Premier League top-six odds: Can Seagulls continue flying high?
Published:
Premier League top-six odds and contenders
The international break takes centre stage this week so we’re taking the chance to look at the teams that are in the running to finish in the top six of the Premier League at the end of the season.
Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are already inside the top four and look likely to secure Champions League places but what about the contenders to grab some of the other European spots?
Everton have made a great start to the campaign and are 9/4 in the Premier League top-six odds, so let’s take a look at their prospects and the other candidates in the mix.
Tottenham
Spurs finished outside the top six for the first time in 12 years last season when seventh place proved just enough to qualify for the inaugural Europa Conference League.
What a performance! 🔥
📲 @HPE pic.twitter.com/1fCFNKxTYd
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 3, 2021
Tottenham have been in a period of transition after the departure of Jose Mourinho, missing out on several managerial candidates before finally settling on former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo who has had to contend with the fall-out of his new club’s refusal to sell Harry Kane to Manchester City.
Spurs bounced back from a woeful performance in a 3-1 defeat by north London rivals Arsenal with a 2-1 defeat of Aston Villa which lifted them to eighth and they are 11/8 in the Premier League top-six odds.
Arsenal
The Gunners are the same price as Tottenham and despite their derby success questions remain about whether Mikel Arteta can get Arsenal challenging at the top table once again.
While a top-four spot may be beyond them, Arsenal beat Norwich, Burnley and Spurs to move into the top half of the table but slipped back again after a lacklustre goalless draw at Brighton.
Arteta has put his faith in youth this season but experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka is out until the New Year with a knee injury sustained against Tottenham, so last season’s eighth-placed finish or worse is not out of the question.
Leicester
The Foxes have finished fifth in the last two seasons, narrowly missing out on one of the Champions League spots on the final day on both occasions, but they are struggling to make an impact this time around.
The Foxes were pegged back by Crystal Palace and had to settle for a point in #CryLei 📝
— Leicester City (@LCFC) October 3, 2021
Wesley Fofana broke his leg in a pre-season friendly which prompted the purchase of Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard, but Jonny Evans has played just half an hour in the Premier League this season so Brendan Rodgers has had his problems in defence.
Results have been patchy to say the least and with City trying to balance the Europa League and the top flight, Premier League top-six odds of 2/1 may not be enough to tempt some.
Everton
The Merseysiders, on the other hand, have burst out of the blocks and the inspired double capture of Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend has helped lift them to fifth place before the international break.
Rafael Benitez does not have the deepest of squads and was without Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the 1-1 draw at Manchester United, but they do not have the distraction of a European campaign and are 9/4 to end the season in the top six.
Best of the rest
West Ham finished sixth last season and have been going great guns in the Europa League, but their domestic results are no better than average in the current campaign.
The Hammers lost at home to Brentford just before the international break which left them in ninth spot and they can be backed at 5/2 for another top-six finish.
Heading into the international break 6th in the #PL. 👏
Have a good week, #BHAFC fans! 😇 pic.twitter.com/cLTN1r2M6c
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 4, 2021
Brighton have been one of the big surprises of the new season, with four wins and two draws from seven games putting them in sixth, but they have bigger tests to come and their odds of 9/2 may start to drift once they face the Premier League’s elite.
Aston Villa are 10th and available at 6/1, while Leeds are double those odds after securing their first win of the season last weekend.
Brentford have been the real surprise and have proved themselves better equipped for the rigours of the Premier League than Norwich and Watford, who were both promoted automatically.
The Bees are seventh and 14/1 in the Premier League top-six odds in their first season back in the top flight in 74 years.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
