The race to the English Premier League crown is almost over, and there are two teams, neck in neck, that remain in running for the prize.
Fittingly enough, they are Manchester United and Manchester City, (not-so) friendly neighbors and rivals. If we look at various sports betting sites we will see that the odds are against Manchester City. So let’s break it down.
The first thing we must do is compare the teams. Who has the strongest team? In attack, it most certainly is City. United have Rooney, the best English striker by far, Nani, who has been injured for the past few months but should return soon, as well as Valencia, Berbatov, Young, and an aging Giggs. Not a weak attack by any means, unless you compare it to that of City’s. Up front they have Sergio Aguero, one of the top three strikers in the league, Dzeko, a wild card in Balotelli (either incredible or incredibly frustrating), and a recently called into action Tevez, who, say what you want about him off the field (and there is plenty to say), on the field is a dangerous striker.
Midfield isn’t even a competition. City wins hands down with Da Silva, the best midfielder in England, Nasri, Milner, and Johnson, who all provide creativity and a constant scoring threat from the middle. Holding the midfield are De Jong, Barry, and Yaya Toure. This is compared to United’s midfield, which is practically non-existent without a creator of any type (they were so desperate that they ended up pulling Scholes out of retirement).
The Defensive lines match up well, even though United are missing key defender Vidic. I would give a slight edge in the goal-keeping department to City’s Joe Hart, although De Gea should turn into one of the better keepers in the league.
On paper, City has the best team. They should win the head to head match, which would level them on points (at the moment United are three points ahead with eight games to go). But it is with their schedule that United have the upper hand. Besides City, Sunderland and Everton pose the biggest threats. City, on the other hand, still has to deal with a resurgent Arsenal away from home. This is not an easy game, and one Arsenal will look to win in order to strengthen their hold on third place. They will also have to play Newcastle, who is currently sitting at sixth, right behind Chelsea. Both teams may drop points at clubs fighting for their life against relegation, but when it comes down to it, Manchester United have the easier schedule.
Although I believe that Manchester City has the stronger team, and will beat Manchester United in their upcoming derby game, it is the points at the end of the season that matter. Therefore, I would follow the odds of online betting betting sites out there and say that Manchester United will retain the Premier league crown this year.
