Danny Higginbotham: Manchester United are hard to see as Premier League champions this season

DANNY HIGGINBOTHAM feels the race for this season's Premier League crown will go all the way.

He said: "This could be the best title battle we’ve had for years. In the past there might have been one or two contenders but this time there are at least four sides who can win it."

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Here, our analyst goes through the main contenders and their crunch fixtures left this year.

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ARSENAL

FOR: The spine of the team is definitely looking stronger with Mustafi and Koscielny an excellent central defensive partnership.

They travel well, still unbeaten away from home and have shown their mental strength with those late winners against Southampton and Burnley to earn crucial points.

AGAINST: Their home form is more ropey with just three wins out of six games so far including the defeat by Liverpool on the opening weekend.

Over-reliant on Alexis and Ozil for goals and need some others to step up to the plate because those two will experience dips in form.

VERDICT: Good enough to win it if they can stay the course this time.

CHELSEA

FOR: Lack of European football is a blessing while more crucially they have found a system that suits them. Now Chelsea are defensively strong.

Five clean sheets in a row and 16 goals scored make the case while Hazard, Matic and Costa are back to their best.

AGAINST: Those early season defeats by Arsenal and Liverpool hinted at underlying issues and until they face a real test Conte will not know if his system can stand up to proper examination.

VERDICT: After last year’s debacle, this is a Chelsea side that can win the title, no question

LIVERPOOL

FOR: Definitely benefiting from not being in Europe and playing some superb football.

They already have nine different players who have found the net, which is why they are the the highest scorers in the league, with the front three having 16 between them. Have shown their strength by wins at Arsenal and Chelsea and drawing at Spurs.

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AGAINST: Defensive doubts are still there and they have only kept one clean sheet in 11 games.

Will miss both defensive kingpin Matip and impressive Mane for the African Cup of Nations in the New Year. They are reminiscent of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle but we all remember what happened to them.

VERDICT: Title contenders, 100 per cent, although they have to contend with the weight of history

MANCHESTER CITY

FOR: The players have shown they have a grasp of Pep Guardiola’s tactical demands already.

Aguero is arguably the best striker in the Premier League, they have goals from the rest of the team as well and probably the greatest strength in depth of any side. Plus many recent title winners who know what it takes.

AGAINST: They have been far from impregnable on home soil, winning only half of their six games at the Etihad and they need to improve that home form. Have dropped after that fantastic start, with just six points from last 15 and have yet to win a game when they have gone behind.

VERDICT: They will be in the shake-up all the way and Guardiola expects to bring them glory.

MANCHESTER UNITED

FOR: Signs that Pogba is starting to come to terms with life back in England although Mourinho has to stick with Carrick as the tempo-setter.

Ibrahimovic is likely to emerge from his drought after those goals at Swansea and Mourinho is a proven winner over course and distance.

AGAINST: Mourinho does not seem to know what his best team should be, or even what his best system is. The injuries they have suffered at the back have hurt them and Bailly is a key miss.

The demands of the Europa League could take their toll as well.

VERDICT: Hard to see them as potential champions but could still nick a top three spot.

TOTTENHAM

FOR: The only unbeaten side and with the best defence in the league. They have stayed solid at the back even without Alderweireld.

They have only conceded one goal in open play and no more than one in any game. The return of Kane will make a big difference while Dembele is a terrific player in Pochettino’s system.

AGAINST: They do not score enough - they have netted fewest of the top six and have the worst goal difference of the top five.

So far they have only scored more than once three times and as a result have recorded too many draws so far. But if Kane gets injured again, who will score?

VERDICT: Spurs challenged all the way last season but this time they may have to settle for top four at best.

CRUNCH GAMES THIS YEAR

Nov 19 Man United v Arsenal

Nov 26 Chelsea v Tottenham

Dec 3 Man City v Chelsea

Dec 11 Man United v Tottenham

Dec 18 Man City v Arsenal

Dec 31 Liverpool v Man City

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