Football - Premier League 2010/11 The Premier League Is Back! by Darren Moore

Compare odds on the Premier League here

(Starts 14th August 2010)

It's that time of year again when punters flock to the bookmakers wondering who's going to win the big one this time round?

This season might well see one of the more open Premier League races for years. History has shown that deep pockets can win you the league with Chelsea most recently spending their way to the trophy but it took 2 years for Abramovich's money to translate into Premier League success, so can the now phenomenally rich Manchester City match that success?

If so they need to lift the famous trophy this season but punters favourite Betfair only has them as third favourites currently offered at 6.4.

The main contenders for the title according to the bookies are the obvious two you'd expect, Chelsea, who sit in pole position with 2.78 offered on Betfair currently and after a fine showing last season there's a lot of wisdom in backing them to go 2 in a row.

However they're an ageing side and with minimal activity in the summer transfer market and talismanic striker Didier Drogba absent for the start of the season has Ancelotti done enough to keep pace with his rivals?

The seemingly insatiable appetite for success shown by Sir Alex Ferguson sees Manchester Utd take on all comers in the top flight for the 25th time under his stewardship.

Betfair has the Red Devils at 3.8 to secure Fergie his 12th league title which seems pretty good value given their pedigree. Much like the favourites though Man Utd too haven't splashed out big this summer and after missing out by a point last season will Smalling and Hernandez have bolstered the squad enough to make up that all important place?

Which brings us to the third favourites Manchester City, looking at what's already been spent and other transfers anticipated this summer Mancini looks set to add over £100,000,000's worth of talent to his squad. Attracting the biggest names in world football to your club isn't just done with a chequebook though players want to retire with medals to show for their career not just a great bank balance, can City deliver this?

The biggest difference between Man City now and Chelsea five or six years ago may be the man at the top. Mourinho had the arrogance and ability to match Romans chequebook and bring the quick success that billionaire financiers always seem to expect in football. Will Mancini be able to do the same? Odds of 6.4 at Betfair seem to suggest to me it might just be worth a punt that he can.

The best of the rest look to be Arsenal with odds of 8.2, like Man Utd and Chelsea they've not spent big and seem yet to really sort out a fully decided goalkeeping option - we saw what problems that can cause over the summer with Capello's indecision and it just doesn't look like Wenger will have done enough to improve from last season or even stand still.

A better outside bet might well be Liverpool, if Torres and Gerrard are still around come the start of the season and playing alongside new arrival Joe Cole. Roy Hodgson might just be the man to bring the glory days back to Anfield, at 15.5 it's an outside bet this season but at 2.78 a top four finish looks an excellent value wager at this stage.