Premier League talking points: 'Unbelievable' Odegaard, Liverpool win machine, Man City struggles

We pick out the big issues ahead of this weekend's English top-flight fixtures

While Liverpool have opened up a healthy eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League, there is an unusually congested feel to the rest of the top of the table.

There is only one point separating Manchester City (on 23 points) in second and fifth-place Brighton as we head into Matchday 13.

Then Tottenham in sixth (19 points) are just three points in front of Manchester United who sit way down in 12th which should give the latter's new manager Ruben Amorim hope that there is scope to propel the team back up the standings and into contention for a European spot.

And first up this weekend are Brighton who take on bottom club Southampton at the Amex on Friday night (midnight kick-off UAE).

Saturday kicks off with four games at 7pm as Brentford play host to Leicester City, Crystal Palace face Newcastle United at Selhurst Park, Nottingham Forest tackle Ipswich Town in the Midlands while Wolves are up against Bournemouth at Molineux. West Ham United entertain London rivals Arsenal in the late game (9.30pm).

That leaves four matches for Sunday as Chelsea take on Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, Manchester United are at home to Everton and Spurs clash with Fulham, all at 5.30pm. The big game sees Liverpool versus Manchester City on Merseyside at 8pm. We pick out the main talking points ahead of the fixtures.

Will Brighton bag second place?

Brighton's impressive start to the season could hit a new high if they can defeat hapless Southampton on Friday evening which will move the Seagulls up to second in the table.

Manager Fabian Hurzeler has called on his team to build on the successes of recent weeks which has seen them beat Manchester City and Bournemouth in successive games while losing just once in their last six matches.

“Right now, it is about momentum. This momentum gives the players confirmation for their work,” said the German coach on Thursday. “You have to keep improving and developing this, focusing on the process and not the results.”

For Southampton, the results could hardly have been worse with Russell Martin's men having lost 10 out of 12 games, scoring just nine goals along the way.

Last time out, the Saints managed to take a 2-1 lead over table-topping Liverpool before eventually falling to a 3-2 loss. “I'm very disappointed but very proud of a lot of the performances,” insisted Martin. “We went toe to toe with the best team in the league at the moment.”

Has Odegaard's return reignited Arsenal's title charge?

It is only a few weeks ago that Arsenal's title challenge appeared in full crisis mode, four league games without a win that included defeats at Bournemouth and Newcastle leaving the Gunners eight points behind leaders Liverpool.

But the return of key playmaker Martin Odegaard from injury has clearly been vital with Arsenal first drawing at Chelsea then easing past Nottingham Forest 3-0 before smashing Sporting 5-1 in the Uefa Champions League on Tuesday.

Before the Sporting game, Mikel Arteta highlighted Odegaard's importance: “He is a different player and a unique player in our team. For the energy that he brings, the understanding of the game that he has and the trust that he has from everybody. He is the player that connects everything.”

Arteta also wanted his team to “make a statement” against a side who had demolished Manchester City 4-1 in their previous Euro clash but had since lost the services of manager Amorim – and they certainly did that with Odegaard pulling the strings in midfield.

“He’s an unbelievable player,” Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said of Odegaard after the match. “The day he returned, there was a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season.”

Are Villa struggling with European demands?

Since taking over from Steven Gerrard in 2020, Unai Emery's time in charge at Aston Villa has presided over a club on an upwards trajectory – from the edge of the relegation zone to top four and Champions League football in a little over two years.

Their first European Cup appearance since 1983 saw them dispatch Young Boys, Bayern Munich and Bologna in their opening three games while enjoying their best start in 26 years in the Premier League.

But since beating Fulham and Bologna in the space of three October days, Villa have not managed a win in seven matches across competitions, recording three draws and four defeats, which saw them knocked out of the League Cup by Crystal Palace and drop down to eighth in the league.

It is the worst run of Emery's reign and they appear to be struggling with the demands of domestic and European fixtures with the prospect of a further eight games coming up in December.

After last weekend's draw at home to Palace, Emery admitted his side's defensive frailties were a concern. “We are working on it," said the Spaniard. “The players are concerned as well. We deserved more but we made some mistakes that we need to correct … we are trying to be in the top seven positions and we need to improve to be there.”

Will Liverpool extend lead at top to 11 points?

In the latest in a long line of magical European nights at Anfield, Liverpool ended 15 years of hurt by defeating reigning European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and substitute Cody Gakpo secured victory in a match that saw Mohamed Salah miss from the spot, along with Real's Kylian Mbappe. It meant Liverpool preserved their 100 per cent Champions League record with a fifth win on the trot, maintaining their position at the top of the table, having scored 12 and conceded just a solitary goal.

It is a similar story domestically with the Reds having won 10 out of 12 Premier League matches, enjoying the second-best goals tally of 24 – beaten only by Spurs' 27 – and comfortably the meanest defence that has shipped just eight.

Next up is long-time title rivals Manchester City who are undergoing something of a crisis after six games without a win – a situation Liverpool manager Arne Slot is keen to play down.

“They are still a very, very good team and one of the reasons why Pep Guardiola is one of the best managers in the world – I think he is the best – he always comes up with solutions for his problems,” the Dutchman, who has now won 17 out of 19 matches since replacing Jurgen Klopp, said on Thursday.

Can Man City end slump in Anfield cauldron?

For City and manager Pep Guardiola, these are uncharted territories. Leading 3-0 at home to Feyenoord in the 73rd minute on Wednesday, City contrived to collapse in spectacular fashion to draw 3-3 in front of a stunned Etihad Stadium.

Looking on the ultra-positive side, it at least brought to an end their five-game losing streak while Erling Haaland's first-half penalty saw the 24-year-old Norwegian eclipse Lionel Messi by becoming the youngest player to reach 45 Champions League goals.

But in the real world, City's recent fragilities were ruthlessly exposed and a defence that has conceded 13 goals in four matches will now face the daunting prospect of a trip to Merseyside. “Anfield is always tough, no matter the situation,” midfielder Ilkay Gundogan told BBC Radio Manchester. “We have struggled in recent years to go there and we know that Liverpool are a great team.

“They are full of confidence right now, so it is going to be as tough as possible. But perhaps that sums up this season somehow, in that we are going to have to do it in the toughest way possible.

“We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and of course we need a victory,” admitted Guardiola. Doing that at Anfield without injured midfield talisman Rodri, will be one big ask.