With the 2020–21 Premier League season well under way, Peter Watton from OddsMonkey takes a look at which teams are likely to take the title.

As the Premier League season passes its halfway point, it’s getting to the time when the real contenders for the title usually start to emerge. It’s been an exciting season so far, and possibly one of the most open title races we’ve had for a long time.

Unlike previous years, it’s not quite clear which team is the leading contender, but there are a few clubs that are worth keeping an eye on as we move into the next half of the season.

It’s not surprising that four of the ‘big six’ are in the running, but could Leicester or Tottenham also be in with a chance? Below, I’ll be taking a look at how the table is currently taking shape, as well as the bookies’ odds, to determine which team has the potential to take home the title this season.

Who are the front runners?

Man City — 10/11

Liverpool — 11/4

Man Utd — 6/1

Tottenham — 13/1

Leicester — 39/1

Although they’re currently sitting at the top of the league table, it’s looking like Liverpool are not tipped to be this year’s champions. The team have seen a few disruptions this season with some major injuries keeping players off the field, which could see last year’s winners slide down the league table in future games. Instead, bookies are remaining hopeful for Man City to steal the title.

Despite getting off to a rocky start, Man City have quickly turned it around, making them the current favourite to win. City have improved their defence massively over the previous months, turning what was once their biggest weakness into their biggest strength, which could be the push they need to take home the title this year.

By far one of the most improved teams this season is Manchester Utd, and they certainly have the potential to take the top spot. They’ve played very well up to now, but their defence just isn’t quite up to scratch, which puts them at third place in the list of bookies’ favourites. However, by strengthening their defence during the January transfer window, they could give themselves a firmer foundation to build upon, especially against the top teams.

With this season still remining fairly open, there are a couple of outliers that have the potential to steal the title. Both Tottenham and Leicester are being backed by bookmakers in their top five, and it’s still entirely possible that one of the two could put together a fantastic run in the second half of the season and make a real challenge.

Who are the underdogs?

This year is remaining incredibly close and there’s only a few points separating the potential winners from the others. At the time of writing, there’s every chance that Southampton or Everton could take the place of Tottenham or Man City in the league table, and it’s likely that these four teams will keep switching places as the season goes on.

How could the race change?

Of course, the current winners and favourites aren’t set in stone and there’s still every chance that another team could pull it out of the bag at the last minute. There’s always a risk of major injuries pulling key players out of the game, but this year more than ever could see a significant number of absences.

As the pandemic postponed the previous season, and with the winter break being scrapped, players are starting to become fatigued, which could see some major teams start to fall behind. Add to that the extra absences that could happen from players having to isolate and any team could be in or out of the running at any moment.

As the Premier League continues, it’s hard to determine who the clear winner is going to be. There’s still a lot to play for in the coming months, which means each team needs to be at the very top of their game if they’re to take home the title this summer.