Premier League: With rivals reinforcing to counter City’s might, four-way title race on the cards

The Premier League’s giants have again brushed off the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the start of the new season on Friday with a four-team battle expected for the title.

Reigning champions Manchester City have broken the English top flight transfer record by splashing £100 million ($138 million) on Jack Grealish.

However, European champions Chelsea showed they were capable of beating City three times towards the end of last season and are not alone in harbouring ambitions of snatching the Premier League title away from Pep Guardiola’s men.

Manchester United have also spent over £100 million on Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, while Liverpool look refreshed after an injury-ravaged 2020/2021 season. Chelsea have broken their transfer record to bring Romelu Lukaku back and Liverpool will be revitalised after their title defence went off the rails in a injury-hit season.

It has been clear in recent years that Guardiola’s City are the absolute benchmark in English football and the only year they lost in the last four was courtesy a freakishly incredible season by Jurgen Kloop’s Liverpool. It would take something extraordinary again to challenge the Blue half of Manchester this time, as not only did Guardiola extend his stay, he has also been busy reinforcing his squad. Sergio Aguero might not be around anymore, but the attacking talent at Guardiola’s disposal is mouth-watering.

But if you are pining for a closer title race in the Premier League than what we saw last season, there is early hope, primarily because Liverpool look revitalised and Chelsea, the European champions, have the pedigree to upset the City applecart. All might not be well off the pitch at Manchester United’s management and its fans, but the talent is bristling at Old Trafford once again.

Here is a look at the four leading contenders for the title:

Manchester City

Winning a third Premier League title in four seasons and lifting yet another League Cup was not enough to sate Guardiola’s appetite for success.

Fuelled by the frustration of City’s limp Champions League final defeat against Chelsea, Guardiola has no intention of resting on his laurels. The City boss added another weapon to his already lethal attacking arsenal with a British record £100 million ($139 million) swoop for Aston Villa playmaker Grealish.

Another British transfer record could still happen with Tottenham striker Harry Kane in City’s sights. But whether Kane arrives or not, having finished 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester United last term, City start as favourites for the title.

With Tottenham, Leicester, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool among their opening seven games of the season, the champions’ title defence will given a stern early test.

But make no mistake, it is City and Guardiola’s title to lose.

Manchester United

Without a major trophy since 2017, United have loaded up for a sustained assault to end an eight-year wait to win the title.

There was no repeat of last summer’s transfer saga over Sancho as a £73 million fee was quickly agreed with Borussia Dortmund before Varane’s arrival solved a problem position at centre-back.

Sancho joins a swashbuckling attack also featuring Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba pulling the strings behind them in midfield.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have proved to be more than a match for City on their day over the past two seasons, but need to find the consistency of their local rivals over the long haul.

For the first time since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, United have finished in the Premier League top four in two consecutive seasons to secure the lucrative source of Champions League revenue that has allowed the English giants to continue making marquee signings like Sancho and Varane.

However, after a finishing second to Manchester City last season, the pressure is on Solskjaer to end an eight-year wait to win the title.

“We’ve gone from third to second and a lot closer in points; we’ve gone from three semi-finals to a final and one kick away from winning, so it’s about taking the next step now,” said Solskjaer. “That’s the challenge.”

United are at least far better prepared for that challenge than they were 12 months ago. A rapid turnaround between seasons caused by the pandemic and a lack of reinforcements contributed to three defeats in their opening six league games to leave a mountain to climb.

“Transfer-wise, we’ve done our business early and I’m very pleased with what we’ve done,” added Solskjaer.

“I felt we lost too many points early on (last season). From November 1 until the Leicester game in May, we only lost one league game. That’s the consistency we want to see again.”

A favourable opening run of Southampton, Wolves, Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa and Everton to follow Leeds’ visit offers Solskjaer’s men the chance at a flying start they will need to get the better of a strong pack of title contenders.

Liverpool

Ravaged by long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, Liverpool surrendered their first English title in 30 years without a fight.

Yet, from the ashes of that turbulent campaign, Jurgen Klopp’s side believe they will be stronger this season. Liverpool shrugged off their woes with a late surge that saw them qualify for the Champions League with a third-place finish.

Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum left for Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, but Klopp has bolstered his squad with the £36 million signing of Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konte.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been refreshed by a summer off from international duties, while Diogo Jota’s fine form in his first season at the club has put Roberto Firmino’s place up front under threat.

Most importantly, the returns of Van Dijk and Henderson will be like new signings for Klopp as the Reds boss aims to bounce back from a first trophyless season in three years.

Van Dijk’s absence due to a knee injury suffered in the Merseyside Derby with Everton last October cost Liverpool dear in their defence of the title last season and also saw him miss Euro 2020. He is the fourth senior Liverpool player to extend his contract in the last couple of weeks after Alexander-Arnold and Brazilian duo Fabinho and Alisson Becker.

“If you’re a real Liverpool fan you’re excited about the news the club delivered in the last few weeks,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp at his Friday press conference.

“Allison’s new contract, same with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Virgil Van Dijk. Others will follow, so that’s great. It’s not as spectacular (as new signings by their rivals) but it’s great news – if other teams wanted to sign these players they’d have to pay a lot of money and we have them already.”

Van Dijk signed from Southampton in 2018 for a reported £75 million ($104 million) and was pivotal in Liverpool winning the 2019 Champions League and the Premier League the following season.

“Last year, the gap was pretty big (City had a 12-point advantage over second-placed Manchester United and 17 over Liverpool),” said Klopp ahead of the opening Premier League match away on Saturday to newly-promoted Norwich.

“The previous season, the gap between us was pretty big (Liverpool finished 18 points clear of City).

“I’m not sure if it can get any more intense for all the rest.

“We will see. Chelsea aren’t hiding their ambitions, Man United aren’t, City aren’t.

“We don’t want to hide our ambitions, we want to fight for everything.”

Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel’s remarkable impact at Chelsea culminated in Champions League final glory just five months after taking charge.

The German revitalised the previously lethargic Blues with his tactical nous, in-game strategy and motivational expertise.

It was fitting that Kai Havertz, one of previous coach Frank Lampard’s expensively signed underachievers, should underline his improvement in the Tuchel era with the goal that clinched Chelsea’s second Champions League crown.

Tuchel must now build on that triumph and has been backed by Roman Abramovich with Romelu Lukaku returning to Stamford Bridge for a reported club record £97 million from Inter Milan.

While Chelsea were rock solid at the back after Tuchel’s appointment, they were less impressive in attack where Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic all struggled for consistency.

Lukaku’s goalscoring prowess could be the final piece of the puzzle in Tuchel’s transformation of the Londoners. The Belgian striker was instrumental in securing Inter’s first Serie A title for 11 years last season, but the Italian giants financial problems forced them into selling their prized asset to the Premier League side.

Lukaku, who has signed a five-year contract, said: “It’s been a long journey for me: I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature.”

Lukaku scored 64 goals in two seasons in Italy to quickly become a hero at the San Siro. But the 28-year-old also has a proven record in the Premier League, scoring 113 goals during spells with Manchester United, Everton and West Brom. The only blot on Lukaku’s career so far was his first spell at Chelsea as he failed to score in 15 appearances.

Signed as an 18-year-old as the apparent heir to Didier Drogba, Lukaku quickly grew frustrated at his lack of opportunities in the first team. Drogba was the hero as Lukaku’s first season as a Chelsea player ended with them winning the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

But he later stated he felt he played “no part” in that success due to his limited game time.

Prolific loan spells with West Brom and then Everton proved Lukaku’s ability to score goals in the Premier League before he made a permanent move to the Toffees in 2014.

After scoring 87 goals in three seasons with Everton, Chelsea came calling again but Lukaku instead joined Manchester United in an inital £75 million move. Seven goals in his first seven Premier League games briefly gave United hope of challenging Manchester City for the title in 2017/18, but the wheels quickly came off Jose Mourinho’s time at Old Trafford.

Lukaku scored twice in United’s famous comeback to beat Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League in the early months of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign in charge, but he also fell out of favour under the Norwegian with questions over his fitness.

“Since I left Chelsea, it’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, but these experiences made me strong and the challenge is to try to help the team win some more trophies,” added Lukaku. “I can’t wait to get started and to help the club achieve more success.”

It is a move that makes Chelsea arguably the top contender for City’s crown.

With AFP inputs