Man City continued their perfect start to the season against Liverpool this weekend, but legal consequences still hang over them.
Manchester City are top of the Premier League with six wins from six. Yet they are in the strange position of being 7/2 to win the title, and as short as 5/4 to be relegated.
Those prices are about City's off-field future, not their football. An independent commission found the club guilty of breaching Premier League 114 financial rules on 29 September, and the sanction is still to be decided, with a points deduction among the options. City lodged an appeal on 1 October.
Arsenal are the title favourite at 1/2, despite sitting three points behind Enzo Maresca's side. City are third favourite in the relegation market, behind only Coventry and Hull.
Premier League Title Winner Odds
Who is favourite to win the Premier League?
| Selection | Best odds | Best at | Worst odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 8/15 | Spreadex, Sporting Index, AK Bets | 9/20 |
| Man City | 7/2 | bet365, Unibet, Betfair Sportsbook, BetVictor, BetMGM, BoyleSports, QuinnBet, Sky Bet, Paddy Power | 3/1 |
| Chelsea | 12/1 | bet365, William Hill and most others | 11/1 |
| Liverpool | 22/1 | Spreadex, Sporting Index, AK Bets | 16/1 |
| Brighton | 30/1 | AK Bets | 20/1 |
| Man Utd | 100/1 | Spreadex, Sporting Index, AK Bets | 60/1 |
Man City Premier League Relegation Odds
| Selection | Best odds | Best at | Worst odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man City | 7/4 | BetVictor | 5/4 |
City's best price is 7/4 with BetVictor. BetMGM goes 8/5, and bet365, BoyleSports and QuinnBet are 13/8. William Hill and 10bet are the shortest at 5/4.
Odds are subject to fluctuation and correct as of 10:25 BST, Monday 12 October https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/winner https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/relegation
How the 115 charges Verdict Moved Man City's Odds
The biggest shift came on 25 September, just before the verdict was published. City's title price lengthened sharply that day: bet365 went from 5/4 to 10/3, and Sky Bet and Paddy Power from 6/5 to 16/5. Arsenal were cut from 11/10 to 1/2 with bet365.
The relegation market moved the same week. BoyleSports cut City from 14/1 to 3/1 on 25 September, and Star Sports went from 14/1 to 9/4 on 28 September. 10bet were the latest to slash them, from 14/1 to 5/4 on Sunday.
The commission found City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the league's financial rules across nine seasons, from 2009/10 to 2017/18, and of most of the charges of failing to co-operate. The possible sanctions range from a reprimand and an unlimited fine up to a points deduction or even expulsion.
City say the ruling "contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe". A three-person appeal board must complete the appeal within 12 weeks, which takes it to around Christmas, and then has 30 days to deliver its verdict.
Man City Form: Perfect Start Under Maresca
On the pitch, City couldn't be doing much more. Sunday's 3-0 win at Anfield made it six wins from six, with Haaland, Doku and Cherki all scoring after Gravenberch was sent off. City have 18 points, a goal difference of +11 and a three-point lead over Arsenal.
Maresca insists the club's titles are "absolutely not" tainted. "The reason I joined this club is that I completely trust, 100%, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, all the organisation," he said. "I think they are convinced that in the end we are going to win the appeal."
Next up are PSG at the Etihad in the Champions League on Wednesday, then Ipswich at home in the Premier League on Saturday at 3pm.
Is there value in Man City at 7/2?
It all depends on the sanction and when it lands. If there's no deduction this season, City are clear on merit and 7/2 would look generous. A big deduction would make their relegation price look a lot more realistic. Until the panel rules, both markets are really a bet on the outcome of the case rather than on City's football.
