Nedum Onuoha believes that his former club Manchester City remain the favourites to retain the Premier League title this season, but he has backed Tottenham Hotspur as one of four clubs who could challenge the Citizens for top spot.
Man City have been a dominant force in the Premier League during the Pep Guardiola era having lifted the trophy in five of the last six seasons, including three in a row since 2020, and the reigning champions are bidding to become the first team in English top-flight history to win four successive titles.
However, Man City find themselves in a hotly-contested title race heading into the second half of the current campaign and sit second in the table at present, level on points with both Arsenal in third and Aston Villa in fourth, while Liverpool boast a five-point lead over their rivals at the summit.
Onuoha, who came through Man City's academy and spent eight years in the senior side between 2004 and 2012, regards each of the current top four as title contenders, but he feels that the quartet could also face competition from Tottenham.
Spurs currently sit fifth in the table, three points behind the top four and eight adrift of Liverpool, but Onuoha has been impressed with their transformation under new boss Ange Postecoglou this season.
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Speaking to Sports Mole following the release of a brand new BBC Sounds podcast 'Planet Premier League' for which he is joined by Cesc Fabregas, Onuoha stated that Spurs have the credentials to come out on top against anyone in their remaining 17 league games of the campaign.
Prior to Man City's 1-0 win over Tottenham in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, Onuoha said: "I'm somebody who has watched City go to Spurs five times and not score a goal, lose every game, so it doesn't fill me with confidence (from a City perspective) that Spurs are involved up near the top of the league, and because I feel, especially this year, they're a really, really good side.
"I really enjoy watching them play and I think the players enjoy playing [under Postecoglou] as well. I think they can be effective against anyone. I think in any one-off game they can beat any team in the league, and comfortably as well I'd say."
On Man City, who have a game in hand on each of their title rivals, Onuoha added: "There's the idea of being favourites, but realistically it doesn't really make any difference because they still need to get it done. Last year they were favourites even though they were in second for most of the season.
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"I think people know how good City can be, but they are still in a position chasing Liverpool, the same way they were chasing Arsenal last year when they were relying on the teams ahead of them to make mistakes, to drop points, and if those teams don't do that then City will finish second or third or wherever, provided they win their games as well.
"You can call them favourites, but there are a lot of teams still right there (in the title race). I think there will be points dropped between now and the end of the season and that's why it doesn't feel like it's going to be a 90+ points season as we have seen in previous years.
"I think this is a race that is going all the way down to the end, especially given the fact that this is Jurgen Klopp's last season at Liverpool."
League leaders Liverpool are the form side in the division having accumulated 24 points from their last 10 matches, at least three more than any other team, while former table-toppers Arsenal have slipped to third following a run of just two victories in their last six games – the Gunners, though, did thrash Crystal Palace 5-0 in their most recent league outing.
As for Aston Villa, their exceptional home form has been a crucial part of their success thus far; no Premier League team has won more games (nine) or picked up more points (28) on home soil than Unai Emery's side at this stage of the campaign.
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"Liverpool are up at the top and have the experience," said Onuoha. "Arsenal are up near the top and they have the recent experience and the desire to make amends to what came before (last season), and then you've got Aston Villa, who have got the best home record in the division as well, we shouldn't forget that.
"Then you've got City and you've got Spurs. I think they are all capable of taking points from whoever and every time those teams play against each other, it could be of huge benefit. [On Sunday], Liverpool travel down to play Arsenal and if Liverpool win that game, it really dents Arsenal's prospects, but if Arsenal win that game then it helps everyone else's.
"It's really exciting, anything could happen and as far as City's biggest rivals go, anyone in and around [the top] now, they're there for a reason. I think anyone in and around that space is good enough to be able to go on a winning run."
The Premier League resumes on Tuesday night when Arsenal travel to Nottingham Forest before making the trip to Anfield on Sunday to face a Liverpool side, who must first shift their focus to Wednesday's encounter with Chelsea.
Man City and Spurs are also in action on Wednesday when they play host to Burnley and Brentford respectively, while Aston Villa play a day earlier at home against Newcastle United.
