Expert Premier League predictions and free football tips from Mark Langdon

Football betting tips & analysis from Racing Post's Mark Langdon.

Best bet

Chelsea to win Premier League 2021-22
1pt each-way 5-1 bet365

Preview

Ante-post betting is not for everyone.

For some the idea of placing a football bet on a Friday and waiting a whole weekend for any potential payout is too long, while for others it can break up the monotony of the season-long 90-minute outcome which is something of a grind.

If you have the means, betting ante-post can be the smartest route. Markets are often stale and don't seem to have the same kind of care and attention, while over a longer period there is less chance of rotten luck getting in the way.

Building up a long-term position could well be the best of both worlds - the payday top-up of the same amount each month over a sustained period, almost like a direct debit .

For many people a £400 outright bet would be too hot, but £20 each month from now until the World Cup in Qatar gets you the same position and there will be a lot worse punts than England at 10-1.

To my mind only Gareth Southgate can stop this from going very close and he either gets the sack for a dismal Euros or proves himself by getting deep into the tournament this summer.

This is not a jingoistic "it's coming home" mentality. I would - and have done many times - cheer against England but this Three Lions squad will be absolutely stacked in 18 months time.

Look at the age of the players. Marcus Rashford is 23, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice and Mason Mount 22, Jadon Sancho 21, Phil Foden 20, Bukayo Saka and Mason Greenwood 19, Jude Bellingham 17 and even key components now like Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson will still be performing at the highest level.

Watching Mount and Foden run rings around opponents in Champions League semi-finals is something to excite England fans. The money in the Premier League has attracted the best managers and that is the major difference between this time around and the last golden generation.

For instance, in 2005-06 the list of Premier League managers read Wenger, O'Leary, Bruce, Hughes, Allardyce, Curbishley, Mourinho, Moyes, Coleman, Benitez, Pearce, Ferguson, McClaren, Jol, Bryan Robson, Pardew, Jewell, Perrin, Souness and McCarthy.

The depth now is incredible and at the top of that you have Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp.

Manchester City could be crowned champions this weekend as they stroll towards the title but their opponents Chelsea look set to provide them with a major test next season and are of each-way interest at 5-1 to win the 2021-22 Premier League.

Of course 4-6 shots City will be difficult to stop, but Chelsea - Europe's biggest spenders this season - have a much better manager than Manchester United and a much bigger squad than Liverpool.

It would seem unlikely they would step back from looking to make further significant additions this summer and all of the 2020 arrivals have the potential to seriously step up for a second Premier League season.

Timo Werner has missed 17 "big chances" but surely can't keep that up and those who are not Bundesliga regulars are only just beginning to see why there was so much fuss over Kai Havertz.

Chelsea's future is bright and so too is England's.

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