After a weekend that couldn’t have gone much better for Thomas Tuchel’s side, there’s little separating Chelsea and Manchester City in the EPL title market.
Things couldn’t have gone much better for Chelsea on Matchweek 10 of the EPL season. Not only did the Blues’ trip to Tyneside finish with a dominant 3-0 win at St James’ Park, but Manchester City lost 2-0 to a Crystal Palace side that started $17 H2H with Palmerbet, while Liverpool were held to a draw at home to Brighton. The results not only ensured Chelsea now enjoy a three-point buffer at the top of the table, but have had huge ramifications on the title market. So much so, that both City and Chelsea are now virtually equal favourites to claim honours this EPL season.
Liverpool 2-2 Brighton
City 0-2 Palace
Newcastle 0-3 ChelseaChelsea in control of the Premier League title race 💥 pic.twitter.com/x7wZ3C56Hm
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 30, 2021
Neck and neck
According to manager Pep Guardiola City got ‘many things’ wrong in the loss to Palace, who pulled off (comfortably) the biggest upset of the season. In fact, no other club has claimed three points at double-figure odds this campaign. The defeat saw the Sky Blues lengthen considerably (for this time of the year), from $1.91 to $2.40. In the last 24 hours they have shortened slightly again, into $2.30. Chelsea, by contrast, made a big move themselves. Starting the weekend as $3.30 title chances, Tuchel’s side shortened into $2.35 following the win in Newcastle.
It’s on.
29 – Since Thomas Tuchel took charge of Chelsea in January, the Blues have kept at least nine more clean sheets in all competitions than any other side in the big five European leagues. Impenetrable. #MALCHE pic.twitter.com/ADqeLukABI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 2, 2021
Even spread
Perhaps most surprisingly about Chelsea’s charge this season is their lack of forward dominance. Despite bagging 26 goals in 10 games (bettered only by Liverpool with 29), their leading goalscorer this EPL campaign to date is right-back Reece James, who has four. Despite bagging just three in an injury-interrupted season to date, Romelu Lukaku remains the $7.50 third-favourite to finish as the top scorer this season with Palmerbet.
https://twitter.com/OptusSport/status/1453919770026430464?s=20
The haves and have-nots
It has quickly become clear this EPL season that there’s a considerable gap between the haves (Chelsea, City and Liverpool), and have-nots. And it’s very much reflected in Palmerbet’s markets. Take the ‘Dual Forecast’, for example:
- Man City and Chelsea: $2.10
- Man City and Liverpool: $3.00
- Liverpool and Chelsea: $4.00
The next best? Man City and Man United at $15. In the eyes of almost every pundit, it’s a three-horse race as we’ve ticked over a quarter way through the season.
(*Prices correct at 11am Thursday November 4)
