Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes the Premier League title race will already be over if Liverpool win at Crystal Palace and Arsenal lose to Newcastle United
Arsenal legend Paul Merson(Image: YouTube/Sky Sports Premier League)
Paul Merson has made a big Premier League title prediction, with the Arsenal legend already waving the white flag for his former club if results go in Liverpool’s favour this weekend. The season might only be five games’ old but the Reds currently sit five points clear at the top of the table with an 100% winning record.
The reigning champions have not been at their best, but have still managed to pick up victories over the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle United – as well as against local-rivals Everton in last weekend’s Merseyside derby.
Mikel Arteta’s men dropped points at home to Man City last weekend, with Gabriel Martinelli netting a stoppage-time equaliser as the Gunners saw the gap to the top extended to five points.
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Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening, with Arsenal then making their own journey to Newcastle United the following day.
Merson is predicting that both title-rivals will drop points this weekend. But he has admitted that he believes the title-race will already be over if the Reds win at Selhurst Park to move eight points clear with the Gunners then losing at St. James’ Park.
“I said last week that Arsenal need four points in the next two games to be favorites for the league title,” he wrote in his Premier League predictions column for Sportskeeda. “Well, they got one at home to City and now they go to Newcastle.
“If Arsenal return to winning ways this weekend, we will look back on that point against Manchester City as a good one. But I fear for them if the exact opposite happens at Newcastle. Only time will tell.
“Should Liverpool win at Selhurst Park, they will go eight points clear of Arsenal before the Gunners play Newcastle away from home.
“So if Liverpool win this game and Arsenal lose on Sunday, the title race is over, finished! I know it sounds crazy and Arsenal have good fixtures coming up, but eight points between them will be too much.
“We were all choosing between Liverpool and Arsenal at the start of the season.
Liverpool have been unstoppable so far this season(Image: SmartFrame/News Images)
“And if anyone was on the fence back then and I told them Liverpool would have an eight-point head start, no one would have backed Arsenal for the title!
“That was when we still had 38 games left to play, and we only have 32 after this weekend.
“Crystal Palace have not lost a game since April, that’s a run stretching back to 17 or 18 games.
“If Liverpool or Arsenal were on a run like this and won two trophies during the time like Palace, we would be going crazy, it’s simply phenomenal.
“If you get three points away from home against Palace, it is a massive boost in the title race because they are a team that can upset one of your rivals.
“I think this will be a tight game and Liverpool could be forced to settle for a draw.”
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He continued: “Newcastle always turn up against Arsenal. The fans at St James’ Park are always good, but they just get a bit more electric in this fixture!
“Arsenal have lost their last three games there, so this a tricky game for them. If Liverpool are held to a draw at Crystal Palace, Arsenal wouldn’t mind walking away with a point here.
“But if the league leaders get another three points, this game automatically falls into the must-win category.
“When you look at Arsenal, they would have faced all of Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle after this weekend. Imagine spending big and not beating any of these three teams that finished in the top five last season? Where is the progress then?
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta knows his team face a big battle to see off Liverpool in the title race this season(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
“Arsenal have a good run of fixtures coming up after this game. But if you don’t beat Newcastle, you are basically entering that run with an eight-point lead to chase down.
“If you’re a team in the title race, you don’t want to be playing catch up when the easy fixtures come along, you want to use them to get away from other contenders and kick on instead!
“We saw how Newcastle gave Liverpool a strong fight with just 10 men at St James’ Park earlier this season.
“Liverpool were very fortunate to come away with a win in that game. If you’re Arsenal, you want to match what Liverpool did here, but I don’t think they can do it.”