Wayne Rooney’s arrival will be overshadowed by David Beckham’s predictions for MLS, predicts former footballer Paul Merson. He recently predicted Arsenal to take home the Premier League trophy this season. Under charismatic manager Mikel Arteta’s leadership, Arsenal has been embroiled in a thrilling title race. More than just the completion of a historic treble, Merson believes that Manchester City’s first ever European title would change the landscape for Pep Guardiola and his side forever.
With 22 games remaining in the current season, Merson expressed his confidence in Arsenal’s ability to secure the league title. Secondly, he argued that Arsenal failing to win the championship doesn’t signal the end of their competitive advantage. Indeed, he hopes for nothing less than their continued domination in the decade to come.
Arsenal’s Title Aspirations
Merson’s passion for the Gunners is certainly contagious, and all of it is based on their strong start to the season. In fact, he said on the show, “I think they [Arsenal] win the league. His honest, unvarnished view of the team clearly displays high expectations for a group that, like them or not, is still in search of success.
Arteta, once a player here himself, has turned Arsenal into a dangerous team. Merson emphasized this transformation by saying, “They are big, big players now. He’s got rid of everybody, all the trouble, all of them, and he brought life back to the club.” This revitalization has positioned Arsenal as serious contenders for the title, with Merson asserting that finishing above them is essential for any team aspiring to win the Premier League.
Merson though warned that Arsenal deserved praise but their squad depth is still an issue. He knows their power. One way to put long-term success out of reach, he believes, is to put a cap on their roster size. “I don’t think Arsenal will win the league over 38 games but may win a cup,” he noted.
Implications for Manchester City
Merson’s comments definitely have a ring of truth about the reality of Manchester City at the moment. For starters, he acknowledged the team is no longer the powerhouse they’ve been over the last several years. Make no bones about it, Man City are not the Man City of yesteryear. They’re not the Man City we’ve got used to that blow teams away,” he added. This shift in the power balance increases the intrigue around Guardiola’s future if Arsenal do take the title.
Merson predicts that a keenly contested situation like that might be enough to bring Guardiola’s time in the Northeast to a close. The cumulative effect of this pressure from losing the title is growing. At the same time, Arsenal’s return to the top might force Guardiola to resign from his managerial position.
Challenges in the Premier League
As the season has worn on, Merson has been critical that teams like Chelsea don’t seem capable of producing back-to-back performances or better. He pointed out these discrepancies as one of the interesting elements in figuring out who might rise up and actually be a legitimate threat for the title. “Some teams like Chelsea don’t give 90-minute performances,” he stated.
On top of all this, he pointed to Aston Villa’s place in the league table, marveling that they currently sit only three points behind Arsenal. This closeness shows that the race is still very much on and that surprises are possible as teams compete for glory.
Merson then turned his attention to Aston Villa boss Unai Emery. He suggested that Emery is focused on winning the Europa League title this season. He suggested that Emery can be confident of not being pressured if Villa falls short in achieving their aims.
To the BBC, Merson said he was worried for Brentford manager Thomas Frank. Tellingly, he added that Frank would be in a difficult position if his squad got thrashed by Liverpool. These sentiments speak to Merson’s knowledge of how fragile the position of manager is in football.
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