Supercomputer names Premier League title winners ahead of Man City vs Liverpool FC clash

Following the final international break of the year, the Premier League returns this weekend ahead of the traditionally hectic festive period.

Manchester City sit top of the table on 28 points after 12 games, one point clear of second-placed Liverpool who they face at the Etihad in the early kick-off on Saturday. Further back are Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, all of whom are within three points of Pep Guardiola's reigning champions.

City will be hoping to replicate the form that won them the treble last season, coming into the encounter off the back of an entertaining 4-4 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Ahead of their eagerly anticipated fixture with Jurgen Klopp's side on Saturday, Opta have released their new supercomputer predictions via the Analyst.

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Having lost two games in their opening 12 games, three fewer than they lost across the entirety of last season, City are still predicted to clinch their eighth Premier League crown - hoping to become the first team to win four consecutive titles in a row. Guardiola's side have been given an 84.3 per cent chance of winning the league, with the supercomputer giving them under 0.1 per cent chance of finishing fifth and zero per cent chance of finishing sixth.

Liverpool and Arsenal are the next two teams to be tipped with a finish in the top three, both being given an 83.4 per cent and 76.2 per cent chance of doing so respectively, whilst Spurs are the slight favourites to finish in fourth - though Aston Villa are their closest competitors with 24.4 per cent and 22.2 per cent chances respectively.

Nei