Man City heavy favourites to retain their Premier League crown in 2022

Leading betting site bet365 make Man City their odds-on favourites to win the Premier League again in 2022.

The 2020/21 season has already been a successful one for Manchester City. The team sealed a fifth Premier League title in just 10 years and have also added the Carabao Cup to an impressive trophy cabinet. Plus there is the small matter of a Champions League final to come against Chelsea. 

Although this year’s league win won’t break many records, City will win the title by a double-figure points margin and look well set to defend their crown next season. The bookmakers are expecting City to be the team to beat next season too. Bet365 are one of the world’s leading online sports betting companies judging by this bet365 review and many others, and they offer just 4/6 (1.67) that Pep Guardiola’s side record back-to-back domestic league wins in 2022.

This season’s title win was undoubtedly built upon a sturdy defensive base. It didn’t get off to the best of starts though, City conceded six times in their first two Premier League games of the campaign, including a 5-2 defeat to Leicester City at the Etihad. The arrival of Ruben Dias saw those stats improve dramatically though. The Portugal international held shore up the defensive line and City now boast the best defensive stats in the division by a significant margin.

In attack the leading story has been the development of Phil Foden, who now looks a centrepiece of Guardiola’s team for years to come. At just 20 years old, his tally of eight Premier League goals is encouraging, especially having started just 16 games and made 11 substitute appearances. Foden is primed for a significant role with England’s Euro 2020 squad too.

Kevin De Bruyne’s new contract should ensure he remains in the engine room of City’s midfield. Having recorded another season with more than 10 assists, the Belgian remains one of the most important players in the squad. Now his future is assured thanks to the contract extension that has made De Bruyne the highest paid player in the Premier League, it’s understandable to see City leading the pack when it comes to next season’s expected challengers. Up front though, there look to be significant changes in the pipeline before the 2021/22 campaign underway.

With Sergio Aguero leaving the club at the end of the season, City’s attack has developed significantly over the past 12 months. The 32-year-old has become a member of the supporting cast, being involved in just 11 Premier League games this term. The goals have largely been spread around with several players proving their worth in front of goal. Ilkay Gundogan looks set to end the campaign as City’s top goal scorer but Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres have all contributed in the final third too.

With Harry Kane’s future at Tottenham looking uncertain, City would surely be one of the clubs interested in acquiring his services as they search for a focal point in attack. What’s more, with a potential transfer fee in excess of £100m, there are only a handful of clubs with the financial weight that could entertain such a prospect. Should they be able to bring Kane to the Etihad, it could prove the perfect way to move from the Aguero era into the club’s future.