Paul Merson rates Arsenal’s Premier League chances after getting ‘destroyed by Newcastle’
'They're right up against it'
Paul Merson has urged Arsenal not to sack Mikel Arteta, but has predicted his former club will fail to win a trophy this season.
Arsenal have not won a major trophy since the FA Cup in 2020 and after coming close to the Premier League title in the last two seasons, many predicted that the drought would end this campaign.
But in just the last month they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United and lost their Carabao Cup semi-final 4-0 on aggregate to Newcastle.
Moreover, they trail Liverpool in the Premier League title race by six points, which could get worse when the Reds play their game in hand against local rivals Everton next week.
That leaves the Champions League and while the Gunners are through to the last-16, it is the Reds who are the competition’s favourites, with some even tipping Arne Slot’s side to win an unprecedented quadruple.
The poor showing in the defeat at St. James’ Park has given Merson serious doubts over whether Arteta’s team will lift silverware this season, saying the manager has missed a golden opportunity.
‘They’ve got two [trophies left to win], one they could be out of by Wednesday night in my opinion,’ the Arsenal hero said on Sky Sports.
‘If Liverpool win at Everton, that’ll be nine points clear with 15 odd games left. They’d have to lose four of them which I think would be impossible. To me, it comes down to Wednesday.
‘I did half-fancy them in the Champions League but I’ve just seen them get destroyed by Newcastle over two legs and – no disrespect – there’s a lot better teams than Newcastle in the Champions League knockout phase, so for me they’re right up against it.
‘It all depends how many points they get beaten by in the end if they don’t win the league. If they come second again.. he’s going to stay, I hope people don’t think, “Oh, let’s change the manager”.
‘But he had to be there, ready to pounce when Man City dropped off and he didn’t and Liverpool have.’
If they wish to win the Premier League, Arsenal must be faultless until the end of the season, starting with next Saturday’s trip to Leicester City.
The Gunners have been impressive in the Champions League so far this season, winning six of their eight league phase games, with their only defeat coming away to Inter Milan.
They finished third in the table – behind only Liverpool and Barcelona – and will take on the winner of either Feyenoord vs AC Milan or Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven in the last-16.
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