Top flight bosses have tipped Manchester City as the most likely side to break into a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot this season.

This comes after Mark Hughes' new-look side's transfer activity over the summer, and positive start to the Barclays Premier League season.

According to the survey, completed by all twenty Barclays Premier League managers, 80 per cent see Manchester City as the team to break the monopoly of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, a feat that hasn't been achieved since Everton back in 2004/05. Other teams seen to have the potential to qualify for the UEFA Champions League are Tottenham Hotspur (10 per cent) and Aston Villa (5 per cent).

Barclays, title sponsor of the League Managers' Association, asked the managers about their thoughts and predictions for the current season.

Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea  are the favourites to come out on top in the title race, with 50 per cent bosses choosing the blues ahead of current champions Manchester United (40 per cent).

Arsenal's Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen was chosen by half of respondents as the player likely to make the biggest impact in his debut Barclays Premier League season following his arrival from Ajax in the summer. Alberto Aquilani (Liverpool), Yuri Zhirkov (Chelsea), and Lorik Cana (Sunderland) all accrued 10 per cent of the vote.

Managers think new Manchester City recruit Emmanuel Adebayor (30 per cent) will be the signing of the season, ahead of Sunderland's Darren Bent (20 per cent). When asked which English prospect would make the biggest impact in the 2009/10 Barclays Premier League season, a resounding 66 per cent chose Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell.

Liverpool hit man Fernando Torres (45 per cent) was the managers' choice to scoop the Barclays Golden Boot Award as the League's top scorer, followed by last season's winner Nicolas Anelka (15 per cent).

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (15 per cent) is also in contention according to bosses who believe that he will become the talisman for the Red Devils following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.