There is usually a lot of excitement around the start of any Premier League season, in regards to which team is going to win the title?
Heading into the 2023-24 campaign, though, the only question seems to be whether or not the three-time defending champion is ever going to be punished for the 115 charges hanging over the club’s head.
Because, in all honesty, that is about the only thing right now that most fans are hanging on to: the Cityzens have two bomb squads, and are stocking up to make a fresh run for years to come.
But Arsenal almost beat them out last season, you say? Yes, the Gunners were the first half champs, and the April 1 winners. The season, though, is 38 games, and that is something Arsenal has not been able to manage in two decades.
Yes, Declan Rice is good. But can the Gunners replicate the first 30 games of the season once again, where nearly EVERYTHING that had to go right for them did, until the wheels came off in April.
“There’s a clear reason why Man City backed out of the Declan Rice signing; they don’t think he’s worth £105m,” Yorke said. “But that’s the nature of business in football nowadays, it’s a billion-pound industry. If Arsenal’s owners have deep pockets and are willing to spend that money, then let them. West Ham’s valuation of Rice probably comes from Enzo Fernandez’s price, plus he’s English so that adds on a few million. I understand why Rice is built up the way he is, he’s an English international and he does really good things in the game but £105m is a lot of money.
“Mason Mount for £55m is 100% a better deal than Rice for £105m. Mount will score more goals, obviously, they’re different positions so it’s harder to compare, but Mount is as talented as anyone else.”
So if it is not going to be Arsenal that can hoist a first title in 20 years, which team is going to be on the podium next May?
Probably the same one that has been there the last three years, and four of the last five.
“If Pep Guardiola is after Josko Gvardiol and is willing to pay that much money, then he’s a damn good player,” Yorke said. “You don’t become the best manager without being able to identify the best players. Anyone going into that Man City team after winning the treble will be coming to a very happy place, I know because I witnessed it at Man United when we won the treble. A treble will maybe happen every two decades, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Guardiola is loving being at Man City at the moment, which in turn would persuade players to join the club as they’ll know Guardiola will be there for a long time.”
Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea have all strengthened, but not to the level of the Cityzens. You might see some people backing those four teams, but that is to be a contrarian: Pep’s team is the best in Europe again (as they have been for years), unless Kylian Mbappe joins Real Madrid.
Could City be heading to a fourth-straight title? It sure looks that way.
Man City: 8/11
Arsenal: 9/2
Liverpool: 13/2
Man United: 9/1
Chelsea: 18/1
Newcastle: 18/1
Tottenham: 50/1