Chris Sutton has made a new Premier League top-four prediction, insisting it is a ‘three-horse race’ for the title between Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool and ruling Manchester United out.
Following the international break, Champions League holders Chelsea will resume the campaign sitting top of the Premier League with 16 points from their seven matches.
Liverpool are one point behind Thomas Tuchel’s side, with defending champions Manchester City and last season’s runners-up Manchester United in third and fourth respectively.
Many expected the current top-four to be involved in a thrilling four-way title race this season but Sutton ‘doesn’t consider Manchester United to be title contenders’.
The former striker has already changed his top-four prediction, however, and is now backing Man City to lift the title, having tipped Chelsea to win the Premier League last month.
‘It’s a three-horse race in my book, between Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool,’ Sutton told the Daily Mail.
‘Had Man City signed a striker in the summer, they’d probably have walked this Premier League. Blindfolds and cigarettes may as well have been handed out to their rivals.
Chris Sutton's new Premier League top-four prediction
Manchester City
Chelsea
Liverpool
Manchester United
‘But the fact that Manchester City did not get themselves a [Romelu] Lukaku is where it gets interesting.
‘Chelsea did and they are completely in this race. As are Liverpool with Salah, Mane and Jota singing from the same hymn sheet.
‘But I don’t consider United to be title contenders this season. They’re guaranteed goals from [Cristiano] Ronaldo but concede too many and Solskjaer still hasn’t got his tactics right.’
On Chelsea’s title hopes, Sutton added: ‘They have strength in depth. We’re talking about the team who won the Champions League last season and then spent £97.5 million adding a striker to it.
‘Romelu Lukaku is looking lean, mean and like he’s got a point to prove to those who sanctioned his 2014 sale away from Stamford Bridge.
‘The fact that Chelsea signed him while Manchester City failed to get Harry Kane was a real shot in the arm for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
‘Behind Lukaku, they’ve got Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and more.
‘They lost to Manchester City in the Premier League, and then to Juventus in the Champions League. That was a blip, as far as Tuchel was concerned.
‘The important thing is Chelsea bounced back against Southampton at the weekend, with some help from their B-listers.
‘Ruben Loftus-Cheek stood out, and so did sub Ross Barkley. Tuchel cannot say he doesn’t have a team capable of finishing first in the Premier League.’
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