5 reasons why Manchester City will win the 2021-22 Premier League
Manchester City are still very much in the driving seat to win the Premier League title this season. The Citizens recently drew to Crystal Palace, leaving Liverpool with the chance to reduce the gap to the top of the table to just one point. However, Pep Guardiola and co. remain favorites to retain their crown.
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Liverpool are fierce competitors for the Premier League title and have done well over the last few weeks to chase down the runaway champions. While Manchester City have stumbled twice on the road, the Reds have also enjoyed their fair share of narrow victories.
Regardless, the blue half of Manchester still holds the grit and determination to take things over the line and win their sixth title in the Premier League era. On that note, let's take a look at five reasons why Manchester City will win the Premier League title this season.
#5 Rare title slip-ups
The Etihad outfit have won three league titles in the last four years, thereby showcasing their supremacy in the top-flight. In the one year they failed to win it, Liverpool broke several records to lift their first title in 30 years.
Top of the table at Christmas! 馃巵馃巹
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However, it is worth noting that Guardiola's men rarely experience title slip-ups. Although several clubs in the league stumble at some point in the season, the Citizens often never let anybody overtake them.
They managed to overtake Liverpool in the 2018-19 season after trailing by seven points and never let them win it back. Their title victories in 2018 and 2021 were also by a comfortable margin because they left little room for error.
While they have slipped up slightly in the past month, they are unlikely to let Liverpool get ahead of them before the end of the campaign.
#4 Sound defensive setup
The reigning league champions have been the best defensive side in England in the current campaign. Conceding 18 goals in 29 games has been a near-brilliant job by the Manchester City defense. To put this into context, Chelsea and Liverpool have played a game lesser than them but have still conceded more goals this season.
Ederson - 15
Alex Remiro - 14
Handanovic - 12
Bounou - 12
Most clean sheets in Europe鈥檚 Top 5 Leagues 21/22:
馃嚙馃嚪 Ederson - 15
馃嚜馃嚫 Alex Remiro - 14
馃嚙馃嚪 Alisson - 14
馃嚫馃嚠 Handanovic - 12
馃嚥馃嚘 Bounou - 12
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Although Guardiola has some of the best defenders in the world, Ederson deserves his fair share of praise. His brilliance is testified to by his 16 clean sheets in 28 appearances, the most by any goalkeeper this season.
To add to that, they have enough depth in their centre-back and full-back positions to produce quality defensive performances week after week. In fact, they have conceded more than one goal on only four occasions this season. The midfield and the frontline also run their socks off till the end to ensure a clean sheet for the team.
Although Ruben Dias is currently on the sidelines, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones are more than competent to bring home another league title.
#3 Relatively easy fixture list
One of the key advantages from hereon for Manchester City is their fixture list. While Liverpool are yet to face Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham, the Citizens do not share the same fate.
Man City and Liverpool's remaining fixtures.
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The 5-time Premier League champions have already faced the likes of Chelsea and the aforementioned teams. Their only tough fixtures are the showdown against Liverpool at the Etihad and an away trip to West Ham United.
Apart from that, it is relatively easy sailing for them, as five out of their last nine games are against teams in the bottom half of the table. It is worth noting that the Citizens often batter such sides, let alone leaving any room for a slip-up.
So as far as the fixture list goes, Manchester City will not be worried about facing a challenging period towards the end of the campaign.
#2 They do not rely on an a single goal-scorer
Almost every single team in the Premier League relies on one of their main stars to supply their goals. Title competitors Liverpool have Mohamed Salah to thank this season as his 20 goals have played an integral role in keeping them in the race.
馃棧"The moment we are going to lose, we are going to say why did we not buy a striker?"
Pep Guardiola was asked if he is happy that he did not buy a striker, with his Manchester City side having 11 different goal-scorers this season. https://t.co/SmrE9tQSnm
However, Guardiola's team do not operate like this and have various avenues of scoring goals. From Kevin de Bruyne to Phil Foden to Riyad Mahrez, every midfielder and attacker at Manchester City has multiple goals to his name this season.
Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Mahrez, de Bruyne, Foden, and Sterling have five or more goals in the league this season. The defense has also contributed to eight goals in this term.
For a team without a traditional centre-forward, the Citizens have done quite a sensational job of scoring relentlessly. This non-reliance on one striker could be the key to their league victory since goals are guaranteed from nearly every player that is put on the pitch.
On the other hand, Liverpool's title charge could get completely derailed if Salah gets injured anytime between now and the end of the campaign. This is despite the brilliance of their other attackers.
#1 Hold the ability to go on winning runs
One of the main reasons for Manchester City finding success in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola is their unerring ability to go on a winning streak.
Pep Guardiola, Bayern - 19
Roberto Mancini, Inter - 17
The longest winning runs in Europe鈥檚 top five leagues:
馃嚛馃嚜 Pep Guardiola, Bayern - 19
馃彺鬆仹鬆仮鬆仴鬆伄鬆仹鬆伩 Pep Guardiola, Man City - 18
馃彺鬆仹鬆仮鬆仴鬆伄鬆仹鬆伩 Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool - 18
馃嚠馃嚬 Roberto Mancini, Inter - 17
馃嚜馃嚫 Pep Guardiola, Barcelona - 16
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In the 2017-18 campaign, they went on an 18-game winning run, which led to them lifting the title by the largest margin ever. This was followed by their sensational streak in the 2018/19 season as they won 15 consecutive games and defeated Liverpool by a point.
They also went on a 12-game winning streak this season, which was broken by Southampton in January. They hold all the tools in their hands to go on a winning run for the rest of the season to seal the league title again.
Few will bet against Manchester City securing another Premier League title this time around, with the blue half of Manchester waiting to celebrate another successful campaign for their club.