Manchester City or Arsenal: Who Will Win the 2024-25 Premier League?

When the fixture list for the 2024-25 Premier League season was released back in the summer, the first date that people noticed was September 22nd. This was the official date for Manchester City vs Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, marking an early blockbuster clash for the league’s biggest heavyweights. As always, whichever team wins this type of game usually carries momentum for the remainder of the season — so there was a lot riding on it.

The game itself had it all, finishing 2-2 after a last-minute scrambling goal from City-favorite John Stones. This caused huge controversy, with some Arsenal fans and media pundits believing that Stones’ 98th-minute equalizer was unjust. However, the Gunners had certainly been embracing the ‘dark arts’ for most of the game — wasting time at any given opportunity — which left the officials with no choice but to add a significant chunk of extra time to the end of the game.

Before Stones broke the hearts of Arsenal fans, Mikel Arteta’s men had shown incredible fight. Earlier on in the game, Leandro Trossard had received a second yellow card, leaving the Gunners with 10 men for the entirety of the second half. In response to this, Arteta had no option but to switch to a 5-4-0 defensive structure (one that even the legendary Jose Mourinho would have been proud of). And although it seemed like Arsenal were going to hold onto their 2-1 lead and make it over the finish line, it fell apart at the very last second thanks to John Stones popping up with a shock equalizer.

In the aftermath of the game, Erling Haaland taunted Mikel Arteta by telling him to “Stay humble.”, Arteta raged at referee Michael Oliver in his post-match interview, and fans of both sides got into a fiery debate on social media. To say it was an intense affair would be an understatement.

Ultimately, the focus is now on Arsenal and whether they can recover from such a devastating setback. Will they enter a title race for the third season on the bounce? Or will the 2-2 result with City have a mental impact on them for the rest of the season? Let’s find out.

Manchester City Are 11/8 Favorites to Win the League — While Arsenal Are 7/4

Manchester City are still favorites at 11/8 with most sportsbooks to win the 2024-25 Premier League. Arsenal come in with slightly higher odds of 7/4. Whichever team you think will lift the trophy at the end of the season, you can get free football betting strategies from BettingTools. The experts at BettingTools have put together a huge list of different betting strategies you can follow, ensuring you get the most out of your experience and (most importantly) place smarter bets.

The reason why the Manchester City and Arsenal odds are so close is because:

• Arsenal have proven they’re serioustitle contenders over back-to-back seasons
• Manchester City might be facing a points deduction

Back in February 2023, it was announced that City were officially facing 115 FFP charges. Almost two years later, the hearing for these charges has finally begun and looks set to conclude in early 2025. If City are found guilty, one of the most likely outcomes is that the club will receive a heavy points deduction. Ultimately, this would provide Arsenal with a golden opportunity, opening the door for them to clinch a shock Premier League title.

However, many people in the media believe that City will escape the charges against them and remain the Premier League’s dominant force. In this case, Arsenal will have to outright beat Manchester City by gaining a greater points total, which will be a huge task for the Gunners. After all, Arsenal haven’t strengthened as much as fans thought they would over the summer and City are looking better than ever. Plus, City are also chasing their fifth — yes, fifth — Premier League title on the bounce, so Pep’s men are highly motivated.

There’s also the small matter of Liverpool, too. Despite new manager Arne Slot only just arriving at the club, Liverpool are seen as dark horses in the title race. Slot has already got the Reds playing some great football and the likes of Mo Salah and Luis Diaz are looking extremely sharp. If Manchester City do have points deducted, this would also open the door for Liverpool to enter a shock title race against Arsenal, which would make for blockbuster entertainment.

What Would a Successful Season Be for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal?

There’s no doubt that Mikel Arteta and Arsenal can win the Premier League title, which would be a huge achievement. They have an excellent squad, grind out results in tough games, and are extremely difficult to break down at the back. The key, though, is whether Arteta can avoid dropping points in the final quarter of the season, which has been a major problem for the past two years. Along with this, another major factor will also be if Arsenal can beat City at the Emirates in February next year, which could prove to be the season-defining game.

If Arsenal don’t win the league, Arteta has to win a trophy. This is something that even Arsenal fans themselves accept, as Arteta has now taken charge of his fifth full season as Gunners manager. Failure to win a major trophy this season would ultimately mark five straight seasons without silverware, which (despite Arsenal’s major improvement over recent years) would signify  a disappointing return. This is especially true when you factor in that Arteta has spent just under £600million on his newly assembled squad.

So, if Arsenal can push City in another title race while also picking up an FA Cup or Carabao Cup along the way, it would be a successful season. However, if Arsenal fall out of the title race early on and also get eliminated from the major cup competitions, then Arteta and his backroom staff will be under major pressure. Plus, there’s also the small matter of the Champions League, which Arsenal are expected to perform well in.

Summary

With the 2024-25 Premier League season well underway, it looks like City and Arsenal are going to once again enter a title race together. Interestingly, City’s 115 FFP charges could result in them receiving a points deduction, opening up the chance for Arsenal to grab the Premier League title with both hands. Because this is a genuine possibility, it’s reflected in the betting odds, which is why City and Arsenal have extremely similar odds with most sportsbooks. Whatever happens, though, Arsenal will have to be on top form throughout the entire season — and they’ll also have to keep Liverpool at bay.