Last year, Mikel Arteta was doubtful about his team’s chances of winning the Premier League after a 2-0 loss to West Ham at the Emirates. The Head Coach was concerned that his players were missing too many chances.
The Gunners registered 30 shots against the Hammers and had 77 touches within the Hammers’ box. Yet, none of that mattered in the end. The match ended in defeat.
Luckily, Arteta seems to have fixed the team’s shortcomings. Arsenal has won all its matches in the league this year, scoring a record-breaking 31 goals in seven matches. The Gunners also rank atop the EPL table after 28 matches.
So, Can the Gunners win the Premier League this year? Let’s take a closer look at their odds.
Manchester City are the Clear Favorites
Despite Arsenal’s impressive run this calendar year, oddsmakers believe Manchester City has the best odds of winning the EPL trophy. Opta Analysts, who use a supercomputer to predict the EPL, believe City have 45.9% odds of lifting the EPL trophy.
Liverpool ranks second with 35.3% odds while Arsenal are third with 18.8% odds. Notably, Arsenal’s chances of winning the EPL have been increasing every week. Last month, the club’s odds stood at 12.9%.
According to leading bookmakers in the UK, Arsenal’s odds of winning the league title are as high as 27%. City still takes the lead at 46% and Liverpool ranks second at 33%.
If you believe Arsenal can win the league title, consider placing a bet on one of the club’s betting partners. Betway is an excellent example. The highly-rated gambling platform has a multiyear branding deal with the club. It also welcomes new customers with generous bonuses.
Why are Arsenal the Underdogs?
Arsenal’s tough upcoming fixtures are perhaps the biggest reason bookies believe they could lose the title race to City or Liverpool. The Gunners face City at the Etihad on March 31.
The Citizens are a tough team to beat at home. And with the league title in contention, Pep Guardiola will hope to take all three points in this fixture. Can Arsenal beat City at home?
Guardiola’s men have played 13 matches at home this season. They’ve won 10 and tied in three. City have an upper hand against Arsenal in the past five EPL matches, having won four and lost only once.
If Arsenal are to win the EPL title, winning at the Etihad will be compulsory. Arteta hasn’t done it since taking charge of the Gunners. But Arsenal is in excellent form; meaning there’s a decent chance he can beat Pep at the Etihad.
After City’s game, Arsenal will face Brighton away, Aston Villa and Chelsea at home, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool away.
There’s no doubt Arsenal can win its upcoming fixtures. But the title race is close. If the Gunners slip up in one or more of the upcoming games, they risk falling out of the title race altogether.
4 Reasons Why Arsenal Can Win the Premier League
Sure, bookmakers believe the Gunners are outsiders in the Premier League race. But the same bookies said the club were out of the title race after losing points to Westham, Liverpool and Fulham.
Most bookies also doubted Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for the quarter-stage of the Champions League. Yet, the boys broke the jinx by eliminating Porto in the round of 16.
In light of that information, below are four reasons why Arsenal could actually win the EPL this year.
Season-Long Consistency
Arsenal kicked off the 2023/24 season on a high note and have maintained their impressive run for the better part of the season. Although the club lost a few unnecessary points along the way, it ranks first on the EPL table.
The best part of it all is that the club has been winning matches left, right and centre. Its impressive record against the big six is a good reason for why it could win the title.
Arsenal beat Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool at home and tied against Spurs and Chelsea in late last year. It is yet to lose a game against its toughest competition. If it can maintain this record, there’s no reason it can’t win the league.
A Top-tier Defensive Record
Arsenal is the best team in the league defence-wise. After 28 matches, the club has conceded 24 goals only. Liverpool ranks second in terms of defensive prowess while City is third.
The great Sir Alex Ferguson once said that defence wins you titles. Indeed, one of City’s biggest strengths in the past few years has been its defensive work. The result is that the Citizens have been winning competitions back-to-back.
Arsenal have a great backline that has been consistent for the entire season. Unlike last year, the defence line has been largely injury-free.
Excellent Goal-Scoring
As we mentioned earlier, Arsenal hasn’t just been winning. It has been thrashing teams. The boys have scored 70 goals with 10 matches yet to come. Mikel fixed the team’s goal-scoring woes at the end of last year in the first few weeks of January.
Since then, the club has failed to score in only one match—a 1-0 loss to Porto in the Champions League. Excellent goal scoring when combined with solid defence work can only lead to one thing—great success at the end of the season.
An In-Form Team
The boys have been phenomenal throughout this season. From scoring late winners to securing crucial draws, the Gunners have been clinical in their performance throughout the season.
The team is in excellent form presently. If it can maintain this form, there’s no reason it can’t win the league this year. To be fair, the club will need to remain injury-free to maximize its chances of winning the league.
Another factor will be Arteta’s ability to handle each of the remaining opposition in a way that guarantees Arsenal’s success. So far, the Spaniard has demonstrated his brilliance in squad selection, converting set pieces, handling discipline uplifting the team’s spirits after a loss.