Are Man City in a title race, or a title stroll?

After 15 matches of the Premier League season, the leaders have a two-point lead. Last season at this stage, Manchester City had an eight-point cushion. In 2016/17, the gap at the top was three points. In fact, the last time the Premier League leaders had a smaller points gap to second at this stage of the season was in December 2008. By those standards, we have the makings of a titanic title tussle.

And yet this Premier League title race already has a strong feeling of inevitability. Pep Guardiola’s team are as short as 1/6 to lift the trophy in May, evidence that bookmakers at least believe that the next six months will provide very little intrigue. This season may not allow City to stroll towards triumph with quite as much ease, but hopes of a title race may be dashed.