"For me, they are still the team to beat"- Jermain Defoe names his favorites for the Premier League title

Jermain Defoe has dubbed Manchester City the team to beat this season as he feels the Cityzens are the favorites to win the Premier League title. There is just a two-point gap between current table leaders Chelsea and Manchester City, with Liverpool looking to steer clear of their domestic rivals.

Despite such narrow margins, Defoe believes Manchester City has what it takes to bag the domestic title this season. Here's what he said:

"I still think that Manchester City is the team to beat. Watching people saying they don’t have a number nine – they played with a false nine all of last season, without a proper number nine. [Sergio] Aguero didn’t play and they won the league. For me, I still feel like they are the team to beat, with the options that they’ve got, the quality that they’ve got, bringing in Jack Grealish – [Raheem] Sterling doesn’t even start! And the know-how, they know how to do it."

He further added:

"I know Liverpool are looking good, and the front three are frightening – I think the front three of [Roberto] Firmino, [Mohamed] Salah and [Sadio] Mane are back to where they were before – but I still think that Man City are the team to beat."

The former Tottenham Hotspur star also revealed that he hopes the Lilywhites climb up the Premier League table this season. Tottenham finished seventh last season and currently sit in sixth place, a point ahead of Manchester United.

However, they are struggling under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, losing three of their last five games. Here's what Defoe said on the subject:

"Harry [Kane] and Son [Heung-min] are two unbelievable players and if you look you look at the goals and assists that they got last season, they’ve got that understanding – like Yorke and Cole had that understanding. Being a Tottenham man, I want Nuno to do well and I want the club to do well. It’s a massive football club and it’s a special club with special fans, an unbelievable stadium and an unbelievable training ground."

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Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City lead the Premier League table after matchweek 9

The Blues have won seven of their last nine domestic games, only losing 1-0 to reigning Premier League champions Man City. However, Chelsea comfortably sit atop the table and have cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

The team has thrived under Thomas Tuchel and consolidated their position at the apex of the Premier League table after scoring seven goals against Norwich City last weekend.

Liverpool, too, have looked extremely dangerous and currently sit in the second spot. They last won the Premier League in the 2019-20 season. However, they appear back to their very best after smashing five goals against arch-rivals Manchester United.

Manchester City are in third position in the table right now. However, they, too, had an extravagant weekend and scored four goals against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Chelsea v Norwich City - Premier League

The race for the Premier League title has just begun but has taken a fair share of interesting turns already. It's safe to say that the three aforementioned teams will stop at nothing to bag the Premier League this season.