Arsenal: ‘Fed up’ Paul Merson proves panic with two kneejerk PL title predictions amid baffling U-turn

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has made two kneejerk Premier League title predictions amid a major U-turn on the Gunners, thus proving that he has no clue…

Merson is largely let off the hook for his baffling takes on all things football, as his opinions are rarely taken seriously and he is most known for struggling to keep up with play on Soccer Saturday.

But he remains a big name and is heavily relied upon by Sky Sports, with his weekly column on hot topics likely heavily edited to ensure it is slightly more coherent than some of the Mailbox entries on this great site. 

This week, Merson has focused on Arsenal‘s Premier League title challenge and has made two significant claims that prove his panic.

Firstly, he has argued that Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes will be “finished” if they lose to Newcastle United and Liverpool beat Crystal Palace this weekend.

“Arsenal are now five points behind Liverpool now, and so this weekend is such a must-win game at Newcastle, it’s a joke,” he said in his Sky Sports column.

READ: Big Weekend: Newcastle v Arsenal, Postecoglou, Sesko, Wolves, Madrid

“If Liverpool win at Crystal Palace on Saturday, by the time Arsenal play on Sunday they are eight points behind. If they lose, believe me, the Premier League title race, it’s finished for them. Kaput. Over.

“People get caught out on this all the time, thinking ‘Don’t worry, there’s 32 games left, loads of points to play for’. If I said to you at the start of the season, ‘There’s 38 games, but Liverpool are going to start with an eight-point head start’, it doesn’t matter if you’re the most loyal Arsenal fan in the world, you could not see them winning the league.

“I get fed up with this ‘There’s still 30 odd games’. You’ve got to get the points on the board early.

“This is a must, must-win football match of the highest level for Arsenal.”

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A margin of eight points would be a sizable deficit to overcome for Arsenal, but it is silly to write them off completely when so many points are still available, and the important variable of key injuries could swing momentum, especially if Liverpool are dealt further blows at the back.

Also, you’d think that Merson had made this dramatic statement following a build-up of doubt over several weeks, but that’s not the case.

Instead, he has admitted that the 1-1 draw against Man City is enough for him to perform a sudden U-turn and say they could be “finished”, even though he also reckoned the title would be Arsenal’s, provided they picked up four points from the games against Pep Guardiola’s side and Newcastle United. Eh?

Merson continued: “Liverpool are big favourites for the title.

“But I did say, if Arsenal got four points from their next two games – being City and Newcastle – they win the league.

“I think they win it but the pressure is well and truly on now.

“I expected them to beat Man City and draw at Newcastle but now they have to go up to Newcastle and beat them.

“Arsenal had one of the toughest starts in Premier League history, it’s a stinky start.

“If they can come away from this weekend still only five points behind then they still have a chance, and Liverpool at Palace is not a gimme. But in my opinion eight points is too much.”

It’s almost like he’s making it up as he goes along…