Tuesday 24 November 2015 08:37, UK
Just four points separate the Premier League's top five after a remarkable start to the season - so who will win the title?
Leicester have defied the odds to lead the way after 13 games, while champions Chelsea languish in 15th place after a nightmarish start to their title defence.
Here, we take a look at the main contenders and examine why they can lift the title, and why they can't…
MANCHESTER CITY - 11/8 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: Despite their shock defeat by Liverpool, City remain the bookmakers' favourites. You only have to look back a few weeks to understand why. Manuel Pellegrini's men steamrollered their way through the opening weeks of the season, and they were nine games unbeaten before Saturday despite injuries to key players. Their squad is packed with quality, and in Sergio Aguero they possess last season's top scorer. Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne are likely to improve as they settle in, and they also have David Silva and Vincent Kompany to return.
WHY THEY CAN'T: Saturday's defensive horror show highlighted City's issues at the back. It was their second 4-1 defeat this season after an equally shambolic display against Tottenham in September. Central defence remains a serious weak spot despite huge investment, and they do not possess a full-back under the age of 30. In attack, there are question marks over Sergio Aguero's injury record, and Wilfried Bony is yet to convince that he is a worthy alternative to lead the line.
ARSENAL - 15/8 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: Arsenal's squad is the strongest it has been since their move to the Emirates Stadium. Petr Cech has been a major upgrade in goal, competition for places has brought out the best in Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott, and Mesut Ozil is finally delivering on a consistent basis, leading the way for chances created (56) and assists (11) in the Premier League. The Gunners have also shown improvement in big games, claiming victories over Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, and an early Champions League exit could allow them to focus on the Premier League.
WHEY THEY CAN'T: Familiar problems are threatening to derail Arsenal's season again. Their injury list has already hit double figures, and things went from bad to worse when defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin was forced off against West Brom. The Gunners are desperately light on cover in that area, with Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini both aging and injury-prone. Arsene Wenger's men are still vulnerable on set pieces, and their defeats to West Brom and West Ham showed they remain worryingly prone to complacency.
MANCHESTER UNITED - 7/2 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: For all the criticism of United's style under Louis van Gaal, they still have a habit of grinding out results. Anthony Martial has been an inspirational addition in attack, and keeping hold of David de Gea has also boosted their chances. Perhaps the biggest cause for optimism, though, is their impressive defensive record. No side have conceded fewer goals (nine) or kept more clean sheets (eight) than United.
WHY THEY CAN'T: There are serious doubts as to whether United have the creativity or firepower to win the title. Despite being one point off the top at the moment, they rank 15th for chances created (100 compared to City's 178) and 15th for shots on goal (96 to City's 164). United frequently struggle to break teams down, and their fans have implored Van Gaal to show more attacking intent. The Dutchman has also been forced to defend Wayne Rooney, whose performances have been heavily criticised.
LIVERPOOL - 25/1 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: The Jurgen Klopp factor. The German has put his arm around players who were underperforming under Brendan Rodgers, and his high-intensity playing style and tactical expertise has brought instant improvement. City and Chelsea have felt the full force of Klopp's men, and the Reds are beginning to climb the table. Gary Neville described their attacking performance against City as "devastating", and they still have Daniel Sturridge to come back from injury. What's more, they have already got their toughest away games out of the way.
WHY THEY CAN'T: First of all, Liverpool still have eight points to make up on leaders Leicester after their poor start to the season under Rodgers. There are also question marks over squad depth, with Mamadou Sakho the latest player to be struck down by injury. It could also become difficult for Liverpool's players to cope with the workload of their high-pressing, hard-running style as the season wears on.
TOTTENHAM - 25/1 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: Mauricio Pochettino played down title talk in the wake of Tottenham's 4-1 win over West Ham, but their impressive start to the campaign is doing their chances no harm. The Spurs boss has created a young, hungry side full of energy and quality, and they are unbeaten in 12 Premier League games. Harry Kane has made a mockery of claims he could be a one-season wonder by scoring eight goals in his last five appearances, and their defensive record is only bettered by United.
WHY THEY CAN'T: Tottenham have not finished higher than fourth since the 1989/90 season, and, for all their improvement, there are stronger sides. "Without taking anything away from what they're doing here because it's fantastic, but I don't think they're ready to win the league yet," said Jamie Redknapp on Super Sunday. "They'll have good spells with these young players but they'll have dips in form." A shortage of options behind Kane is another cause for concern.
CHELSEA - 66/1 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: There are still 75 points up for grabs this season. Chelsea - who have 14 - would need to win every one of their remaining 25 games to beat last season's tally of 87, but with so many teams struggling for consistency, it could take a far lower total to win the title this time around. In the 1996/97 campaign Man Utd only needed 75 points to lift the title, and the following year it only took Arsenal 78. It would be an unprecedented turnaround for Chelsea this year, but it's not impossible.
WHY THEY CAN'T: Chelsea's worst ever start to a Premier League season has left them closer to the relegation zone than the top of the table. They are 14 points off the pace having lost seven games out of 13, and there are issues on and off the field. Saturday's win over Norwich provided some relief for Jose Mourinho, but key players have underperformed, new signings have struggled to make an impact, and they have been a shadow of their usual selves in defence - with 23 goals conceded already.
LEICESTER - 150-1 to win the Premier League title with Sky Bet
WHY THEY CAN: It was practically unthinkable that Leicester would be top of the table with one third of the season gone, so why can't they defy the odds and stay there?! Jamie Vardy is certainly showing no signs of slowing down having equalled Ruud van Nistelrooy's Premier League scoring record, and in Claudio Ranieri they have a shrewd and vastly experienced manager. Since April, they have taken a remarkable total of 50 points from a possible 66. The momentum is with them, and they don't have European commitments to worry about either.
WHY THEY CAN'T: It's Leicester! The Foxes were on the brink of being relegated last season, and their squad is vastly inferior to the top sides. Their swashbuckling attacking displays have masked defensive deficiencies, and things are about to get much tougher, with their next six games including clashes with United, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and City. Southampton were second this time last year but ended up finishing seventh. Leicester will surely go the same way...
