Where Are The Challengers?

I was actually tempted to use the word "contenders" instead of "challengers" because it sounded right. But then I thought, is any team really contesting the title with City? I honestly doubt that. They can only put on some bravery and challenge for it. For now, dragging the EPL title with Guardiola's City is not a contest, it's a lost battle that others must show up for.

That said, Manchester City are definitely the favourite for this season's EPL title. Even after the chastening loss at Wolves, City are still the overwhelming favourite. What everyone has struggled to accurately put together is the identity of those that will challenge the defending champions. Arsenal were the closest challenger last season so they're definitely in. However, their manner of capitulation has made most people quietly admit they won't unsit Man City despite adding quality players to their ranks. Simply put, Arsenal cannot be trusted to challenge City to the end. But, who else?

Liverpool's quality and success in recent years mean they're always in consideration. Missing out on the top 4 last season and losing a bunch of seasoned players definitely lulled their appeal. But if there's one team in EPL that can go head-to-head with City and come out on top, it is Klopp's eccentric band of footballers. Though they're still finding the right formula for their midfield, having Mo' Salah in their ranks definitely counts for something. They won't win the title, but they can take points off City.

I know some people will want to assume Spurs can do the unthinkable by challenging for the title. They've had a very decent start and are higher up the table than everyone predicted. They're playing a very interesting brand of football too. However, can Spurs take points off City over two legs? Naysayers will point to City's loss at the Molineux as proof City are beatable. But when push comes to shove, this happy-go-lucky Spurs side will struggle to live with a fully fit City. Asides the two teams earlier mentioned, others are fighting to stay in the EPL. So, Spurs cancelled! And, it would be plain stupid to mention United in this conversation. Looks like they will be involved in a relegation scrap this season. They're not too big for that, are they?

Duck Broken!
Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected a crocked Chelsea to win at Fulham. What a surprise! And to cap it all, not only did Mudryk score, Chelsea scored two goals in a space of two minutes. For a team with just five goals in their previous six EPL games this term, that is a welcome development. And as for Lewis Colwill, the boy assisted Mudryk's goal, got a clean sheet and then gobbled up all three bonus points to hand my Hive Division 1 opponent a win that seemed very unlikely before the match. The silly boy chose a very wrong time to deliver a wonderful performance. I sincerely wish he'll score 10 own-goals in his next match to get his head straight.

Gory, Gory, Man United!
Supporting Man United these days is gradually turning to a full-time job. With the craziness surrounding every aspect of the club from top to bottom, each day comes with a duty to regularly analyse, complain, defend, accuse, abuse, vent anger, and in some cases, fight publicly just to defend your decision to stick with this club. From ownership issues to our wingers penchant for beating the crap out of their girlfriends, the drama just never stops! And, to cap it all, the result continues to mirror the controversies around the club: dwindling and disgraceful. Before now, blaming the Glazers puts the mind at rest. Now, I'm not even sure who to blame anymore.

ControVARsial
When VAR was introduced, opinions were strongly divided. Some sects believed it's just what football needed while the others claimed it will dilute the emotions that comes with the beautiful game. Fast forward to now, emotions are still running high, and we've gotten used to the possibility of having a wildly celebrated last minute winner wiped out because of a marginal offside call. However, what no one anticipated was that the application of VAR would be this erroneous. The technology that was introduced to help reduce human errors in games has succeeded in adding more human errors to the game. Now, VAR has done wonders for football. However, what we are getting is not close to the perfection we all anticipated.

Source