WHO WILL WIN 2024/25 EPL TITLE: PROS AND CONS
The English Premier League(EPL) is the most famous and prestigious football league in the world, where great and historic clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham; and recently successful clubs like Manchester City and Newcastle United are. Twenty clubs play this league every season with three clubs having to relegate at season’s end, and three clubs are being promoted from the Championship at the beginning of a new season.
From the start of the 2024/25 season on August 16 until now, the EPL has witnessed just as usually, fierce and difficult matches, great performances, surprises pulled by some match officials, clubs and players; renewed hope and dashed hope for some clubs, busy schedules for a number of clubs week-in week-out, injury crises, club management issues and many more.
Today, we’ll be looking at the clubs who most probably could win this season’s title, based on their current standings, resources, advantages and disadvantages. As at today, 10th January, 2025, twenty league matches out of the total thirty-eight have been played by every club, but with the exception of Liverpool and Everton who both have a game in hand against each other. In our analysis, we’ll be focusing on the top six teams on the league table presently; and in that order from the first to the sixth.
Sitting at position one is Liverpool FC, with 46 points and a game in hand. Under their new manager, Arne Slot – renowned for leading Feyenoord, his last club, to the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final in his first season and for winning the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup for the same club in the subsequent seasons, Liverpool has been in really impressive form since the season began, having the least defeat, least draws, most wins, most goals scored, and most goal difference. They boast of great players like Mohammed Salah (former winner of African Best Player of the Year Award), Alexander Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Konate, Luiz Diaz, David Becker and several new recruits like Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez among others. Having won the EPL last in 2019/20 season, Liverpool has only won the EPL just once in the last thirty-four years; so the fans, the club owners and the players are really desperate for another victory
A major reason why they parted ways with their last coach, Jurgen Kloop, who won them the 2019/20 EPL, because they thought he was not sufficiently passionate to set them to win it again, after his EPL and Champions League accomplishments.
Under Arne Slot, Liverpool’s style of play is characterized by a structured build-up from the back, quick passing, and patient possession. They also use pressing traps to neutralize the opposition’s pressing, and offensive transition is characterized by focus on verticality and speed to progress ball, driven by the clear intention of the ball holder to move forward and initiate a fast attack. In essence, they are very dangerous with open play and set-pieces. The only injury concern for Liverpool is Joe Gomez, their defender, who is out for some weeks due to an hamstring issue.
Unto the next. Arsenal FC is the second on the table with 40 points, having played twenty games. They have the second least defeat, third most wins and the least conceded goals, one short of Liverpool. They boast of one of the finest players in the league like Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice, David Raya, Martin Odeguard, Thomas Partey, new recruits like Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori, and uprising and exciting academy stars like Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis Skelly. Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal has experienced a big resurgence. Unlike their previous self, always struggling to qualify for the Champions League, for the last two seasons in a row, they were very close to winning the league, falling short to Manchester City both seasons on very slim margins. On that ground, many pundits and individuals have suggested they would win the league this season; fulfilling their dream of winning the league again since 2004. However, the first half of the season has not really favoured them, as they are presently trailing the league topper, Liverpool, by six points, which could be seven or nine points, when the outstanding match is played. Also, from the start of the season, they’ve been beset by injury crises, unfavourable match decisions, managerial issue, and to add, their major stars like Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Ben White are presently sidelined with injuries, and will be out for weeks or months.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal plays a structured yet fluid style that emphasizes defensive solidity and attacking creativity. Their style is characterized by high pressure, tactical flexibility, and a focus on building from the back. They are good in open play, perhaps not like Liverpool; but in set-pieces, they appear to be ahead. In fact, they’re famously called the set-piece kings and former Stoke City because of their success at this. Thanks to their set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.
At position three is Nottingham Forest, with forty points as well. They have the second most wins and the second least goals conceded with Liverpool, behind Arsenal. Their coach is Nuno Espirito Santo, a former Tottenham and Wolves manager. Under his management, Nottingham, an underdog and relegation club has grown to be one of the league contenders this season, to the big surprise of many. They focus on defensive solidity, counter-attacking style using pacy players, and tactical flexibility, which has worked well for them. They boast of impressive players like Morgan Gibbs-White, Nikola Milenković, Álex Moreno, Anthony Elanga, Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Chris Wood, Callum Hudson-Odoi among others. Presently, they have just two injured players, Sangare and Danilo.
Fourth on the table is Chelsea, with thirty-six points. At the beginning of the league, Chelsea was not considered a serious league contender because of their inconsistent performances, previous seasons’ struggles and failures. However, their impressive run of form before December, which saw them to the second position on the table, began to change the perspective and narration. In the EPL, Chelsea has the largest squad, and with many top players like Cole Palmer, Jandon Sancho, Mykhailo Mudryk etc; and it seems their luck has turned around under Enzo Maresca, their current coach. Their style of play is characterized by high-energy pressing, wide and inverted wing movements, and a focus on regaining possession quickly. Chelsea has five injured players presently, namely: Omari Kellyman, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Benoit Badiashile, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Fifth on the table is Newcastle United, with 35 points. Since the arrival of their current coach, Eddie Howe in 2021, they have gradually transformed themselves into a force to reckon with in the premier league, by winning a lot of matches – big games included, and qualifying for the Champions League. They recruited many top players to their squad – the likes of Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, Kieran Trippier etc. As a matter of fact, they’re a big threat to any big team that faces them. They are in an impressive form lately, having won their last five games in a row. Current injury crises includes: Nick Pope, Callum Wilson, Emil Krafth, and J. Lascelles.
The last club we’ll be talking about is Manchester City. They’re presently sixth on the table with 34 points, having been struggling for form since late October. Under their magical tactician, Pep Guardiola, they’ve won EPL six times in the last seven years. It was pure dominance. They have the very best players in the world in their squad, like Rodri (recent World Best Player), Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva, Kelvin De Bruyn, Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Josko Gvardiol and the likes. However, their recent injury crises with players like Rodri, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Ederson, and Oscar Bobb seems to be taking toil on them. It remains to be seen if they can do the almost impossible, by winning the league again this season.
From the above information, it may look like a six-horse race; however from a deeper insight, I believe it will be decided among Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham and Manchester City, because City cannot be ruled out yet, owing to their history and capacity. I think less of Chelsea and Newcastle in this race, because of their lesser points right now, and their questionable consistency. Nevertheless, among them all, the most trusted club, having the highest stakes to win 2024/25 EPL title is Liverpool FC.
What do you think fans?
