Late support for City's Premier League title bid
PREMIER LEAGUE favourites Manchester City have been cut to win the title after Betfred’s standout 13-5 disappeared with Pep Guardiola’s side now 9-4 to be champions.
City start their campaign against Sunderland with punters growing in confidence after the market leaders drifted all from opening quotes as short as 11-10.
The late move for City is at odds with the summer gamble on neighbours Manchester United, who started at 8-1 but are now into 18-5 after making the eye-catching signings of Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Pogba is banned for Sunday’s trip to Bournemouth as he serves a suspension picked up at previous club Juventus, although there is strong confidence in United’s title charge with Paddy Power reporting 28 per cent of all outright bets have been placed on the Red Devils.
“At United you cannot say differently, we have to fight for the title,” said coach Jose Mourinho. “We feel that we are candidates to win the title.”
Chelsea and Arsenal come next in the market at 13-2, while 9-1 shots Liverpool and 10-1 pokes Tottenham are also seen as genuine title challengers in what seems certain to be a titanic tussle in the race to take the title off reigning champions Leicester.
The Foxes, 5000-1 this time 12 months ago, are 33-1 to retain the title as bookmakers learn the lessons of last season when layers lost in excess of £15 on Leicester’s stunning success.
No team is bigger than 1,500-1 to claim the title with this term.