Premier League Top Half Finish Odds: Are Brighton the side to get behind in the top-10 market?

We now have just two weekends to wait until Premier League football returns, with Manchester City the current 4/6 favourites to lift the trophy for the fourth time in five years. Ahead of the new campaign we’ve been taking a look at various outright markets and today we’ve taken a look at the Premier League Top Half Finish odds. 

The odds quoted below are with Betfair and Paddy Power who have not priced up Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United. However, some incredibly short prices are available from other firms.

First up let’s remind ourselves how the league standings from last season 

Tottenham - 1/8

Along with Leicester, Spurs are the shortest price of any team with Paddy Power at 1/8 to finish in the top half. Nuno Espirito Santo is now the new manager of the club, but the long term future of talisman Harry Kane remains uncertain. Spurs failed to make the top-six last season and this is not a price we’d be recommending to anyone.

Leicester - 1/8

The Foxes won the Premier League title in 2016 and followed that up with a 12th place finish in 2017. However since then, they have four straight top half finishes in the bank, earning fifth place in the last two consecutive seasons. After their FA Cup triumph a few months ago and with Brendan Rodgers doing the steering it’s hard to see this side not finishing in the top half again.

Arsenal - 1/6

Blackburn Rovers were the champions of England the last time that Arsenal failed to finish in the top-10 of the Premier League, back in 1995. 1/6 is on offer for a top half finish this time round for the Gunners, who slumped to an eighth place finish for the second season in a row in 2020/21.

Everton - 4/7

To the surprise of many, Rafa Benitez will be the manager at Everton at the start of the new campaign and he will need to improve the Toffees home form if this is going to be a successful season. Everton finished 10th in 2020/21 but only managed six victories at Goodison Park with only five slides collecting fewer points at home.

West Ham - 8/11

David Moyes deserves huge credit for guiding West Ham to a sixth place finish last season and it will be interesting to see whether they can maintain those levels. The Hammers are 8/11 for a top half finish and it’s worth noting, that were the table based on just home results last season, they would have finished second.

Leeds - 8/11

Another team priced at 8/11 are Leeds who again deserve great praise for the way they performed in the 2020/21 campaign with a ninth place finish. Only six sides conceded more goals than Leeds last term so if they tighten up at the back they look well placed for another top half finish.

Aston Villa - 5/6

Securing the services of Jack Grealish for the future is the main goal for Villa this summer, with a transfer to Manchester City still priced at 4/7 to happen before September 3. Dean Smith’s side spent the majority of last season in the top half of the table but have not finished there since 2011.

Brighton - 11/10

Paddy Power go 11/10 for Brighton to finish in the top half this term, although it’s well worth shopping around with 7/4 the current top price available from bet365. Brighton underperformed last year according to their xG data with the Seagulls ranking fifth in the expected points table (xP), which you can read more about here.

Wolves 21/10

It’s three years now since Wolves returned to the Premier League and since then they have finished seventh twice, and most recently 13th. This season also see’s a switch of manager for the side from the Black Country, with Bruno Lage replacing the departing Nuno Santo. 21/10 is on offer for Wolves to finish in the top half.

Southampton - 9/4

Saints fans may have expected a little more than a 15th place finish under Ralph Hassenhuttl last season and are 9/4 for a top-10 finish this time round. Southampton have not finished in the top half since Claude Puel was in charge in 2017.

Burnley - 5/1

Sean Dyche is currently the longest serving manager in the Premier League and it’s easy to forget that his Clarets side have finished in the top half in two of the last four seasons. 5/1 is on offer for those who think Burnley can improve on 17th last year and make the top half.

Crystal Palace - 5/1

Patrick Viera is the man now tasked with sailing the ship for Crystal Palace after Roy Hodgson’s exit. Palace conceded 66 goals last season with only Southampton and West Brom having conceded more and if they are to make the top-10 they will need to tighten up. 

Newcastle - 11/2

The last time Newcastle finished inside the top half was in 2018 and 11/2 is on offer for them to do so this season. The Magpies finished a respectable 12th last term, but it’s hard to see them improving on that with the current squad.

Brentford - 17/2

The shortest priced of the three newly-promoted teams is Brentford who can be backed at 17/2. It’s the first time that Brentford have been in the Premier League and their lack of experience could be a worry this season with safety the ultimate goal for Matthew Benham’s club.

Norwich - 9/1

The penultimate side in the market is Norwich who will be hoping to perform better than the last time they were in the Premier League. Daniel Farke’s side collected just 21 points in that season and their experience from that campaign may put them in better shape this time. A top-half finish still looks a step too far, although 9/1 is on offer in this market.

Watford - 10/1

The Hornets round off the betting at 10/1, however they are yet to achieve a top-10 finish in the Premier League era. 11th was their best return back in 2019 and avoiding relegation will once again be the main priority for this season, for which they are 10/11 to do so.

Compare all the odds from a range of bookmakers below.