Merson tells Arteta to drop one Arsenal star in order to save their season ahead of ‘dangerous game’
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has urged Mikel Arteta to drop one Gunners star in order to ensure safe passage into the next round of the Champions League.
It will take a minor miracle for Liverpool to throw away their grip of the Premier League title after Arsenal recently fell 13 points adrift of Arne Slot’s men.
Arsenal are out of the FA Cup and League Cup with the Champions League now their only realistic route to silverware this season.
Arteta’s side drew PSV Eindhoven in the Round of 16 with the first leg on Tuesday night and the second leg being played next Wednesday.
Arsenal will have to face PSV without a recognised centre-forward with midfielder Mikel Merino being played in a makeshift role up front and Merson insists Raheem Sterling would be a better shout through the middle.
Merson told Sky Sports: “This would be a nice draw for Arsenal if they had a full team but with no firepower now, I don’t see them blowing PSV away. It’s turned into a tricky tie.
“Arsenal have failed to score in their last two games and they only scored against Leicester, who have been letting goals in for fun, in the last 10 minutes.
“I hope Mikel Arteta stops playing Mikel Merino up front. I can’t get my head around that one. I know he came on against Leicester and scored twice but Leicester are Leicester, they’re not very good.
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“I would play Raheem Sterling up front. He’s lively. Defenders will be happy to play against Merino every day of the week. He’s not a centre forward. At least Sterling’s played up there before.
“This is going to be a dangerous game. I’d expect Arsenal to go through but I don’t think it’s as much of a foregone conclusion as what it was. I can see it going a long way.”
Even if Arsenal progress past PSV Eindhoven, Merson is worried that they would come unstuck against Real Madrid, Liverpool or another team before the end of the tournament.
Merson added: “The title race is gone and this is their season now but even after this, they’re right up against it.
“They’ve still got to play Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals – and Real would outscore Arsenal.
“Then they’ve got to play Liverpool or whoever in the semi-finals. It’s probably easier to win the league and they’re 13 points behind.
“A bad 45 minutes could send you out of the competition. I don’t see Arsenal blowing anybody away in 45 minutes. Arsenal just don’t have the firepower to do that.”
