ODDSTRACKER: With the crazy nature of this season’s Premier League, we decided to take a look at how the market has reacted.
Premier League: The most open title race ever?
For many football fans an exciting Premier League title race is one of the key attributes to a good season and if the first nine weeks of the 2020/21 campaign are anything to go by, we could be in for one of the most open and exciting ever.
We’ve tracked how the odds have swung this way and that so far in this week’s Oddstracker.
Although Liverpool won their first title in 30 years by a whopping 18 points last season, the team that finished second to them, Manchester City, were installed as the 2.0 favourites this time around, with Jurgen Klopp’s side 2.38 for a second consecutive trophy.
The odds suggested it was very much a two-horse race, with Chelsea next best at 13.0 and Spurs considerably bigger at 67.0.
A week in and after Liverpool’s unconvincing 4-3 victory over new boys Leeds, City shortened further to 1.83, while the Reds were now 3.0.
However, things changed a couple of weeks later with Leicester thumping Pep Guardiola’s side 5-2 at the Etihad and Liverpool seeing off Arsenal 3-1 at Anfield.
Those results saw Liverpool become the 1.91 favourites and City out to 2.5. Leicester’s win, meanwhile, saw them shorten significantly to 34.0 from 126.0.
A 1-1 draw with Leeds halted City’s progress further, but even in a season of unexpected results, Liverpool’s 7-2 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa was one no one expected.
The shock loss meant Liverpool drifted out to 2.2, with City remaining 2.5 for the title ahead of the first international break of the season.
City got the better of Arsenal in their first game back and after Liverpool drew 2-2 with Merseyside rivals Everton, City were once again favourites at 1.8.
Although it appeared to still be a two-horse race, Tottenham were beginning to creep into the picture at 13.0, while Chelsea were also quietly coming into the equation at 21.0.
Spurs were the big movers the following week with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Burnley seeing their price shorten again to 8.0, with many beginning to deem them as genuine title challengers.
Having played out a 1-1 draw in gameweek eight, Liverpool and City couldn’t be split at the top of the betting with both at 2.63, and that was the same for their nearest pursuers with Spurs and Chelsea both 9.0 chances.
It could be argued that the most recent set of fixtures have had the biggest impact on the title race odds so far, with Spurs’ 2-0 win over Man City seeing their price cut to 6.0 and Guardiola’s team’s out from 3.75 to 2.63.
Chelsea were impressive in beating Newcastle and they are marginally fourth favourites at 6.5, but it’s Liverpool who, after beating Leicester 3-0, are now the 2.4 favourites to retain their title.
