Two-time Premier League champion with Manchester City Joao Cancelo has named five clubs who could challenge for the title this season. Pep Guardiola’s side pipped their fiercest rivals Liverpool by just a point last season to be crowned as the league champions. However, they did it in the most dramatic fashion, coming back from 2 goals down against Aston Villa on the penultimate day.
While they are once again tipped to complete a three-peat of Premier League titles, other sides from the ‘top-six’ too will have a say this year. All of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United have beefed-up in the transfer market to pose a threat to City’s monopoly.
Joao Cancelo names challengers between City and their third consecutive league title
All of top-six clubs have started well with the 2022/23 season, except for United who are languishing in the 20th place. Liverpool too have had a turbulent start, drawing two of their first two games. On the other hand, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea have enjoyed decent starts, alike the champions.
City have picked two wins from their first couple of games, scoring six goals in the process. They have once again recruited heavily in the summer market, acquiring some of the finest talents from across the globe. City started off with winning the race of landing one of the hottest prospects of Europe, Erling Haaland.
Haaland’s arrival was followed by the highly rated River Plate striker Julian Alvarez, Leeds United’s Kalvin Philipps, youngster Sergio Gomez and free agent goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. Joao Cancelo feels City have enough armoury to yield the Premier League trophy nine months later, but has also suggested it won’t be easy this time.
As per per The Manchester Evening News, Cancelo said: “We focus mostly on ourselves, so we don’t pay much attention to what other teams are doing. Liverpool is a very strong team, Chelsea is going to be there too, Tottenham and Arsenal, of course.”
The full-back further insisted that local rivals United too would cope with their current situation and could stage a comeback in the title race.
“Manchester United haven’t started well, but they are a strong side too. I think the best thing about the Premier League is the competitiveness. I think it makes you a better player and a better team. We are competing here against four or five of the best teams in Europe, so it pushes us to improve ourselves.”
Joao Cancelo has had a near-perfect stint at City so far, dominating the left flank in a makeshift role. He is expected to continue there since the club hasn’t found a left-back to replenish the position, further offloading Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal.