Now that the international break has come to a close, Arsenal remain the odds-on favourites to win this season’s Premier League title. Manchester City’s odds were cut massively at the end of September by bookies following their guilty verdict, which has seen the club found guilty of 114 out of the 115 charges brought against them. The general expectation now is that City will receive a heavy points deduction or outright relegation, giving the Gunners back-to-back titles on a plate.

Arsenal 1/2 Title Favorites, City at 7/2

So, as it currently stands, all major bookies have Arsenal at odds of around 1/2 to win the 2026-27 Premier League trophy. As there’s no guarantee that City will receive a points deduction, most bookies are hesitantly putting them at the 7/2 odds mark. Odds are also expected to bounce up and down over the coming months now that City have appealed the guilty verdict, so it’s worth bookmarking the reviews on OddsPlays to see when potential value bets open up in the title race market. 

Outside of Arsenal and City, the Premier League currently sits without any other major title challengers. Liverpool remain the closest at 12/1, but new head coach Andoni Iraola has gotten off to a slow start and will struggle to get the Reds in the race for any form of title contention. Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea are 16/1, while Brighton, who have had an excellent start to the campaign but are likely to drop off heading into the festive period, are the league’s fun outsiders at 40/1.

Quite simply, it has all the makings of Arsenal enjoying a breeze of a title charge. City’s record-breaking £450m transfer spending spree has given their squad another splash of luxury, and new boss Enzo Maresca won every game before the international break to put City top of the table, but the looming points deduction makes it difficult for punters to back City for the title. Without a points deduction, the Sky Blues would have remained title favourites with some bookies.

Man City Appeal Could Stall Points Deduction

It came as a surprise to many when City launched an official appeal of the verdict at the start of October, as it was assumed they were not going to do this.

In a public statement, City hierarchy had this to say:

“The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions relating to this case.

We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete.”

A verdict on the appeal is expected no later than January 2027, although a potential delay is technically possible.

All of this could lead to City’s punishment not being handed out until the summer, but Arsenal fans and the rest of the Premier League will be hoping it’s dealt with before then.

A points deduction remains the most likely outcome, although transfer bans and heavy fines are also on the table.

There’s even the potential for the points deduction to be so severe that it dooms City to relegation from the Premier League, which would be one of the biggest shock moments in the league’s history.

How to Bet on the Premier League Winner

If you’re eager to place a sure bet on Arsenal winning the title or take a punt on City escaping a points deduction and grabbing the trophy, you can do this through any licensed sportsbook. Bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, William Hill, and others all have Arsenal as the outstanding favourites currently, with City behind them following the recent guilty verdict. Whichever bookie you use, simply head to the Premier League section and select the ‘Premier League Outright Winner’ market. Keep in mind, both City and Arsenal’s odds could change rapidly depending on league form heading into Christmas and developments regarding City’s appeal.

Verdict

Barring a major collapse from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have spent roughly £700 million on new players since his arrival back in 2019 while developing a style of play reminiscent of Mourinho’s heyday at Chelsea, the Premier League title will be remaining in North London.

City are almost certainly going to receive some type of points deduction and even if they don’t, new boss Enzo Maresca is still getting to grips with his new squad of players and could find it difficult to maintain the club’s explosive early form throughout the entire season.

It is the Premier League and anything can happen after all, but the majority of punters will be looking to bet on Arsenal to win the title at 1/2, as the odds might not get any better than this as the season continues to unfold.