Premier League title race bet365 special: Liverpool target points record as Man City slip

Updated on 8:21am GMT 1 October 2020

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Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.

Last season, Jurgen Klopp’s relentless red machine galloped over the horizon to claim their first ever Premier League title, obliterating any notions of a close-run title race between them and the team they dethroned – Manchester City.

By Christmas last year, Liverpool had already opened up a colossal 14 buffer between themselves and the stuttering Citizens, and by the time club football ground to a halt unexpectedly in March, the marauding Merseysiders had extended their lead at the summit of the table to a gargantuan 25 points.

Few had anticipated the 2020/21 title race turning into a similar stroll for Liverpool, though the early evidence suggests that Pep Guardiola’s lurching City could find themselves eating their rival’s dust again.

Check out our Premier League predictions page for the latest match previews and betting tips.

Liverpool’s record breaking 2019/20 season

Liverpool broke and equalled a series of Premier League records on their way to lifting the English championship for the first time since 1990, and powered by their phenomenal form at Anfield, the Reds romped home with silverware in hugely emphatic style.

Jürgen Klopp’s side sealed the title with seven games to spare to become the first team to win the league in eight different decades. Liverpool also equalled the record for most victories in a single season (32), beating every single top-flight opponent in one campaign for the first time in their 127-year history.

In addition, Liverpool’s 18 wins from 19 league games at home matched another Premier League record, while the club’s last day 3-1 win at Newcastle set a new Liverpool best for away wins in a single season.

However, Liverpool’s final 99-point haul at the campaign’s finish left them one short of the record total Man City gathered in 2017/18 – a target Jurgen Klopp’s late-season team selections suggested the German wanted to hit.

Premier League 20/21: As it stands

Liverpool have come out of the blocks in typically blistering fashion this term, taking maximum points from what were three tricky looking fixtures against Leeds, Chelsea and Arsenal.

The Reds’ dominant victory against a rejuvenated Gunners outfit was a particularly ominous statement performance that would have sent ripples of panic through any potential challengers’ resolve.

Leicester City and the Reds’ Merseyside neighbours Everton are the only other teams with perfect records after three rounds of Premier League fixtures, though neither of Pool’s early running mates are expected to keep pace with the champions for long.

For Manchester City – the bookies’ pre-season title favourites – defensive problems continue to linger, and after a wobble or two against Wolves in their first run-out of the campaign, the Citizens were dismantled at home by Brendan Rodgers’ flying Foxes.

Lavish spenders Chelsea meanwhile – who were tipped by many to launch an assault for top spot this term – are dealing with painful teething problems as Frank Lampard struggles to find a tactical formula to get the best out of his new recruits.

By the time the Blues get their house in order, Liverpool will expect to be already out of reach.

Premier League title race predictions

Liverpool to break the points record

Finding room to improve after such a stellar season last year should prove an incredibly difficult task for Liverpool in 2020/21, but if Jurgen Klopp is searching for new ways to motivate his players, then the chance to become Premier League centurions could act as a powerful incentive.

While numerous factors have contributed to make the opening weeks of the Premier League season incredibly unpredictable, all of Liverpool’s closest antagonists have already shown enough weaknesses to hint that few if any of them will be able to trade blows with the Reds in this year’s title race.

In truth, Liverpool several levels above the field of competition in this season’s Premier League, and a 100-point season looks well within their capabilities.

Before football’s COVID-led postponement knocked them out of their flow in March, Liverpool – who had averaged an eye-watering 2.82 points per game after their first 29 fixtures – were well on course to smash through the 100 point ceiling, and an uninterrupted campaign in 2020/21 could see them run up a three digit haul by the close of play.

Always good for a unique Premier League offer, bet365 have come up with an exciting Liverpool special offer that pays out at 5/1 odds if Jurgen Klopp’s side collect 100.5+ points in 2019/20, while an even tastier looking 33/1 can be had on the Reds to go unbeaten through the entire 38 game campaign.

Man City to lose 10+ games

bet365 have also built an intriguing looking special offer around Pep Guardiola’s faltering Manchester City team, were you can grab 8/1 odds on the Citizens losing 10+ Premier League games in the 2020/21 season.

City have already started to fill up their defeats column following their embarrassing 5-2 evisceration by Leicester in the Foxes feeding frenzy last weekend, and there was plenty of evidence in 2019/20 to suggest that another glut of setbacks and losses are possible before the end of the season.

Manchester City lost a whopping nine of their 38 Premier League fixtures last term, while their record of losing 12 matches overall last season in all competitions included a set of seven defeats since the turn of the year.

City have been scrambling around desperately in the summer market to strengthen their brittle backline, but having already spent north of £400m on new defenders in recent years, there are indications that their problems could be rooted in tactical rather than individual areas.

With Pep Guardiola determined to stick to his principles and philosophy, more and more teams could start to work out successful ways to topple City.