Chelsea and Arsenal made a lot of transfers this summer and rumor has it that more could be on the way. But are these teams top contenders to win the EPL in 2014-15? (Photo : Getty Images )
During the 2013-14 season, the battle for the Premier League title proved suspenseful as four teams competed for the top honor.
Arsenal held the position for most of the season, but a dip in form in the second half doomed the Gunners. Meanwhile, Chelsea seemed to have the title locked up, but imploded as the season drew to its end. Liverpool was also in prime position to win it all, but the team blew a 3-0 lead in less than 15 minutes and wound up losing its title hopes. Eventually, Manchester City emerged from the pack and took home its second title in three years.
The 2014-15 promises to be just as riveting. But which side will emerge victorious? Here are the top contenders to win the Premier League during the 2014-15 season:
Manchester City
Notable Additions: The defending champs enter this season looking more or less the same. The team has not had any high profile additions outside of Willy Caballero, Fernando and Bacary Sagna. Caballero is the big name here, as he gives starting goalkeeper Joe Hart some competition and gives manager Manuel Pellegrini some confidence in his goaltending should Hart implode once more this season.
Notable Additions: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has made a huge splash this summer after falling just four points short of winning the title. The team was in desperate need of a reliable forward and went out and got Diego Costa. Didier Drogba was also brought back to add support and leadership for the side up top. Chelsea was also in dire need of a creative player and brought in Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona. David Luiz was let go, but Filipe Luis was brought in instead.Chelsea
How can they win it? Mourinho is well-known for parking the bus and playing on the counter. That is unlikely to change all that much, but having players like Cesc Fabregas should allow him a bit more versatility in attack. If Chelsea can play with more dimension, then it should have no problem adapting to differing game situations.
Goal scoring was a problem last season, so Costa will be relied on heavily to succeed where Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba failed last season. Considering Costa's performance last season, this should not be a hard task to fulfill.
Manchester United
Notable Additions: New coach Louis van Gaal did not make any radical changes to the Manchester United squad that faltered so poorly under David Moyes. It is clear that he feels the problem was not with the players and only added Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera.
How can they win it? The team has the quality and talent to win the title, as it did during the 2012-13 season. It really comes down Van Gaal instilling the side with the confidence and structure it lacked under Moyes. Based on pre-season form, it seems that the side is headed in the right direction.
Arsenal
Notable Additions: The Gunners sputtered at the end of last season as a result of injuries and players imploding down the stretch. So Arsene Wenger, who is known for being conservative, has brought in solid depth. He added versatile forward Alexis Sanchez who will give the team speed on the wings and up front. He brought in goalie David Ospina to compete for the top spot in net. And he also added Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers to strengthen the team at the back.
How can they win it? It comes down to balance with this squad. Arsenal still lacks a poised central defending midfielder and will need its attacking flair to seize the day. The Gunners only scored 68 goals in 2013-14. Title winners Manchester City scored 102 while second place Liverpool managed 101 tallies.
Liverpool might seem like a notable absence from this list, but the team will surely suffer Luis Suarez's absence.
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