I heard blunt Kyle Walker and Pep Guardiola messages that say it all about huge Liverpool chance

When Liverpool plays against Manchester City at Anfield at the start of December, its hope will still to be at least five points clear at the top of the Premier League table. It might even be able to dream about it being more.

In the league, Arne Slot's side has just Southampton before that massive fixture; meanwhile, Manchester City hosts Tottenham, hoping to avoid losing a fifth consecutive match in all competitions. Until this weekend, Pep Guardiola had never lost four on the spin at any point in his managerial career, but Spurs have often caused him issues.

It remains to be seen what Arsenal can produce later this weekend against Chelsea, but Liverpool is 10 points clear of the Gunners as things stand. Even a win for Mikel Arteta's side would still leave a substantial gap.

• Liverpool player ratings, winners and losers vs Aston Villa as Ibrahima Konate and 2 more excellent

• Arne Slot sends biggest message yet as Darwin Nunez reality clear - 4 talking points vs Aston Villa

It is, though, Manchester City which represents the biggest threat. Guardiola's men might be without Rodri but few would dare bet against them putting together a winning spree. While things might be going badly at the moment, it is extremely unlikely that will last.

What Liverpool knows though — as evidenced by the electric Anfield atmosphere against Aston Villa, the roar when the Manchester City full-time score was confirmed pre-match, and the final whistle jubilation — is that is has a headstart. While it continues to pick up three points (now having won 15 out of 17 in all competitions under Slot), others are toiling.

"This is the time where I want to see the players and real characters come through," Kyle Walker said after Manchester City's defeat to Brighton. "It’s all good for the last eight years when we’ve been winning and dominating games. But now it’s tough, this is the time the senior members have to pull the players through who haven’t been here for a while and show them the foundations of this club.

"We’ve built those foundations over the last eight years and that will get us through this patch. It’s football and with the players and manager we have, with the club, the fans, it will pass."

It is the job of Liverpool to ensure that even if the difficult spell does pass — and it inevitably will for Manchester City, Rodri or not — the Reds have built a big enough buffer. Beat Southampton and the pressure will be on Guardiola's team to do another thing it rarely does: win at Anfield.

In the dream scenario, Liverpool would win that match to go 11 points clear at the top ahead of the festive period. What really speaks volumes about the position that the Reds are in, though, is that as long as it has beaten Southampton, the worst-case — that Slot's side loses against Guardiola's — it will still be two points ahead.

Walker's blunt message to his teammates is not something heard very often at Manchester City these days. Guardiola, meanwhile, was equally as uncharacteristic in his assessment. "Maybe after seven years winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserves it," he told the BBC.

Neither comment sounds like the Manchester City camp is in a good place heading into the international break. There it still a long way to go, but so far, Liverpool is making the very most of the opportunity it is being afforded. Unexpectedly, perhaps, in Slot's first season at the helm, a huge chance is emerging.