Former Arsenal star and pundit Paul Merson has delivered a striking prediction for the Premier League title race, suggesting Chelsea could pip Manchester City to second place, but maintains that league leaders Arsenal are in a class of their own.
Spirited Chelsea Earn Praise Despite Draw
The bold claim follows Chelsea's impressive 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The Blues played for more than half the match with ten men after Moises Caicedo's red card, yet still took the lead through Trevoh Chalobah before Mikel Merino's equaliser for the Gunners.
Merson was highly impressed by the character shown by Enzo Maresca's young side against the title favourites. He highlighted the team's resilience and the quality within their squad, which is packed with full internationals.
Can Chelsea Leapfrog a Faltering City?
Manchester City's 2-1 win over Leeds, sealed by a last-minute Phil Foden goal, moved them back above Chelsea into second place over the weekend. However, Pep Guardiola's side have already suffered four defeats this term and are not the dominant force of previous seasons.
Analysing the race for the runners-up spot, Merson told Sportskeeda: "Looking at Chelsea’s squad, they surely have it in them to finish above Manchester City this season." This would mark a significant shift, as City have only finished outside the top two once in the past nine campaigns.
Arsenal's March to Glory Looks Unstoppable
Despite dropping points in the London derby, Merson sees Mikel Arteta's Arsenal as clear favourites to win their first Premier League title in 21 years. The Gunners lead City by five points and have developed a relentless habit of beating the teams they are expected to defeat.
"Arsenal have dropped points against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, but they are winning against everyone else and that is making a difference," Merson explained. He added that the club would have gladly accepted a return of two wins and a draw from a tough recent run featuring Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea.
With their commanding position and consistent form, Merson's final verdict was emphatic: he "can’t see anybody touching Arsenal at the top" of the Premier League table this season.
