Arsenal tightened their grip at the top of the Premier League after key stumbles from title challengers Manchester City and Aston Villa, while pressure continued to mount on Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank and Liverpool’s worrying slide showed no sign of easing.

Here are three major talking points from the weekend’s Premier League action:

Arsenal maintain their advantage

Arsenal initially cut frustrated figures after Saturday’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, having failed to fully capitalise on Manchester City’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United earlier in the day. However, their mood improved significantly 24 hours later when Aston Villa suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to Everton.

Villa, who sit third, could have reduced the gap to four points with a win, but that defeat leaves them seven points adrift of Mikel Arteta’s side. City, now winless in four league matches, are also seven points behind after their loss at Old Trafford in Michael Carrick’s first game in charge.

Back-to-back scoreless draws against Liverpool and Forest have highlighted Arsenal’s occasional lack of cutting edge, yet winger Noni Madueke remains confident.

“We weren’t clinical enough in front of goal. There’s a long way to go,” he said. “We’ve been very consistent and we’ll continue to be.”

City midfielder Rodri echoed a similar sense of defiance despite his side’s recent struggles. “We dropped many points in the last games, but we are going to fight until the end,” he said.

Frank under intense pressure

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank insists he still feels the backing of the club, but his position looks increasingly precarious following another damaging defeat. Spurs’ 2-1 home loss to relegation-threatened West Ham on Saturday was their third defeat in a row and eighth in their last 14 league matches.

The result left Tottenham marooned in 14th place, and reports emerged on Sunday that the club’s hierarchy had met to discuss Frank’s future. Already eliminated from both domestic cup competitions, Spurs find themselves in turmoil just months after appointing Frank following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal.

Supporter unrest has grown, fuelled by uninspiring performances and pragmatic tactics, and Frank appears to be edging closer to the exit. Captain Cristian Romero urged calm amid the growing discontent.

“It is difficult and also a disaster moment for us,” he said. “But especially now, we need silence — back to training, work hard every day and stay together.”

Van Dijk calls for another Liverpool summit

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is preparing to hold a players’ meeting on Monday as he looks to halt a slide that is threatening the club’s hopes of securing Champions League football.

The Dutch defender was visibly frustrated after Burnley snatched a 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday, marking Liverpool’s fourth consecutive league draw — a run they have not endured since 2008. It was also the second time this season Van Dijk has felt compelled to confront issues within the squad, having done so previously following an October defeat to Manchester United during a poor spell of form.

“I’m frustrated that after 60 minutes we started to become sloppy, and it’s not the first time,” Van Dijk said. “It’s been spoken about already, but we have to address it again. Monday will be a big one.

“It’s not about me — it’s about how we can solve it because we all want to win games.”

Liverpool sit fourth in the table and were booed off by sections of the home crowd, a reaction Van Dijk admitted was difficult to accept. “I don’t like boos from my own fans,” he added.