The new Barclaycard Premiership football season is nearly upon us and now may be a great time to place bets on the outcome.

As always the top four clubs, Manchester Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are heavily fancied against the rest of the league to lift the Premiership title.  With Manchester Utd and Chelsea again looking like occupying the top two places.

Manchester Utd are favourites to win the league for a third successive year in a row.  Ferguson’s men are priced at 19/10* with Betfair to again finish top of the table.

The Manchester outfit have yet to make any major pre-season signings but are known to be after Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov - a player who would greatly strengthen an already impressive squad.

Chelsea were the nearly men of last season after being piped to the post in both the Premiership and Champions League final by United and will be out for revenge.

Blues fans have much reason to be optimistic as new manager Luis Felipe Scolari has one of the best reputations as a manager in the world.

Despite the loss of Claude Makelele, Portuguese internationals Jose Bosingwa at full back and midfielder Deco will be welcome additions to the Abromovich-owned club.  More top players are also likely to sign as Scolari looks to build a Premiership winning squad.

Pinnacle Sports are offering the best odds at 21/10* on Scolari repeating the success of Jose Mourinho and winning the title in his first season in charge.

Arsenal are the third favourites with bookmakers.  Pinnacle Sports has the Gunners at 53/10* to be lifting that trophy come May next year.

And what of Liverpool’s chances?  Rafa Benitez is likely to continue with his criticized rotational policy which I believe has been there undoing in the past few seasons.  And is Benitez really bothered about the Premiership when it seems he is more interested in the Champions League?

Betdaq has Liverpool at 38/5* to take the league back to Anfield for the first time in almost 20 years.

If you fancy an outside gamble Spurs are believed to be the most likely of the rest of the Premiership clubs to take the title.  The North London club are priced at 80/1* with Extrabet, to pull off a big shock.

Manchester City are 250/1* with Totesport and Coral, whereas Aston Villa are 250/1* with Extrabet and Everton are 389/1* with Betfair, but these odds reflect their title chances- slim or none!

*Odds are correct as of time of writing