Paul Merson makes bleak Arsenal prediction for crunch Man City showdown

06 October 2023 , 10:40

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Paul Merson makes bleak Arsenal prediction for crunch Man City showdown

Paul Merson admits he "can’t see how Arsenal can win" their crunch Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

The season is only seven games old, and yet the game is already being depicted as crucial to Arsenal's chances of making amends for their title heartbreak of last season. Having topped the table for much of the 2022/23 campaign, the Gunners capitulated in the final weeks as City stormed to a third straight title.

But prior to the collapse, the clash between the pair at the Emirates in February also proved pivotal, with Pep Guardiola's side prevailing 3-1. Many pundits cited that result as evidence that Mikel Arteta's side were unable to cope with the pressures of holding their nerve in a title run-in.

Merson however, thinks it's Arsenal's current injury woes that will scupper their hopes, as opposed to any flaws in mentality. Arteta is already without Gabriel Martinelli after he picked up a hamstring injury against Everton last month, and is sweating over the fitness of Bukayo Saka after he limped off against Lens on Tuesday.

"If I had predicted this game on Tuesday, I’d have definitely backed Arsenal to win this game," he told Sportskeeda : " Manchester City are without Rodri and they aren’t the same team. But Arsenal will now have to do without Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, and I can’t see how they can win this game."

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After City's shock defeat at Wolves last weekend, Arsenal trail the leaders by just a single point, and Merson, who won two top-flight titles of his own with the club, believes that rival teams can't miss the chance to capitalise: "Arsenal got an opening in the title race last week, and they’ll need to make the most of it.

Paul Merson has made a bleak prediction for Arsenal (Sky Sports)

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"You’ve got to make hay while the sun shines with this City team. If Man City are held to a draw here, they’ll have picked up only one point in their last two games. It also offers Liverpool and Tottenham a chance to fight for the Premier League title."

Despite the concerns over his fitness, Saka was named in Gareth Southgate's England squad this week for the games with Australia and Italy. The decision raised eyebrows, but Southgate has insisted the star will be fully assessed before a decision is made on his game time.

"He's still being assessed as they've obviously got a big game this weekend," he said. "And then there's another seven days before we play Australia and 10 days before we play Italy so everybody will monitor everything as we go forward."

Fraser Watson