Who is Man City's serious title challengers?

Who is Man City's serious title challengers?

Can anyone stop Manchester City, as is being asked every year?

Pep Guardiola's side have been chosen as the Premier League title's favorites for the ninth consecutive season.

Six of their previous seven titles have been won, including an unprecedented four straight.

Arsenal

Last season's finish: Second (two points below City)

Arsenal finished second to City in the previous two seasons, and they are only marginally better oddsmakers than the champions this year, far outnumbering any other team.

Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna from Italy has been signed for up to £42 million, and the Gunners only made one major personnel change this summer. He can play at left-back or centre-back.

Additionally, they made a loan agreement permanent for Spain goalkeeper David Raya, who finished last year tied for first place with Aaron Ramsdale.

Over the past two seasons, Arsenal's top scorer has been shared out, with winger Bukayo Saka being the exception. Could a competent striker help a team win or lose? Victor Osimhen, the frontman of Napoli, has a relationship with them.

Alex Howell, a senior football news correspondent for BBC Sport, says: "Arsenal finished second for the past two seasons, but the club's entire culture felt the club's most significant change."

The Gunners held off champion Manchester City by just two points going into the season's final day.

"Arsenal are going to be title contenders for a long time," said captain Martin Odegaard at the end of last season.

Liverpool

Last season's finish: Third (nine points below City)

For the first time since 2015-16, Jurgen Klopp isn't managing Liverpool.

In the middle of the previous campaign, Klopp made an announcement about his end-of-season departure, and Arne Slot took his place in May.

The Dutchman seems to be shifting the Reds' playing style away from a high-energy pressing game to more of a possession-based setup.

The Reds haven't signed anyone this season, but Slot hopes that will change because they are the only team in history to have won the Premier League title with City in the previous seven years.

After a fantastic era under Jurgen Klopp's leadership, Liverpool will expect to face off in even Slot's first season in charge, according to Nizaar Kinsella, a senior football newsman for BBC Sport.

" They won't be favourites, however, and there will also be a reasonable understanding if they fall short in what is his first season as he beds in his new approach. "

Aston Villa

Who is Man City's serious title challengers?

Last season's finish: Fourth (23 points below City)

Aston Villa qualified for the Champions League by placing fourth last year in a highly impressive manner.

Unai Emery has transformed the club from relegation hopefuls to a team that has been in the running for the title for a while now, despite not having been in charge for two years.

To adhere to the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations, the club had to sell players this summer.

However, they have also welcomed the return of academy players Jaden Philogene and Cameron Archer, along with Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen, and Luton midfielder Ross Barkley.

Unai Emery, Monchi, Villa's president of football operations, and others have overseen a drastic transformation since being appointed when they were three points above the relegation zone in October 2022, according to BBC Sport senior football news reporter Nick Mashiter.

They were third in the title race last year and were just a point ahead of Arsenal, but two defeats at home to Newcastle and at Manchester United put an end to any hope by mid-February.

Tottenham Hotspur

Who is Man City's serious title challengers?

Last season's finish: Fifth (25 points below City)

Under Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham had a promising season, finishing fifth overall after 10 games, but then lost the title and finished outside of the Champions League spots.

Teenagers Archie Gray (£30m from Leeds), Lucas Bergvall (£8.5m from Djurgarden) and George Feeney (undisclosed from Glentoran - signed for the under-18 team) are their only summer arrivals to date. Yang Min-hyuk, a teen from South Korea, will start for the team in January.

Mikey Moore, a 16-year-old academy striker, has impressed in pre-season friendlies.

Nizaar Kinsella, a journalist for BBC Sport, predicted that Tottenham will be the driving force behind their determination to win silverware for the first time since 2008.

Chelsea

Last season's finish: Sixth (28 points below City)

Chelsea finished last season strongly to qualify for Europe, having been in danger of a bottom-half finish, but after another summer of major overhaul, how they will fare is anybody's guess.

Enzo Maresca, on the back of leading Leicester to promotion, replaced Mauricio Pochettino in the Blues ' hot seat this summer.

With Premier League experience, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Omari Kellyman among the summer signings, they have a flurry of them.

Veteran centre-back Thiago Silva, along with Hakim Ziyech, Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson - who were all out on loan last season - have left permanently, with Conor Gallagher set to move to Atletico Madrid.

As a new manager with Enzo Maresca and a young squad look like they need to close the gap, Chelsea would be a real outsider for the Premier League title this year, according to BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella.

There is a desire to see this young squad develop together and compete in the future, but success in the Champions League and the Champions League are still the goals.

Newcastle United

Last season's finish: Seventh (31 points below City)

Newcastle set the bar so high in 2022-23 with their surprise Champions League qualification that last season's seventh-place finish felt like an anti-climax.

Manchester United's win in the FA Cup final meant the Magpies, who finished the season strongly, missed out on Europe entirely.

Newcastle will now hope to retain Eddie Howe, who is regarded as one of the favorites to succeed him as England's manager.

Newcastle is being unfairly affected by financial regulations, which means they are forced to sell players when they really want to buy, according to BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone.

Manchester United

Last season's finish: Eighth (31 points below City)

Manchester United finished eighth last season, their worst league performance since 1989-90, but they did succeed by winning the FA Cup.

In Sir Jim Ratcliffe's transformation of the club, manager Erik ten Hag, who has won trophies both times, was widely anticipated, but United chose to stick with him.

This summer, Manchester United spent money on two youngster players: centre-back Leny Yoro and Bologna international Joshua Zirkzee, who will cost £36 million. Already, though, Yoro is injured and facing months out of action.

Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial, two former France internationals, have left on free transfers.

BBC Sport's Simon Stone said: "The sight of £52m new boy Leny Yoro in a protective boot sends a shudder down the spine of United's fans.

" Injuries began in the last pre-season and didn't stop. Because he can't afford to finish eighth once more, Erik ten Hag must avoid repeating it.

Over the coming weeks, there will likely be a renewed focus on further central defensive strengthening.

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