With domestic football set to return after the Christmas festive period next week, defending Premier League champions, Manchester City remain distinct betting favorites to land their first UEFA Champions League title victory this season, ahead of a February last 16 return.

Sitting second in the Premier League table behind rivals, Arsenal by five points, City, under the guidance of former European Cup winner, Pep Guardiola, along with 15 other sides, will make their return to the elite European competition in February – with the Citizens attempting to secure thief rist European Cup success. 

Progressing atop a group containing Borussia Dortmund, Copenhagen, and Sevilla, City managed to land 15 points in the group stage, going unbeaten in the process.

Dumped out in years since the ‘City Project’ began and in years since achieving now-comfortable qualification domestically, City have been drawn against German side, RB Leipzig over the course of two legs.

Attempting to join cross-town rivals, Manchester United, London side, Chelsea and Merseyside outfit, Liverpool at the only English clubs to lift the modern UEFA Champions League, markets are currently offering Guardiola’s side as low as 13/8 to win the competition outright – the best odds amongst their compatriots to boot. New Jersey soccer sportsbooks offer betting and wagering on UEFA Champions League out-right victors.

German side, Bayern Munich are considered second betting favorites to win the UEFA Champions League, having dropped their crown to last season’s winners, Real Madrid. The Julian Nagelsman side have been drawn opposite prior finalists, PSG – having defeated the Paris side to win the crown back in 2020. 

Another side yet to achieve European Cup success come in the form of PSG, with the Parisian club sitting as outsiders at 7/1 – as they look to be backed by a FIFA World Cup winning, Lionel Messi in their last 16 draw against Bayern.

The aforenoted, Liverpool struggled earlier this season – especially in their first outing against Napoli, and have been drawn against last season’s winners, Real Madrid in February.

Matching with Los Blancos in last season’s final, a second half goal from Brazilian forward, Vinicius Junior saw Jurgen Klopp’s side put to the sword in a disappointing end to the season, which also saw them pipped to the Premier League title.

Once winning the UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League) title during their history, the aforenoted, Napoli – led by Nigerian upstart, Victor Osimhen, are available quite short at 10/1 to win their first UEFA Champions League as well, having progressed alongside Liverpool in their group. 

The Luciano Spaletti-led outfit have been drawn against German-side, Eintracht Frankfurt in February’s last 16 outing – with the latter attempting to go on better than their impressive UEFA Europea Final penalty shoot-out win over Rangers last season. 

Chasing their stunning fifteenth European Cup success, Real Madrid; the most prolific and successful side in the competition’s joint history, sit as firm outsiders at 11/1 to win back-to-back crowns, with an aging squad and injured talisman in the form of Karim Benzema set to draw Liverpool next year.

Only one side in Premier League history has landed three consecutive championship wins – twice, in fact, Manchester United. Led by Sir Alex Ferguson, the Old Trafford side landed three back-to-back-to-back crowns from 2006-07, to 2008-09, and from 1998-99 to 2000-01. However, Pep Guardiola’s cross-town forces, Manchester City – are clear favorites to repeat that feat after a bright, undefeated start to this season’s campaign.

Winning the championship on the final day last season with a rallying 3-2 win over Aston Villa, Guardiola’s Blue Moon side rebounded from a two-nil deficit inflicted by a Matty Cash, and Philippe Coutinho double – with Rodri and then an Ilkay Gundogan double salvo clinching the championship.

Expected to win the championship despite a late surge from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, City, who have landed five victories and scraped two draws from their opening seven outings this year, finally have another clear talisman up top since the departure of Sergio Aguero – with Norweigan forward, Erling Haaland turning in a staggering 11 goals in just 7 Premier League appearances already. 

Behind just Arsenal in this season’s Premier League table by a single point, Guardiola, who provided guidance to the London side’s head coach, Mikel Arteta during the Spaniard’s time in the Manchester dugout, has been tipped to pass and comfortably outlast the Gunnars in the title race. 

Manchester City are tipped to land a third straight Premier League crown this season

Attempting to land their ninth Premier League crown this season, the Etihad Arena side are clear, and rather expected favorites to outlast the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea atop the Premier League table come May of next year.

With the EPL winner betting odds available both during, and pre-season, Manchester City currently sits as clear betting favorites, as short as 1/3 on some markets to clinch their third consecutive Premier League championship. 

Over the most recent two or three campaigns the closest runners to Guardiola’s side has come in the form of Liverpool, with German head coach, Klopp, leading the Anfield side to their first Premier League title back in the 2019-20 campaign. 

However, kicking off this season’s campaign, the Merseyside outfit have begun in the most topsy-turvy starts quite possible, dropping points on cue as well as dropping a 3-1 battering to Manchester United early in the season – a side they had slotted 9 goals against last season – without reply at home nor away. 

The above-mentioned, Arteta’s side has been tipped to push through with somewhat of a title challenge this season, however, history has thought us how the London side are likely to falter in the latter months of the season, missing out on UEFA Champions League football in last season’s campaign – akin to Manchester United.

As for Chelsea, the London side have just parted ways with Champions League-winning coach, Thomas Tuchel. And are under the ownership of Todd Boehly, who has elected to bring in Brighton & Hove Albion tactician, Graham Potter at the helm, amid a similar disappointing start to the season. 

With Haaland tipped to continue his astonishing goal-scoring exploits, should he remain injury-free or relatively so, the Norway forward has been tipped to lead the line for Guardiola’s City to become just the second side in Premier League history to clinch three consecutive championships.