Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes that seven sides can still fight for the Premier League title despite 1st and 7th currently being separated by 12 points after 13 games this season.
The Cityzens are looking to land their fourth title in five years, buoyed on by the addition of superstar Erling Haaland, and currently sit second in the top flight, two points behind Arsenal and Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta.
Beyond that pair, Tottenham sit a further three points adrift, with Antonio Conte’s side still racking up the wins without a host of first-team stars.
And, according to Guardiola, they remain in the hunt for a first major trophy since 2006, but they are not alone.
In fact, the Spaniard still believes that Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and even Eddie Howe’s high-flying Newcastle United have a chance of lifting the Premier League trophy come the end of the season.
Jurgen Klopp has already ruled Liverpool out of the title race, and admitted after the defeat to Leeds United at Anfield that even a top four finish could be tough on current form.
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Manchester United are in the early days of major club rebuilds, while Newcastle United and Arsenal probably lack the squad depth to negotiate a full season at current pace, though stranger things have happened.
The same could be said for Tottenham, who could be undone should they lose either (or both) of Harry Kane or Heung-Min Son. Beyond the north London pair and Manchester City, the gap to Newcastle (currently 7 points) and those lower seems likely to only increase, rather than reduce, on current form.
The World Cup is the great unknown for all 20 teams, but it would take something special to overhaul Arsenal and Manchester City atop the table.
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