In a season full of unexpected twists, the Premier League has seen its share of surprises. Not many analysts anticipated Liverpool's soaring start this season, nor did they foresee the surprising difficulties faced by defending champions Manchester City.

As the weeks pass, Michael Owen's bold pre-season prediction looms larger over the league, much to the chagrin of Liverpool fans who hope the pundit’s forecast does not materialize. Owen notably abstained from forecasting a title defense for City and suggested that Liverpool would also fall short, appearing to bet on Arsenal instead.

City, regarded as the title favorites owing to their past dominance, now finds themselves grappling with their sixth league defeat of the season after a shocking loss to Aston Villa. With the possibility of ending up 12 points adrift from the top this Sunday, their hopes seem to be dwindling.

In stark contrast, Liverpool is in a prime position to capitalize on City’s faltering campaign, with a chance to extend their lead over the champions when they face Tottenham Hotspur. With a game in hand, a victory could see the Reds pull ahead even further. The idea that Owen could foresee City’s extensive struggles was met with disbelief earlier this summer when he boldly claimed that City might not even secure a top-four finish, predicting them to wrap up in fourth place, behind Aston Villa.

Additionally, Owen had Liverpool pegged as runners-up to Arsenal, which is increasingly looking questionable as the season evolves. His forecasts missed the mark with Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, who have both entered the top four and are expected to stay competitive through the Christmas period.

As City struggles remain evident, they find themselves four points adrift from both Villa and the top four spots. If teams like Bournemouth and Fulham secure victories against Manchester United and Southampton respectively, City could plunge even lower in the standings, possibly reaching eighth place.

After City’s recent defeat, Owen took to social media to acknowledge the attention surrounding his predictions, posting a message that seemed to relish in the scrutiny, complete with a thumbs-up emoji. His forecasts regarding City’s performance appear to be gaining traction, but the validity of his choice between Arsenal and Liverpool remains a tantalizing question mark.

Should Liverpool triumph over Spurs, they could place themselves six points ahead of Arsenal, with the potential for more given their game in hand. Will Owen’s audacious predictions continue to unravel, or could he yet prove to be a prophet of sorts in this chaotic Premier League season? The drama unfolds!