Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City? Hasselbaink names his favourite for Premier League title

Chelsea hero Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has picked out Manchester City as his favourites for the Premier League title this season.

City’s sustained period of dominance came crashing to a halt last term as Liverpool stormed to the top-flight title for an 18th time in Arne Slot’s debut year in English football.

Having hoisted the trophy aloft in each of the previous four seasons, Pep Guardiola’s City eventually had to settle for third place – with 13 points separating them from the eventual champions.

But City supporters were able to take some encouragement from their resurgence across a strong end to the campaign, which ensured another year of Champions League football.

Etihad bosses have made sure to invest heavily across a free-spending summer transfer window to give Guardiola’s men the best possible chance of knocking Liverpool off their perch again this season.

The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish have made way in recent months, but Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and James Trafford have all been recruited – for a combined fee of around £108million – to bolster a new-look City squad.

And after a promising pre-season, the eight-time Premier League champions got the new campaign off to a blistering start, putting four goals past Wolves to clinch top spot ahead of their clash with Tottenham.

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Reijnders, in particular, shone across an eye-catching debut, doubling City’s lead before assisting Erling Haaland at Molineux – and Hasselbaink was mightily impressed with what he saw from his fellow Dutchman.

‘He’s not going to get as many assists as De Bruyne,’ Hasselbaink told Sky Sports News of Reijnders’ impressive start for City.

‘He’s going to be more available and I think he’s going to score more goals than De Bruyne. But assists-wise, I don’t think that there are going to be as many.

‘But the boy can play and they have found a diamond there.’

The former Chelsea and Netherlands striker has seen enough to believe that City are ‘the team to beat’ again after their disappointing season last term.

‘Manchester City is my favourite for the year to win the title,’ Hasselbaink added.

‘Everyone is talking about Liverpool and I do think it’s going to be very close, but Manchester City, for me, is the team to beat.’

During an interview with HaytersTV, Hasselbaink’s former Chelsea team-mate Joe Cole backed Liverpool to successfully defend their title having won ‘at a canter’ last season.

Cole also revealed his doubts surrounding Arsenal’s marquee summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who he feels is yet to prove himself despite his extraordinary goalscoring exploits at Sporting.

‘I make them [Liverpool] favourites [for the title]. They’ve strengthened and they won it at a canter last season,’ Cole told Hayters TV.

‘I think this might be [Mikel] Arteta’s best chance that he’s had. He’s got a centre-forward in, but there’s still a question mark there.

‘It’s not like you’re bringing in a player like… if Arsenal would’ve gone and signed Osimhen, who I’ve seen do it in Italy and in Turkey…

‘This kid [Gyokeres], there is still a question mark. I think he’s going to be alright, I think he’ll score goals, but I just think Liverpool are the best side at the moment.

‘The best chance the other teams have is if Liverpool have a slow start because there’s a lot of change, but by the end of the season I expect them to be motoring.’

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