The Premier League trophy hasn’t resided in the nation’s capital since Chelsea claimed the title in 2016/17 season, with Manchester City and Liverpool sharing the last three titles between them. That was Chelsea’s fifth Premier League title, while Arsenal have brought the Premier League trophy to London on three occasions. Otherwise, the Premier League title has been a northern affair, with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, and Leicester City keeping the trophy well above the M25.
The Premier League is one of the most-followed competitions in football, inspiring massive media coverage all over the world and turning its leading performers into global superstars. Reigning champions Liverpool now have a taste for Premier League glory, while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City can never be underestimated. However, a few London clubs will have their own aspirations of upsetting the division’s top two. With the greatest apologies, we’re going to look beyond the title prospects of West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Fulham, at the risk of looking silly if any of these London clubs “do a Leicester”.
Chelsea
Inspired by their fourth-placed finish last season, the general consensus among the best UK bookmakers is that Chelsea are best-equipped of the London clubs to challenge for the title. One of those top-ranked UK bookies is 22BET, with its huge range of markets including outright betting on the Premier League title. As of September 23rd, Chelsea are third-favourite in the betting with a price of 16/1. Chelsea’s position at the front of the chasing pack has no doubt been influenced by their transfer market expenditure.
Roman Abramovich’s club has made a string of quality additions that would be the envy of every club in world football: Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech, and Thiago Silva have arrived at Stamford Bridge. Werner and Havertz, in particular, are expected to have bright futures, but Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will be hopeful that they will shine immediately. The biggest challenge may be improving the side’s defensive solidity, which was often lacking last year.
Can they win the league? If Werner can hit 28 league goals, as he did for RB Leipzig last season, and if Silva can marshal the defence effectively, Chelsea will be genuine contenders.
Arsenal
Bookmakers consider Arsenal to have the same chances of lifting the title as Manchester United, a statement which may make you feel like you’ve been transported back to the early 2000s. Back then, the two were fearsome rivals that went toe-to-toe in the battle for the title. Today, they’re sides where realistic ambitions amount to a top-four finish, but clubs of this stature will always harbour quiet hopes of lifting the title.
An eighth-placed finish last season isn’t much to write home about, but Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal showed signs of real progress late in the campaign. The Gunners lifted the FA Cup to secure European football for this season, which may have persuaded star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to sign a new contract. A hat-trick of assists on league debut for Willian, who traded Chelsea for Arsenal in the summer, bodes well, while Arteta is looking like an astute tactical boss in his first management job.
Can they win the league? This season might be too soon for Arteta’s men, but the canny Spaniard is getting Arsenal on a path to becoming realistic title challengers again.
Tottenham Hotspur
Sacking Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t yet had the desired effect that the Spurs board were hoping. His replacement Jose Mourinho guided Spurs to a sixth-placed finish, but only goal difference kept them above Wolves and secured their Europa League qualification. Mourinho won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, but his Spurs side are yet to look capable of producing a similar achievement.
A pivotal few days early in the season may have provided new cause for optimism. Spurs smashed Southampton 5-2, with Heung-min Son scoring four and the talismanic Harry Kane at the top of his game. Gareth Bale also returned to Spurs after a trophy-filled spell at Real Madrid, with the Welsh wizard one of the top performers in world football on his day. In Kane, Bale, and Son, Mourinho may have enough firepower upfront to compensate for a lack of options in defence and midfield.
Can they win the league? Spurs would be the biggest surprise of the three, given that Mourinho’s tenure hasn’t yielded much sparkling football, but a fit and firing Bale could make a top-four spot much easier to claim.
Liverpool and Manchester City are favourites for the league with good reason, as these three London clubs have gone through periods of great inconsistency in recent years. However, all three may be on the up. Chelsea’s exciting new signings, Arsenal’s talented manager, and Spurs’ returning hero may take these sides much closer to the title than originally anticipated.
