Is the premier league title race over?

[FrankMunro-371]

Manchester City are eleven points clear of second placed Manchester United. Is the title race over in December?

 

[slink]

Yes. It was over before today because City are so much better than everyone else. Doesn't seem to matter what the opposition do they have an answer and i don't see how that changes.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Absolutely over

Where are city going to drop eleven points?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

As good as over, they're easily the best team now Pep has got to grips with what the Premier League requires defensively.

All the other contenders have at least 2-3 areas where you'd say they'd really need to step up if they wanted to win the title, City have one at LB and that's only because Mendy is injured. They'll probably go and fix it next month.

They need better than the likes of Otamendi to win the Champions League I would say but that's another step.

 

[Alan]

The season isn't half done. City haven't won the title until it's mathematically certain.

That said, they currently look the best team in the league by a huge margin and it will take something really unexpected to see them overtaken. But it's sport and I don't generally care to say anything is decided before only one possibility is, well, possible.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Do you think Bayern are going to win the Bundesliga? Or Celtic are going to win the SPL?

This is as much as of a formality now IMO.

 

[slink]

The season isn't half done. City haven't won the title until it's mathematically certain.

That said, they currently look the best team in the league by a huge margin and it will take something really unexpected to see them overtaken. But it's sport and I don't generally care to say anything is decided before only one possibility is, well, possible.

Take the safety off Alan, it's over.

 

[Alan]

There's five and half months of football left! If City lose it now it would be crazy but crazy things happen.

I don't quite see the gap between City and everyone else as comparable to Bayern vs. Bundesliga or Celtic vs. SPL.

 

[slink]

City have played 16 games and won 15 beating all of the top teams, the gap is huge.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

United (IF they won every single game remaining) still have to make up 11 points Al

Who is going to beat City realistically? Maybe Chelsea once, maybe Arsenal (although I profoundly doubt that).

There aren't enough opportunities for City to drop points to give United even vague hope

 

[Jack Regan]

We're still the only team to stop them scoring, and a lot of their game today and last week was like ours on Saturday. They just managed to find a way to force a mistake and scored from a set piece. It seems highly unlikely they'll throw away such a big lead even this early in the season.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't quite see the gap between City and everyone else as comparable to Bayern vs. Bundesliga or Celtic vs. SPL.

The difference is that United, Chelsea and to a lesser extent Spurs/Liverpool/Arsenal can have a go at catching up in the summer, they have the resources to at least give it a go whereas the other German/Scottish teams can't.

As far as this season goes I'd say it's about the same, there is one team who are absolutely miles better than everyone else with better squad options to add in if they do hit a sticky patch injury wise. And while people get very silly and worry about "jinxes" and the like, the exact same applies in the Championship.

 

[Alan]

Like I said, crazy things can happen. You never know. I'm not willing to call anything this early on. Even if things going awry for City seems like it would be crazy.

 

[Trips]

It's all over Alan. Highly doubt City will lose 4 games this season, and even if they do nobody else is going to win all their remaining games. It's done

 

[Alan]

It's all over Alan. Highly doubt City will lose 4 games this season, and even if they do nobody else is going to win all their remaining games. It's done

How boring the rest of the season must be for you!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

There have been plenty of seasons where there's been one team that's obviously going to win, even from late autumn. At least four seasons when Fergie was at United for a start.

As I say, it's not so much that City are absolute world beaters (they are very, very good for the avoidance of doubt), it's that anyone who might even have the tiniest chance from here doesn't because they've got too many flaws that can't be fixed right now.

 

[YoungWolf]

Absolutely over. This the most I've enjoyed watching a PL team in any season, butt then I also love Pep. I think they have a great chance in the Champions League too.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

butt then I also love Pep

Really, it doesn't show

I would say United around 94 (Schmeichel - Parker, Bruce, Pallister, Irwin - Kanchelskis/Sharpe, Ince, Keane, Giggs - Hughes, Cantona) and 99 (Schmeichel - Neville, Stam, Johnsen, Irwin - Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs - Cole/Solskjaer, Yorke/Sheringham) and Arsenal around 02 (Seaman - Lauren, Adams/Keown, Campbell, Cole - Ljungberg, Parlour/Edu, Vieira, Pires - Bergkamp, Henry) were at least as good to watch. As much as it pains me to say it, Brodge's Liverpool of 13/14 were also great entertainment although you couldn't give them the full seal of approval due to their comedy defending. Ditto Keegan's Newcastle between 94 and 97.

 

[Tredman]

That Arsenal team were a pure joy to watch.

 

[lemonjelly]

I'd say that the arsenal team of 02 was probably better, but part of that was the sheer joy of henry/bergkamp. They were phenomenal.

In answer to the OP, the title race was possibly already all over before the weekend.