Manchester United supporters will head to Old Trafford on Sunday for their opening Premier League clash with Chelsea with significant trepidation, as the once dominant English club now represent a shadow of the club overseen by the great Sir Alex Ferguson during the 1990s and 2000s.
One of Ferguson’s stars from yesteryear Ole Gunnar Solksjaer maybe at the helm at the heavyweight club, but the Red Devils have gone from a bulldozing superclub to that of a meagre also-ran in terms of a unleashing a Premier League title challenge, and this season appears that it could be worse than those that have come before.
Thirteen Premier League titles between 1993 and 2013 catapulted United to the top of the European football tree, but since then Ferguson has departed and they have had to play as a futile understudy to neighbours Manchester City, who have become the must-see, dominant team in the English top-flight, and it’s City that the are odds-on favourites with the bookmakers to win a third Premier League title on the bounce.
A stuttering sixth-placed finish last season, Manchester United finished a whopping 32 points behind City in the league table, and with the gap expanding rather than closing between the two north west clubs, then this season could be another write-off for Solskjaer’s side.
For some it may be an astonishing sight to see Manchester United as big as 43/1 on the Betfair Exchange to win the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign, but many could argue the price should be even bigger than that, such is the gulf between the two squads.
That 43/1 available will be the biggest ever price United have been sent off at for a Premier League title, and Betfair Exchange spokesperson Sam Rosbottom has given his views on United’s gargantuan odds ahead of the new season.
He said: “Over the years, Manchester United have fallen down the pecking list of favourites to win the Premier League and now punters on the Betfair Exchange have been backing them at 43/1, a sign of the times for a team that hasn’t won the title in six years.”
Looking back at historical odds for United to win the Premier League title it just emphasises the magnificent drop in standards that has taken place at Old Trafford in recent times. In the 2009/10 campaign when they finished second to Chelsea, United were 23/10, while a year later when they pipped the Blues to the title in the 2010/11 season, United were 11/4 shots to lift the trophy.
Runners-up to City in 2011/12 saw United head into the season as 2/1 favourites, while they were 13/5 second favourites behind City in the outright betting when United lifted their last Premier League title in the 2012/13 campaign.
But, the most eye-bulging sea change is prominently shown in more recent outright odds markets, as when United chased home City in the 2017/18 campaign, United were available at 7/2 for the Premier League, so in two years that price has gone through the roof to this season’s 43/1, as City have improved immeasurably under Guardiola, and United have regressed significantly under the stewardship over a number of failing bosses.
Referring to City’s sensational rise to the top, Rosbottom added, “Manchester City are the firm favourites at 1/2 and they are strongly fancied to make it three consecutive titles, over 70% of the money we have seen on the market is for Pep Guardiola’s side.”
Can Manchester United challenge for the Premier League title this season? The bookmakers and punters suggest not!
Premier League – Winner 2019/20 with Betfair Exchange
Man City 1/2
Liverpool 16/5
Tottenham 22/1
Man United 43/1
Chelsea 49/1
Arsenal 69/1
Everton 299/1
Wolves 369/1
Leicester 539/1
West Ham 779/1
Watford 999/1
Newcastle 999/1
Norwich 999/1
Sheffield United 999/1
Crystal Palace 999/1
Bournemouth 999/1
Southampton 999/1
Burnley 999/1
Brighton 999/1
Aston Villa 999/1