This season is different from the previous season because this season Aston Villa made a lot of progress in their squad and even managed to beat Manchester City. I think we will see a new team that will try to thwart Arsenal mission to win the title. But for now I still believe that Manchester City will be able to defend their title this season because they still give other teams the opportunity to step over them before the time comes for them to become leaders of the standings again.
I think City haven't been consistent enough this season. They will have difficulty defending the championship title. The biggest opportunities to win the title are Arsenal and Liverpool, who are currently playing quite well. Maybe even Aston Villa will surprise everyone with their extraordinary performance this season. I also think that coaches have a huge influence here. With the right coach, the team will find its best performance because it has found the optimal position and playing style for the character of each player.