Arsenal drew 1-1 against ten-man Chelsea on Sunday. However, former Gunner Paul Merson has doubled down on his bold Premier League title claim. He insisted that Mikel Arteta’s side will win the league “easily” this season. The result at Stamford Bridge, which saw Arsenal held after a late leveller, capped a demanding week for the league leaders. But Merson believes the broader picture reinforces their title credentials.
Consistency Over Rival Results
Merson’s conviction stems from Arsenal’s relentless consistency against the rest of the league. “Arsenal have dropped points against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, but they are winning against everyone else and that is making a difference,” he stated to Sportskeeda.
He argued the emerging from a brutal run of fixtures. This includes matches against Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea. The two wins and a draw is a significant achievement that speaks volumes about their maturity and title-winning mentality.
Manchester City Out of the Race?
Importantly, the pundit states that he does not think anyone can see Arsenal on top of the table. This implies his lack of trust in the power of a long-term challenge by the reigning champions Manchester City. The patchy shape of city and its recent misfortunes, including victory over Leeds United. However, Paul Merson makes a bold claim that they are not the powerhouse they used to be.
Chelsea Surprise Package
In a truly audacious prediction, Merson also tipped Chelsea to finish above Manchester City this season. He was highly impressed by the Blues’ spirited performance against Arsenal. Especially after a sending off reduced them to ten men for a significant part of the contest. “Looking at Chelsea’s squad, they surely have it in them to finish above Manchester City this season,” he added, citing their young, experienced international players.
In the case of Arsenal though, the message is not perplexing. Assuming that they continue their winning streak against most of the league, the title race in Merson’s opinion is already heading to a comfortable finish.
