Manchester City: Top Contender for the Title... and Relegation?
Manchester City is the second favorite to win the Premier League title, very close to Arsenal, but is also among the candidates for relegation, according to British betting houses, due to the ongoing legal process they are involved in.
City, the winner of the last four league editions, started the season as a clear favorite with the goal of achieving an unprecedented five consecutive Premier League titles.
However, despite a start that places them second in the table, just one point behind Liverpool, Pep Guardiola's team has ceded favoritism to Arsenal following Rodrigo Hernández's injury.
The Spanish player's cruciate ligament rupture reduces the long-term prospects for a team that went 74 matches unbeaten with the midfielder on the field, and whose four league defeats last season occurred without him.
According to betting companies, the difference between Arsenal and City is minimal, but what's curious is the relegation market, where City appears among the candidates. Bournemouth under Andoni Iraola, Fulham, West Ham United under Julen Lopetegui, and Brighton & Hove Albion reportedly have better chances of staying up compared to City, despite being lower in the table.
The "Sky Blues" are the ninth favorites to fall to the Championship (English Second Division), tied with Brentford and very close to Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. In a normal season, City would be among the teams with the least chance of relegation, alongside Liverpool and Arsenal. However, this is an atypical season in which the Manchester club is facing a trial over 115 financial irregularities that the Premier League accused them of in February 2023.
