By Sean McDiarmind
As one of the English Premier League’s leading football clubs, Manchester City’s main goal is winning trophies – and this year, they’re eyeing up three at once. The treble, as it is known, means winning three major trophies in one season. This can include the Premier League title, the EFL cup, the FA Cup and a European trophy – and for a team like Man City, it’s turning out to be something of an achievable goal as the season progresses.
But what are the chances of Man City building on their success from last year, which saw them claim both the Premier League title and the EFL Cup? The Club have often featured in the win column on betting slips – but what sort of odds can a punter secure from bookmakers?
With Man City’s prospects high, just how likely is it that they’ll be filling (or, indeed, re-filling) the trophy cabinet at the Etihad when the season closes?
What would a treble look like?
There’s no hard and fast rule about which specific tournaments constitute a treble, so there’s some flexibility in the system for Man City. In short, it has to include winning the relevant team’s national league, which in this case is of course the Premier League. At the time of writing, it still looks to be possibly in the cards, with City being in a two-way battle for the top spot with Liverpool – but while their focus may be Liverpool, City shouldn’t discount Tottenham, who have been on a great run of form and are nipping at City’s heels.
The second trophy they are within reach of is the League Cup. Currently known as the Carabao Cup, this is a trophy they currently hold and they plan to repeat their claim this year. The tournament ends later this month and will see Man City take on Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in the final.
If City fail to win the match, the next national trophy they can grab is the FA Cup, and their place in this competition could be decided at the end of this month during a fifth-round tie. Don’t forget; in order to secure the treble, Man City will also need to score some European success, ideally by winning the Champions League.
What are the odds?
Firstly, it’s wise to assess what each individual odds pairing looks like. Right now, the odds on Manchester City taking the Premier League title for the second year in a row now stand at 5/6. Their closest rivals, Liverpool, have worse odds at 11/10. The chances of them winning the Champions League are currently 7/2 – just ahead of Pep Guardiola’s former team, FC Barcelona, at 9/2.
But for those who plan on betting that the overall treble is on the cards for Manchester City, it’s important to look for a few reassuring indicators. It’s wise to find a decent bookmaker with affordable and good value odds on sports betting, and sites like Sugarhouse can help with this – you may want to pick up a Sugarhouse Online Casino Promo code as well in case the mood takes you during your visit.
Another thing to look out for is betting companies that offer a single set of odds on the likelihood of a treble; currently, it’s possible to get odds of 25/1 on City taking the Premier League title, winning the FA Cup and conquering the Champions League for the first time.
It’s important to remember at this point, too, just why these odds seem to be in City’s favor. There are a number of distinctive competitive advantages in place. Take the example of manager Pep Guardiola, who has a strong track record when it comes to winning major trophies.
Over the course of his career, he has won the Champions League twice, the Spanish LaLiga three times, the German Bundesliga three times, and many more. With Guardiola’s effective tactics and respected management style, it’s perhaps easy to see why Man City are seen as clear winners by many fans.
What about a quadruple?
But while the focus of many pundits might be on Manchester City gaining three trophies, there’s also the possibility that they’ll take it a step further. In order to win a quadruple, Man City would need to pick up all four trophies they are currently in the running for.
For those who want to bet on this, there are 40/1 odds currently available on City taking four trophies. Long odds – but not as long as you might think considering the 25/1 odds on the treble.
Overall, there’s certainly no guarantee that Man City is about to sweep the floor with all the competition and walk home with three – or even four – trophies.
However, the odds suggest that it’s looking to be a distinct possibility. With the Citizens training hard under the watchful eye of manager Pep Guardiola, there’s a good chance that they’ll be able to get enough wins under their belt to make those who bet on their success very happy.