The 2014/2015 Premier League
season is already giving all
indications that it will throw up
one of the most intriguing title
races in recent memory. Despite an
early sprint by favourites Chelsea,
Manchester City have successfully
clawed their way back into the
reckoning. They currently sit
behind Chelsea in the table, although only by alphabetical order. Manchester United, without
any European assignment this
season are in the running too as
the outsiders. It’s a three horse
race for the league title. Here is a
look at the chances of the teams
according to my predicted final
table standings.

3. Manchester United
Louis Van Gaal, since his
appointment in the summer, has
had a slow start to life at United
despite making several expensive
signings. A lot of people are still
trying to figure out why he didn’t
sign a top class centre-back after
the departure of Nemanja Vidic.
United’s early season form was so
poor that the previous league
season was even looking a better
campaign. Van Gaal actually had
4 fewer points and 2 fewer wins
than Moyes after 10 league games
culminating in his “I was stupid to
say ‘judge me after 3 months'”
comments. However, they’ve had
an upsurge in form. With no mid-
week European fixtures to
negotiate, United will be there or
thereabouts at the end of the
season. Despite the attacking
brilliance being shown by United,
defensive frailties will ultimately
lead to more points dropped by
the Red Devils. For this reason, a
third place finish is the best they
will achieve this Premier League,
which is a massive progress from
last year. All in all, it won’t be
considered a bad first season for
van Gaal.

2. Manchester City
Despite early jitters from the
Citizens, they’ve being able to claw
back an eight point gulf to level up
with the Premier League title
favourites, Chelsea. Manuel
Pellegrini has built a side that is
virtually unstoppable on their day.
However, they’ve had their fair
share of problems this season, with
Toure’s early season form,
Mangala’s defending, injuries to
key payers, and poor Champions
League performances being just a
few of them. Talking of Mangala,
he is yet to defend his massive
transfer fee of £32 million (which
is the British transfer record for a
defender). After an impressive
debut against Chelsea where he
kept Diego Costa in his pocket all
game long, occasional woeful
defending has plagued his game.
Points will be dropped this season
by City in games they should
easily win. They would be a sure
thing to win the title if they had
two Vincent Kompanys, but as it
is, they still look frail at the back
at times. If a team like Burnley
(with all due respect) can get a
result at the Etihad while 2-0
down at half time, then surely
other team will face up against
them with more belief. The title
race will definitely go down to the
wire. The likes of Aguero and Toure
will lead the charge, but
Manchester City will ultimately fall
short of this season’s league title,
surely by no more than three
points though.

1. Chelsea
Jose Mourinho has successfully
nurtured his ‘little horse’ into a
gigantic stallion. With the signings
of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa,
Chelsea has been dispatching the
lesser sides in the Premier League
with utter ruthlessness. Their
summer signings have gelled in
seamlessly. The Blues had a very
strong first half of the season,
maintaining an unbeaten run
which stretched back to the defeat
to Atletico Madrid in May.
Premature talks of an ‘invincible
season’ were ended up north by
Newcastle and a Harry Kane
inspired Tottenham dispatched
Chelsea on New Year’s day. Both
defeats were partly due to
Mourinho’s reluctance to rotate,
despite fixture congestion. The
Blues will drop points too over the
course of the season but expect
this to be minimal. The hallmark of
this team is their professionalism
and winning mentality. Having
negotiated a vast majority of their
most difficult fixtures on paper, as
well as maintaining an impressive
home form, the Premier League
title will be moving to London
come May.

source: http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/01/09/bold-predictions-on-the-premier-league-title-race/