Former Arsenal star and pundit Paul Merson has delivered a striking prediction for the Premier League title race, declaring his old club will lift the trophy "easily" this season. His comments come after the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw by a ten-man Chelsea in a dramatic London derby at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Stalemate at the Bridge Keeps Arsenal on Top
The highly anticipated clash between the title-chasing rivals saw Chelsea start brightly, but their momentum was shattered just before half-time. Star midfielder Moises Caicedo received a straight red card for a late challenge on Arsenal's Mikel Merino.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the hosts rallied after the break and took a surprise lead through defender Trevoh Chalobah, who powered in a header. It was only the seventh goal Arsenal have conceded in the entire league campaign so far.
The league leaders responded strongly, with Mikel Merino heading in an equaliser to atone for his earlier knock. However, Mikel Arteta's side could not find a winning goal, leaving with a single point.
The result means Arsenal stay five points clear at the Premier League summit. Manchester City and Chelsea, in second and third respectively, are now separated by just a single point in what is shaping up to be a tight battle behind the leaders.
Merson's Confident Title Verdict
Analysing the match for Sportskeeda, Merson expressed unwavering faith in Arsenal's championship credentials. He highlighted their resilience during a brutal run of fixtures.
"If you told Arsenal at the start of the season that they were going to have a run where they face Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the space of a week and come away with two wins and a draw, they would have taken it all day long," Merson stated.
He acknowledged Manchester City as the closest challengers but was unimpressed by their recent form. "I can't see anybody touching Arsenal at the top of the table," he asserted. "If they can look after their players well, I think they can easily win the league this season."
Looking ahead to Arsenal's next fixture against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, Merson predicted a straightforward victory: "A comfortable win against Brentford at home is coming up. I'm going for Arsenal 3-0."
Chelsea Earn Praise and a Surprising Prediction
While dismissing Chelsea's chances of catching Arsenal, Merson was full of praise for their performance with ten men and made a bold claim about their final league position.
"You've got to be impressed by the way in which Chelsea played against Arsenal," he said. "To have your best player, your engine, sent off and still play that kind of football against a team like Arsenal, Enzo Maresca will be super happy."
Merson argued that Chelsea's squad, packed with full internationals, has the quality to achieve a significant feat. "Looking at Chelsea's squad, they surely have it in them to finish above Manchester City this season," he claimed.
He then previewed Chelsea's upcoming trip to face Leeds United at a hostile Elland Road on Wednesday, warning them to weather an early storm before asserting their quality. "Chelsea must weather that early storm and then they can play their football and go on to win it," Merson concluded.
