Sizing up the Competition for Manchester United's Crown

Only a few games into the season, top four competition is already heating up.

The current champions, Manchester United, look shaky with way too many lucky escape, 1-0 wins.

Although Chelsea already seems to be out of it, who knows what will happen if they bring in a new manager?

Liverpool's team of superstars looks to be underperforming with many draws and unconvincing wins.

And finally, Arsenal, the no-hoper team of last season, looks unstoppable as they remain undefeated in all competitions and sit pretty on the top of the league.

Something not many predicted.

Take a look at what these four teams have to offer:

Manchester United is no doubt a great team, but so far they haven't reinforced that point with a convincing win.

Yes three points is three points, but if they continue playing the way they are now, they'll get caught out by a weaker team, and perhaps pay the price.

That said, they still have a great crop of players and the ability to get back on top.

You never know what Fergy has up his sleeve

Chelsea lost its "Special One" and is perhaps still adjusting to life without him. However, under Avam Grant, the team has played dismally and already looks to be out of the race.

If Chelsea does not improve drastically, several superstars might leave in January, or follow Mourinhio if he has a club by then.

Rumors are rampant that a new manager from Ajax is being brought in. If so, he has a lot of work to do to keep up with the top four and keep Roman happy.

Liverpool is surprisingly not blowing away the competition, as many expected. The very pricey signings of Torres, Babel, and Voronin, to name a few, have failed to put Liverpool in a comfortable position yet.

However, due to Benitez's rotation policy, they don’t have much time to make an impression.

Perhaps Liverpool signed too many players this season, as many talented men won’t get a chance to play. If Benitez really wants to challenge, perhaps he should tweak his policies and concentrate more on the EPL than the Champions League.

Arsenal is the favorite, and my personal choice to take it this season. Undefeated and playing brilliant football, gooners couldn't be happier with the start.

Yes the side is young, but they've played with vision and knowledge well beyond their years.

Many people say an injury to a key player would severely dent their chances, but I believe all 11 of their starting players are capable of beating Liverpool (6-3), Blackburn, and Newcastle.

Perhaps they will backtrack with a disheartening loss, or unrest in Arsenal's boardroom, but with the raw talent, excellent manager, and a huge player budget, there is no doubt in my mind that they are the most stable and talented English team.

Other teams looking to win:

Spurs have lost all talk of breaking into the "big four" now, and instead will concentrate on staying in the top half of the table.

Everton, West Ham, and Portsmouth also look good and will all be gunning to become top-four sides, but I don't see it happening.

Manchester City looks great right now, and I can see them fighting with Chelsea for a top-four spot. Their manager and players look secure and confident, and I'm sure they'll do well.

Hopefully my predictions are correct and I don't eat my words at the end of the season. But from what I've seen so far, I doubt I'm wrong.