All the pre-season Premier League title talk was about the Manchester clubs. Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho looked set to face off and the bookmakers believed the city rivals would be the two teams battling it out for the domestic honours this season.
Arsenal and Chelsea were also expected to be in the mix, with the 2014/15 champions being quoted at 6/1 (7.0) to bounce back from a disastrous campaign under the stewardship of Antonio Conte.
It was hardly a perfect start for the former Italy and Juventus manager, though: at the end of September the Blues had been beaten by both Liverpool and Arsenal and were as big as 20/1 (21.0) to bounce back to the summit of English football.
A 3-0 win over Burnley was the only clean sheet that Conte's men kept in their first eight competitive games, and the 47-year-old boss was even favourite in the infamous sack race market, with some bookmakers suspending betting on his departure.
Following that defeat at the Emirates, there was a change in approach from the Blues' boss, switching to three at the back and employing new signing Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses in wing-back roles.
This change in approach has seen immediate results. The transition that the Londoners have undergone in the past nine Premier League matches is nothing short of remarkable. Their Premier League form since their last league loss reads: played nine, won nine, scored 23, conceded two. That incredible run includes victories over Tottenham and pre-season title favourites Manchester City, which makes it all the more impressive.
A return to form for attacking duo Diego Costa - now 11/8 (2.38) market leader for the top scorer prize - and Eden Hazard has proved too good for many top-flight defences, while Chelsea's backline is now the joint-best in the division.
While others have stalled around them - not least Liverpool, who also have the advantage of no European obligations - the bookmakers have repeatedly slashed the price on a Chelsea title win. bet365 are now just 10/11 (1.91) on the league leaders maintaining their advantage over the chasing pack.
With their upcoming fixture list reading Sunderland (A), Crystal Palace (A), Bournemouth (H) and Stoke City (H), few would bet against that price being even shorter come the end of the year.
- Goal