While there may be the small matter of a World Cup taking place right now, the most popular domestic football competition in the world will resume immediately afterwards. The English Premier League will resume before the end of December, just a few days after the international tournament final is played in Qatar, and boasting a full schedule of traditional festive action.
No matter where you travel around the globe, everyone knows about the Premier League, boasting many of the biggest and most famous football clubs. For this reason alone and whenever games are due to take place, countless fans eagerly seek to find the top betting sites, backed by reviews from genuine industry experts at SBO. They also provide in-depth guides and advice, covering everything from signing up to how bets can be placed.
So far the Premier League has taken a few unexpected twists and turns, before an unavoidable pause because of the World Cup in Qatar, which inevitably affected the scheduling for top level domestic and continental competitions elsewhere. The biggest surprise is the amazing start to the 2022-23 campaign by Arsenal, having established a healthy five-point lead at the summit of the table. But can they maintain that position?
City aiming for third consecutive Premier League title
As the reigning 2021-22 Premier League champions, clearly Manchester City will have something to say about that, currently second in the table. The blazing form of Erling Haaland will surely be a telling factor, having smashed home 18 goals in just 13 appearances, following his move from Borussia Dortmund last summer. Given that Norway didn’t qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he will be in peak fitness and well rested, when the competition resumes.
Managed exceptionally by Spanish coach Pep Guardiola, the form of Man City heading into 2023 will be interesting to monitor carefully, particularly after a stunning 1-2 home defeat against Brentford. And when top level football resumes in England, they will take on Liverpool in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup, having won the competition four times in a row between 2019 and 2021. For their part, Liverpool were beaten finalists in 2022 against Chelsea.
Back to the Premier League, the first game after the World Cup for Man City is against Leeds United at Elland Road, due to take place on 28 December in the midst of Christmas and New Year festivities. And they won’t be the only team in action, between Boxing Day on 26th December and 28th December, as the Premier League gets itself back into full swing. All 20 teams will be playing a full round of fixtures between those dates.
The chase for Champions League positions
Always thrilling throughout the course of any Premier League season, aside from the main race for the title trophy itself, the chase to finish within the top four is of paramount importance. For the leading clubs in England, qualifying for the biggest continental competition is the primary objective. All four English clubs also remain in the 2022-23 edition of the Champions League, which only adds to the pressure of expectation surrounding those teams.
While the battle for the Premier League title appears to be between Arsenal and Man City, the chasing pack will be doing their utmost in order to cut the distance. Just two points behind Man City and in third position, Newcastle United have made a flying start to the campaign, losing just once in their opening 15 games of the season. They are also in the midst of a spectacular six-game winning streak, under the capable leadership of manager Eddie Howe, as he aims to keep the Magpies inside the top four.
Tottenham Hotspur currently hold on to fourth position in the Premier League, although they were in mixed form ahead of the World Cup break. This will provide all the encouragement needed by Manchester United, undergoing something of a revival when it comes to results under Erik ten Hag, albeit with a difficult situation to resolve regarding Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar could be sacked, after criticising the club in an explosive TV interview. Interesting times, indeed.