Premier League: Man City favourites for title, Lampard odds-on in sack race and Saints in trouble

• Man City and Arsenal in two-horse race for title

• Man United looking good for Top 4 Finish

• Saints rock bottom and fancied to go down

• Lampard still the Sack Race favourite

As we were at the top of the table

Arsenal returned from the World Cup break with a five point lead over Manchester City. They stretched it to seven points, and then had a chance to make it 10, but a goalless draw with Newcastle meant Mikel Arteta's men were clear by eight points... for 24 hours.

City then beat Chelsea 1-0, and the gap at the top of the table was back down to just five points.

As we were then, and it means Pep Guardiola's men resume clear favouritism in the Premier League Winner market at 1.674/6 having drifted to 2.021/1 at one stage.

The Gunners, who were matched at a low of 2.226/5 when a 10 point lead seemed likely, are back out to 2.8815/8.

The destiny of this season's title appears to be a two-horse race according to the market with only Manchester United at 32.031/1 and Newcastle at 70.069/1 trading at less than 100/1 on the Betfair Exchange.

United have been matched at a high of 320.0319/1, but they won every game over the festive season and now sit fourth in the table, nine points off the lead. Newcastle remain third, but they're level on points with the Red Devils.

Two from six to make the Champions League slots?

Both Man City 1.011/100 and Arsenal 1.061/18 have sailed into the distance in the race to qualify for the Champions League according to the Top 4 Finish market.

Both have a healthy advantage over fifth-place Tottenham having played one game less, so it would be a collapse of massive proportions should either fail to finish in the top four.

This leaves as many as six clubs fighting for two places in the top four.

Man United are the shortest price of the teams in contention, available to back at 1.664/6. As already mentioned, they are level on points with Newcastle - who can be backed at 2.186/5 - having played one game less.

The two Uniteds have just a two-point cushion over Spurs, who are trading at 3.711/4 to record a Top 4 Finish. Like the Magpies, Tottenham have played 18 games, one more than Man United.

Liverpool are seven points off the top four having played 17 games, but they are still fancied to recover and finish in the Champions League slots at 2.021/1.

Chelsea (10 points off the top four) and Brighton (eight points behind) are the two other clubs in contention according to the market, available to back at 8.615/2 and 19.018/1 respectively.

Haaland to win Golden Boot... or possibly Kane?

Like the Premier League Winner market, the Top Goalscoer market is also shaping into a two-horse race, though the current leader has a very comfortable lead over his nearest persuer.

Erling Haaland is the man out in front with an extremely impressive 21 goals from his 16 games played. The Man City striker is available to back at 1.152/13 on the Betfair Exchange.

Haaland has however been matched at a low of 1.081/12, and in a normal season he'd be very close to claiming the award already. So full credit to Harry Kane who has 15 goals to his name, a brilliant return itself.

Kane can be backed at 10.09/1 to be this season's top goalscorer, and it's 120.0119/1 bar the two!

Saints in trouble, Forest improving

It was a torrid festive season for Southampton who lost all three league games after the World Cup break.

The Saints - winless in the league under new boss Nathan Jones - are rock bottom of the table, three points adrift of safety, and trading at 1.68/13 in the Relegation market.

Favourites for the drop are Bouremouth who also lost all three league games around Christmas and the New Year. Gary O'Neill's men are just one point above the drop zone but are available to back at 1.4840/85 to go down.

It was a better festive season for Nottingham Forest and Wolves, who both took a valuable four points from their three games played. Forest are up to 15th in the table, two points above the drop zone while Wolves remain second bottom, one point adrift of safety.

Forest and Wolves can be backed at 2.427/5 and 3.185/40 respectively in the Relegation market.

With just two points separating six teams above Southampton and Wolves, this season's fight to avoid the drop could go right to the wire, and one team very much in trouble is Everton.

Frank Lampard's men recorded an excellent 1-1 draw at Manchester City around the New Year, but they lost both home games over the festive season, going down 1-2 to Wolves and 1-4 to Brighton.

The Toffees complete the trio of clubs in the relegation zone and they can be backed at 2.285/4 to go down.

And speaking of Lampard...

The Everton boss is currently the 4/9 favourite in the Next Premier League Manager to Leave their Club market on the Betfair Sportsbook.

It's been a terrible season for the Toffees so far though there were signs that the players are behind Lampard when they produced an improved performance in losing to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Friday night.

However, Everton host Southampton in a huge relegation six-pointer on Saturday. Lose that, or even fail to win, and Lampard's fate could be sealed.

On the flip side, a defeat for the Saints will undoubtedly leave Nathan Jones in huge trouble also. He was 50/1 to be the next manager to leave before Southampton's home defeat to Nottingham Forest in midweek, after which he was cut to just 8/1 third favourite!

Second favourite for the chop is David Moyes, with the West Ham manager available to back at 6/1, while Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neill can be backed at 10/1.