Premier League: Ten talking points this weekend from Liverpool’s challenge to Leicester’s charge

Our writers look ahead to round 10 of the Premier League season

Clockwise from top left: Christian Pulisic, Jack Grealish, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Christian Eriksen (Getty)

1) Spurs free-hit which could impact the title race

This remains a big-six game in status, obviously, but nothing like it in form. Tottenham are another of that group along with Arsenal and Manchester United – in what has been an outlier of a season – to just fall off a cliff in terms of results. The big question for this game at Anfield, then, is whether they can play to anything like their quality to give Liverpool a game and further disrupt their run. That question, however, feeds into bigger questions about Mauricio Pochettino and this team as a whole. If something really is broken in this side, they will struggle to match Liverpool’s level. Just as telling will be Pochettino’s starting line-up. Will he start the want-away players like Christian Eriksen... or will he continue this start of a new era by dropping them again.

That in itself could be key to a big-six performance. This is a match that should feel like a free-hit for Spurs. And yet it might have some weighty meaning. Especially if they actually prevent Liverpool from winning, and see that lead at the top cut again. MD

2) Villa possess the potential to frighten the champions

Dean Smith already has one major victory over Tottenham this season and who’s to say his entertaining Villa side won’t cause the champions a fright too. The key to Villa’s best performances seems to be the impact of John McGinn and Jack Grealish; when they get into those half spaces, lurking on the counter-attack, they can turn defensive situations into goal chances in a flash. Manchester City will dominate the ball but Villa are well setup to hurt them should Pep Guardiola’s side switch off for a moment, as they did several times in the second half at Crystal Palace last weekend. LO

3) Pulisic’s chance to make an impact

The only star name that Chelsea have been able to bring in this year, Christian Pulisic, has seen opportunities extremely limited by comparison to the chances he enjoyed at Borussia Dortmund. But the opportunity to replicate his form in Germany may now come after another encouraging substitute display against Ajax in Amsterdam in midweek, setting up Michy Batshuayi for the game’s only goal.

Callum Hudson-Odoi has registered a lot of minutes since returning from an Achilles injury, and after his unproductive performance in the Champions League it could be the perfect time for the American to take centre stage. Burnley will provide the ultimate Premier League test given the physicality of Sean Dyche’s men, and will serve as a useful gauge of Pulisic’s Premier League credentials. KV

4) Stick or twist for Solskjaer​?

It has been a tactic which the likes of Antonio Conte and Arsene Wenger have most notably turned to in recent years to attempt to turn around Chelsea and Arsenal’s defensive fortunes, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be keen to join that list if he chooses to stick with the back-three system which worked so well at Liverpool. Axel Tuanzebe’s return to the side could prove to be decisive, with Solskjaer more likely to be tempted to continue with the formation that helped stifle leaders Liverpool for 85 minutes at Old Trafford last weekend if the 21-year-old is fit to replace Marcus Rojo.

Norwich may not pose the same relentless threats as Liverpool, and therefore the Norwegian may revert to a back four, but the Canaries’ 3-2 over Manchester City has already demonstrated what Daniel Farke’s side are capable of. Whether that victory alone is enough to convince Solskjaer to stick with three at the back remains to be seen. KV

5) Arsenal must ease the burden on Aubameyang​

A fixture last season which was plagued by defensive errors from Arsenal, but this season’s London derby between these two sides at the Emirates Stadium sees Unai Emery concerned with matters as much up front as at the back. Errors in a zonal marking system have been committed at an alarming rate over the last few seasons, but this has usually been offset by goal of true artistry and invention. However, against Sheffield United Lys Mousset was left unmarked to net the only goal of the game, and this time there was no dazzling brilliance going forward, as the clamours for a return to the squad for Mesut Ozil increased.

The most worrying aspect of the lacklustre display was the lack of service to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has carried Arsenal with his goals this season, and with him nullified Nicolas Pepe, Dani Ceballos, Bukayo Saka, and even Alexandre Lacazette struggled to fill in for the Gabon international. Crystal Palace saw a blueprint to stop Aubameyang on Monday night, so it is up to the others to step in and re-start Arsenal’s top-four challenge. KV

6) Rodgers’ hunters now being hunted

Leicester are currently one point and two league positions higher than at this stage during the miracle 2015-16 season, when they went on to win the Premier League. While it might be a step too far to suggest they can replicate that feat – their rivals are a little stronger this time around – there is no doubt Brendan Rodgers has got something going again at the King Power. They have been excellent against bigger sides but now they are becoming a scalp themselves, so can they go and win these tricky away fixtures at places like Southampton? If they can, such results will go a long way to cracking the top six. LO

7) Brighton’s search for an upturn in fortunes

Brighton will be looking for a positive result this weekend to move them away from the bottom three. The Seagulls, who were left with 10 men in the first half of their 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend after the unnecessary sending off Aaron Mooy, have largely performed well this season, peaking with that 3-0 demolition of Tottenham, but have failed to register as many points as they would have liked.

Much of this match will depend on how Brighton recover from the Villa disappointment and if they are able to replicate the form they demonstrated against Spurs with a back-to-back home wins. Everton have struggled this season, but after a much needed victory against West Ham, they cannot afford to slip-up and increase the pressure on Marco Silva. ART

8) Tenth time lucky for the Hornets?

Watford will be desperately searching to record their first victory of the season in their meeting against Bournemouth in the hope of escaping the bottom of the table. The Hornets came painstakingly close to obtaining victory against Spurs last week, but were denied the three points they desperately needed amidst VAR controversy. Bournemouth currently sit tenth but have been flat in their last two games losing to Arsenal and drawing with Norwich, and they will be looking to get back on track. ART

9) Form to hold the key for Chris Wilder and Manuel Pellegrini

Just as Sheffield United appear to be finding their feet in the top flight, things have gone slightly pear-shaped for West Ham. Chris Wilder’s men took their most prized scalp of the season to date with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal, a win which moved them level on points with their opponents this weekend. However, that says as much about the Blades’ gradual improvement as it does the manner in which West Ham have stumbled in recent weeks. The Hammers have won just one of their last five league games and have tasted defeat in their last two, which has firmly dashed any early season optimism. The tables appeared to have turned for these two sides in the last few weeks, and we could see the result of that this weekend. KV

10) Fine margins at St James’ Park

It sounds like a game that should have plenty of goals, with Newcastle in the relegation zone and Wolves having scored in every single Premier League game since the opening weekend of the season. But the statistics paint a very different picture. Despite the fact that only two sides have collected fewer points at home than Newcastle this season, the Magpies have conceded fewer goals at home this season than any other side. VAR was not on Wolves’ side in their frustrating draw with Southampton as they saw two Raul Jimenez strikes ruled out by technology, but the Mexican’s equaliser in the game made him their top scorer in the league this season. The issue however is that Jimenez’s tally for the season stands at just three.

Adama Traore is next on the list after his double against Manchester City. Patrick Cutrone, Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota have just one each, with the trio having played a combined 1370 minutes this season. Everything points to a game of fine margins, particularly given the fact that Wolves scored a 90th minute goal in both league meetings with the Magpies last season. KV