With the 2022-23 Premier League season well underway, it’s been an interesting start to the campaign, to say the least. Arsenal is the only side to boast a 100% winning record at the time of writing, and Mikel Arteta’s side is sitting pretty at the top of the table, with their fans dreaming of an unlikely title tilt.
Indeed, the Premier League winner odds at SkyBet.com make for interesting reading. Defending champions Manchester City, are the overwhelming odds-on favorites to win the fifth title in six seasons, while Liverpool’s stuttering start means their odds are slightly more distant. Arsenal, meanwhile, is considered a 10/1 shot alongside arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
There is a long way to go this season, so let’s take a look at three factors that the Premier League title race will hinge on between now and May.
Maintaining standards
The first question is whether or not Manchester City and Liverpool can maintain the ridiculously high standards set over the past few seasons. The two teams, led by supreme coaches in the form of Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp respectively, have pushed each other on towards greatness, but you feel that the bubble has to burst eventually.
Indeed, Liverpool has suffered a disappointing start to the 2022-23 season, with just two points to show from their opening three matches. The recent 2-1 defeat to Manchester United was a bitter pill to swallow and highlighted a team in disarray. After such a blistering run in the second half of last season, it’s perhaps understandable that there is a bit of a comedown, but Klopp will be keen to ensure it isn’t as drastic as many believe.
The city looks less likely to stumble. Yes, they may have been held to a 3-3 draw against Newcastle United last weekend, but given the quality within their ranks, you’d expect them to win the vast majority of their matches this season. It’s up to the rest of the chasing pack to keep pace.
Handling the World Cup break
One interesting caveat to this season is the fact that the campaign will be broken up by the 2022 World Cup, which takes place in Qatar in November and December. Most of the teams vying for the Premier League title will be missing large numbers of players, and it’s hard to know how players will be affected by their exertions in the Middle East come the second half of the season.
It will also be interesting to see whether players perform with the same levels of commitment in the lead-up to the World Cup. The threat of getting injured weeks before the start of the tournament will weigh heavily on footballers, no more so than at the biggest clubs.
Individual quality
Of course, much will come down to the individual quality that clubs have within their ranks. With Manchester City bringing Erling Haaland to the club during the summer transfer window, they finally have a recognized striker they can rely on to hit 20 goals a season, and the Norwegian’s instincts in front of the goal will be vital throughout the course of the campaign.
Liverpool will need to ensure Salah is fit and firing all season, and the Reds will be boosted by the fact that Egypt did not qualify for the World Cup, so Salah will get a well-earned rest for a few weeks in December. His form will be vital if Liverpool is to challenge.
