Welcome to December! The malls are crazed, school and work have become places to daydream about Christmas, and every snowflake is magical. This is also the beginning of a treacherous trek through the winter months of the Premier League. We are finally through the part of the season where managers blame mistakes on rust and into the segment where Carling Cup, Champions League, and other competitions intertwine with EPL pressures to ensure that only the fittest survive.
Right now, Manchester City have built a comfortable lead with a monster goal differential, so it seems that if they can make it through the coming months with few blemishes, then springtime will be all flowers and no showers. But the teams behind them are in a scrum that may not be sorted out until the final matchday. I am going to do my best to get to the bottom of this to see who will survive and take the four Champions League spots and EPL title.
1. Manchester City—This may seem like the easy pick, but here’s why they will stay at the top. With Chelsea experiencing a surprising freefall, and Liverpool having to settle for draws when it deserved to beat both Manchester squads, Manchester United remain the top challenger to the title. Tottenham and Newcastle have had great starts to the season, but sadly, they do not have the budget or depth to keep up with City. I think City finally keep their heads on straight (if they can avoid Balotellitis) and take home their first Premier League crown.
2. Manchester United—In the past, I may have predicted Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad to come out and snatch back the title from City, but they seem a little off this year. The second spot comes down to United and Liverpool, as they are the two teams who have looked most impressive behind City. Their first match resulted in a draw at Anfield, but United was lucky to escape with the point. The second match, in February, could very well decide who challenges City for the title.
3. Liverpool—Kenny Dalglish has done a wonderful job of reinvigorating the Reds after two disappointing seasons. They are playing aggressive, team soccer and if not for a somewhat groggy start, they may have been right next to City at the top of the table. If they can get over the unlucky breaks that have weighed on them early this season, they will be lying in wait should City or United slip up.
4. Tottenham—I have a feeling Spurs fans will take this as a sign of disrespect. Currently, Tottenham sit in third place, only two points out of second with a game in hand. However, it is hard to overlook the shellackings they took from both Manchester teams at the start of the season. They have rebounded nicely and are on a 10-game unbeaten streak, including a beat down of Liverpool. They have more staying power than Newcastle and even Arsenal, and could very well take a top three spot. I gave the edge to United and Liverpool because, unfortunately, money still means something in this league and they have more of it. While Hotspur is my favorite nickname for any club, they may have to settle for a Champions League spot when May rolls around.
Now, don’t discount Arsenal, Chelsea, or Newcastle, who are all within seven points of second place. But they haven’t shown just yet that they can compete at the top level of the table this season. With so many teams in contention, this season is turning out to be one for the ages. City would be wise not to take their foot off the pedal, as many teams will be eager to trip them up.
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