After the drama of the Euros, it’s time for English football to settle back into it’s bread and butter. Kicking off this weekend, we assess the main markets for the 2021/22 EPL season.
While the English Premier League off-season always comes and goes quickly, there’s been no shortage of off-field action. Some huge deals have been completed in recent weeks, with the top clubs not shy of spending a penny or two. These include Jack Grealish to Manchester City (£100 million), Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea (£97.5 million) and Jadon Sancho to Manchester United (£73 million). So where does all the transfer market wrangling leave the markets on the eve of the EPL season? Let’s dive straight in.
Winner
The fact City’s championship-winning side may now feature England stars Grealish and Harry Kane is almost unfair. While Kane’s deal has stalled due to Spurs demanding a higher fee, it’s still unsurprising City are strong favourites going into this season. However at $1.67 punters might think twice. At $5.50, Chelsea might provide a more value prospect. Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League-winning side, with the addition of Lukaku (pending), are a huge chance this EPL season.
Next up is 2019/20 winners Liverpool ($6.00), coming off the back of what was a disappointing season that, however, ended brightly. Whether the momentum of the 10-game unbeaten run to end last season will continue is another thing altogether. Virgil van Dijk returns following an ACL, but they lose Georginho Wijnaldum to Paris Saint-Germain. And finally, the fourth and last of the genuine contenders is Manchester United ($9.50). The biggest question for Ole Gunnar Solskjær is how quickly he can settle Sancho and Raphael Varane into the starting XI. Should they fire early, United are a huge chance of their first title in nine EPL seasons.
Who lifts the #PL trophy in 2022?#EPL Markets ⚽ https://t.co/0RCQP06V8M pic.twitter.com/NY6VeLL1Cx
— Palmerbet (@PalmerbetAU) August 10, 2021
Top Goalscorer
Two clear leaders emerge in the top scorer market, although there’s huge value beyond the pair. Kane ($3.75) and Liverpool’s Mo Salah ($4.50) — three and two-time winners of the award respectively — unsurprisingly start as favourites in the popular market.
Liverpool’s Diogo Jota ($17) started brightly at the club last EPL season and should anything happen to Salah, could capably lead the line. City teammates Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling both start, too, at $17. The uncertainty around Kane’s arrival naturally keeps their price a juicy one, and should the deal fall over Jesus in particular could prove a value option. All at $21 is Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang (Arsenal) and Sadio Mane. Should their clubs push towards the top six, both Calvert-Lewin and Aubamayang are strong options given the amount of service they’ll receive as the club’s best forwards.
“Aubameyang will be top scorer.”
“He needs to play centrally to do it.”@Chunkz and @JackWilshere explain why @Auba will be top scorer this season. ⚽️
📺 More: https://t.co/bY7wF2WdYU pic.twitter.com/dwb2WCXxP8
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) August 10, 2021
Top 6 Finish (value)
The four title favourites, plus Leicester City ($1.83), Tottenham ($2.20) and Arsenal ($2.25) unsurprisingly start relatively short-priced to finish inside the top six. But there’s value to be had outside those top EPL clubs. While Everton ($4.20) are next best in the market, it’s Leeds United at $5 that may pique the internet of punters. After a ninth-placed finish under Marcelo Bielsa last season, many are tipping them to go better in 2021/22 after almost all key players remained at the club in the off-season.
Further, West Ham might similarly interest punters. After finishing sixth last EPL season, their pre-season top-six price of $5.50 might prove juicy. And it would send a club legend out on a high.
https://twitter.com/OptusSport/status/1423947026237050900?s=20
Relegation
Naturally, the three promoted teams from the Championship are instantly put forward are relegation fancies. Norwich ($1.91), Watford ($1.91) and Brentford ($2.25) are the three favourites to go straight back down. But could it be Burnley that’s in trouble? A 17th-placed finish last season showed that things are getting stale at Turf Moor. And after a less than impressive transfer window thus far, there’s little indication things will rapidly change. Currently at $3.25, it may be hard for Sean Dyche to survive another year in the top flight.
(*Prices correct at 12pm Wednesday August 11)
