On the back of Manchester City winning the treble in 2022-23, there is the perception that Pep Guardiola's side could run away with the top-flight crown on this occasion. Nevertheless, it is easy to forget that City actually lost five times during the last campaign and only scored six more goals than an Arsenal side that were top for much of the season. To a large extent, though, the significant changes at all of the major teams means that a relative blank canvas has been created for the latest edition of the Premier League, meaning that punters should be attentive to the value of some of the bets that are currently on offer.
There are a couple of specific Betway bets that have caught our eye, and although we have already alluded to City's five losses in 38 games last season, an invincible campaign at 20/1 has our attention. Of course, a lot of things have to go City's way, but the additions of Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic should only strengthen Guardiola's team in the defensive and middle thirds. Creativity has been lost with the departures of Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, but this is a group of players that have little left to prove aside from an undefeated domestic season. At least one more attack-minded player will arrive in due course, too, at a time when none of their rivals can claim to have a better backline than they did throughout last year.
If you prefer the lower odds, we feel that 8/11 for Aston Villa to achieve over 55 points can simply not be ignored. Last time out, the West Midlands outfit accumulated 61 points despite their poor form until the end of October, and Unai Emery now has a squad at his disposal that have the potential to challenge for the top four. Should Villa pick up where they left off in 2022-23, there should be no danger whatsoever of failing to reach 55 points. For comparison, Brentford recorded 59 points last season, while Fulham were just three short despite having lost more games than they won.
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Betway has Man City at 4/6 to win the Premier League and they are betting odds that are realistic and attractive in equal measure. Only the quality of Arsenal's purchases have pushed the price up, yet the Gunners must get used to playing strong XIs in the Champions League, rather than rotating like they did for the Europa League. Manchester United fall into that same bracket and Liverpool's defence may not be strong enough to maintain a title bid at this stage, even though we like the 15/2 each-way bet. Chelsea have potential to return to the top four, particularly with a lighter workload, but City are near certainties to retain their crown unless Guardiola over-complicates his tactics.
Like with City, we will return to Villa because he see the value in the 11/4 that is on offer for the top six. As with other teams, Villa are looking to compete for a continental trophy in the form of the Europa Conference League, but they are only a couple of players away from being well-equipped to challenge on all fronts. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur could benefit from no European action this term, yet Villa have the momentum to match a squad that has increased in quality.
Depending on your perspective, the fight to avoid relegation will be the most captivating race this season. Sheffield United and Luton Town are naturally odds-on favourites, but the investment at Burnley and the presence of Vincent Kompany bring other teams into the equation. Bournemouth, Everton and Nottingham Forest are each priced at 11/4 - Wolverhampton Wanderers also marginally higher - but 7/2 on Fulham feels like a worthwhile bet. This is a Cottagers side that may have to replace Aleksandar Mitrovic's goals and respond to defender Tosin Adarabioyo's eventual exit, while Joao Palhinha's shoulder injury could make things tricky for Marco Silva's team during the early weeks. The West Londoners performed magnificently to finish 10th in 2022-23 but, although we do not believe in second-season syndrome, some of their rivals are improving when Fulham could be weaker come the end of August.
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The usual contenders are at the top of the assists betting odds. Kevin De Bruyne, on the back of creating 18 Premier League goals in 2022-23, is 2/1, which is an attractive price should he stay fit. However, this is a market which offers a lot of value, and new Liverpool arrival Dominik Szoboszlai feels like a no-brainer at 33/1. The Hungary international posted eight assists in his last two Bundesliga seasons with RB Leipzig, while a mammoth 21 assists came during his preceding two years with Red Bull Salzburg. In a team with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, Szoboszlai should reach double figures and beyond, and it makes this one of the best pre-season bets of the summer.
Having swept the board last season, the general belief is that Erling Haaland could replicate his collection of awards come the end of 2023-24, and thought should be given to the 5-2 on offer when considering that Harry Kane, an obvious contender, could move elsewhere. Bukayo Saka (14/1) and Salah (18/1) cannot be discounted, but if Haaland stays fit, he may be untouchable in this particular category.
