in of Mateo Kovačić is an interesting one though. He was steady, without being spectacular, at Chelsea but is hugely talented. With Ilkay Gündogan leaving, Kovačić could become a rock in the middle that allows other more attack-minded players to create the chances. But with Haaland set to score a huge amount of goals once again, City still look a step ahead of everyone else.

Can Arsenal Come Back From the Disappointment of Last Year?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to Arsenal’s title chances this season. One thinks that the Gunners blew their best chance last year and will now fall back into a familiar groove of merely hoping to finish in the top four. But the other is more confident of Mikel Arteta’s vision for the club.

It is true that Arsenal allowed Manchester City to win the league last season. There was such a huge points gap at one point that it should be regarded as a failure that the club finished second. But Arteta has been working towards this moment since he took over – and obviously now has plans to take Arsenal further still.

If he can get the kind of performances out of Kai Havertz that he regularly provided in the Bundesliga, then Arsenal has a very good extra line of attack. Add to that the composure and breaking ability of Declan Rice in the middle – and the defensive talent of Jurrien Timber – and Arsenal should be able to challenge City once again, at the very least.

Newcastle’s Money Makes a Difference

There will no doubt be more money spent by the Saudi owners of Newcastle United in the weeks before the new season. But, after qualifying for the Champions League last season, there is an incredible amount of confidence and hope held by the fans that the club could truly challenge for the title as well.

After the flurry of arrivals towards the end of last season, Sandro Tonali is the only big signing so far this summer. But he should be an excellent addition to a midfield that was already fairly good at stifling opponents. There may not have been as many spectacular signings as we might have imagined given the money available, but those who have joined have all improved the team markedly.

Becoming a bona fide challenger for the Premier League title is probably asking too much of Newcastle and Eddie Howe this season. But another top four finish should be just about guaranteed and that will attract even more elite players for the upcoming years.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea

There are quite a few pundits who see Liverpool’s dip in form as a temporary blip, rather than an ongoing problem. But it is something that Jürgen Klopp needs to sort out quickly. He has already allowed a number of players who looked to be struggling last year to go and has brought in Mac Allister and Szoboszlai into the midfield. That alone should have a huge impact on Liverpool’s fortunes.

Manchester United is another former title contender that looks like it will need to be content with just challenging for a Champions League spot for a while. Erik ten Hag has started off well, but there is still a lot more to do. There will be stern competition for the top four places this season, so a more consistent campaign is necessary.

Chelsea is an interesting proposition. New coach Mauricio Pochettino will be in charge of a very different squad than his predecessors last season. Some big names have left – mostly to Saudi Arabian clubs it seems – and the signing of Christopher Nkunku suggests that the fans could be in for an exciting time this season. A title challenge is not to be expected, but a vastly improved performance is expected.

Figure 2 Manchester City looks like it could be EPL champion yet again

City’s Title to Lose

Even with the vast amounts of money likely to have been spent by most of the teams in the EPL by the time the season kicks off, it is still very difficult to look past Manchester City winning the title again. There are no obvious weaknesses in the squad and Guardiola is being wise about the players he is bringing in to replace any top players departing.

The game changer was Erling Haaland arriving last summer – and City has already won all but one championship in the last few years. Don’t be surprised if City wins the league by a distance this season.