Liverpool loss could end Pellegrini's Manchester City reign, Francis Coquelin injury exposes Arsenal, Chelsea on track

Manchester United's transfer failures exposed despite Depay's return to form, Ranieri right not to look to far ahead, Chelsea back on track, Villa facing daunting prospect of re-writing Premier League history and the end is nigh for Monk

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini (Getty Images)

City defeat could go a long way to spelling out Pellegrini’s future

When the end of the season finally comes around, Manchester City may well be celebrating their third Premier League success. But the wounds from Saturday’s 4-1 demolition by Liverpool will still be there, such was the manner of defeat at the Etihad.

Manuel Pellegrini is already facing an uncertain future given Pep Guardiola’s availability in the summer when his Bayern Munich contract expires. City’s owners did not take well to 4-1 loss against the Reds, and when it comes to deciding the fate of Pellegrini, this result does nothing for him.

The writing is already on the wall should Pellegrini fail to win the title this season, but even if he bags a second Premier League of his Etihad tenure, he could be job hunting come the summer.

Coquelin blow could be the end of Arsenal’s title chances

Where City slip up, you can guarantee Arsenal will too. A trip to West Brom should not have posed the Gunners as many problems as it did, especially when they went 1-0 up midway through the first half. Yet back fought the Baggies, with a fantastic volley from James Morrison and Mikel Arteta’s own-goal giving Tony Pulis’s side a welcome victory at The Hawthorns.

However, the defeat is nowhere near as bad as the injury that Francis Coquelin suffered. The defensive midfielder injured knee ligaments in a slide tackle on Claudio Yacub, and in his absence Arsenal conceded two goals they really shouldn’t have. With Wenger ignoring all calls to strengthen the defensive position in his midfield in the summer, he now looks incredibly short on options to cope with Coquelin’s absence.

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Neither Arteta nor Mathieu Flamini have shown any signs of being good enough at the level Arsenal believe they’re at, and there’s plenty of points to be lost between now and the January transfer window.

United keep grinding out victories – but transfer failures come to light

Troy Deeney looked to have rescued a point for Watford as they battled back against Manchester United, but the striker’s unfortunate own-goal allowed the Red Devils to escape Vicarage Road with all three points and leapfrog their rivals City and Arsenal in the table.

Manchester United celebrate Bastian Schweinsteiger's late effort that went in off Troy Deeney to secure victory over Watford (Getty Images)

While their resilience was impressive and the ability to grind out results a sign of United old, the clear failures in the transfer market left United short on options in attack. With no Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial or youngster James Wilson, United had to field the out-of-form Memphis Depay as the lone striker, and while it proved a good omen with the Dutchman netting the opener, United can’t justify spending over £250m under Van Gaal and run out of strikers.

Ranieri is right not to talk up chances but Foxes should receive all the plaudits

Leicester top of the Premier League after 13 matches? You’d be off to the doctors for a check-up had anyone predicted the incredible start to life under Claudio Ranieri – just ask Gary Lineker. But Ranieri was quick to play down the Foxes’ chances at a top-four finish in the aftermath of the 3-0 victory over Newcastle, and right he was too.

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There’s still over six months left of the Premier League, and while Leicester realistically only need another four wins from their 25 remaining matches to steer clear of relegation, looking at the top four would be a mistake. If Leicester continue to take things one game at a time, keep Jamie Vardy fit and in form and continue to develop a team ethic that few others in the Premier League can match, then come March and April they can turn their eyes to Europe.

Chelsea show signs of getting back on track

A 1-0 victory over Norwich may not be the most flattering results of Jose Mourinho’s career, but at last the Blues can now take themselves out of the headlines and get on with their campaign. Mourinho returned to the dugout following his one-match stadium ban, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa looked more like their old selves of last season, and the win at least moves them up the table rather than down.

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With a big match next Sunday against Tottenham on the horizon after Tuesday’s Champions League commitments, a victory at White Hart Lane will go a long way to announcing that the real Chelsea side are back.

Villa facing a daunting task after yet another demolition

The Remi Garde honeymoon appears to have yielded a point against Manchester City and no more, following the heavy 4-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday. When Tim Sherwood came in to replace Paul Lambert in February this year, he got off to a winning start and took 12 points from his first 18 available, and it went a long way to saving Villa’s Premier League status come the end of the season.

Remi Garde (R) can't look on during the match against Everton (GETTY)

No club has ever stayed up after taking just five points from their opening 13 matches, and something has to change at Villa if they are to become the first. The manager has already been changed, so that leaves either the tactics or the players. Garde will go about trying to put his touch on the team in the way they play, but it’s likely to be a busy transfer window in January as the Frenchman chops and changes his playing squad.

Monk makes big changes but comes unstuck in game he can’t afford to do so

With serious doubts over his future at Swansea, Garry Monk made the big call to drop his three best attacking talents for the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, choosing to leave Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jefferson Montero and Bafetimbi Gomis on the bench. It nearly backfired, as the Cherries shot out to a 2-0 lead in the first half, and it took some creativity from Andre Ayew and a Jonjo Shelvey penalty to split the points.

Garry monk faces an uncertain future as Swansea manager after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth (Getty Images)

However, with chairman Huw Jenkins keeping a close eye on Monk over reports he is considering a change, a draw with the relegation favourites doesn’t look good at all. Expect Monk’s future to be made much clearer in the coming days, and it could well be bad news for the former Swans defender.