Arsenal: Paul Merson backs Gunners to win Premier League which will lead to Pep Guardiola quitting Man City
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's future at the Etihad was plunged into doubt this week after reports that the club are preparing a contingency plan; Merson says the Premier League has taken its toll on Guardiola, and an Arsenal title win is likely to bring his reign to an end
Friday 19 December 2025 19:28, UK
Paul Merson says Arsenal will win the Premier League this season and believes that title success for Mikel Arteta's side could force Pep Guardiola to leave Manchester City.
Arsenal are leading the race for the title, sitting two points clear of second-placed Manchester City heading into the Premier League weekend. They raced clear at the start of the season but a couple of small bumps in the road has seen their lead shaved.
However, as Arteta prepares for his sixth anniversary in charge, Merson says the Gunners are on course to end their 22-year wait for Premier League glory despite competition from City.
And, after reports plunged Guardiola's future into doubt this week - with replacements suggested to have been earmarked - Merson also reckons an Arsenal title win could well spell the end for the Spaniard at the Etihad.
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'Arsenal will win the Premier League'
"I think they [Arsenal] win the league," said Merson. "There are 22 games to go. Their squad is so big and so strong that they win the league, in my opinion. If there were six games to go and I was sitting here and it was two points, then I'd say Man City!
"Man City are not the Man City of old. They're not the Man City we've seen that demolish teams. I used to do Soccer Saturday and watch teams come and get their stomachs tickled, and if they come away two or three nil there, they're more than pleased.
"It's not like that anymore. And I think it's taken its toll on him. I think it's a lot harder now. I think there's a lot more. Before he used to coach the team, and then they go out, and they play.
"I think there's a lot more to it now. It's draining. And when you're the manager, he is, I'm only talking from afar, but his head reminds me of a washing machine. It's always spinning.
"He's always thinking of something. I don't think he ever relaxes, and that takes its toll. And I think if they don't win it this season, I think he'll know that that'll probably be an Arsenal to dominate for a while, and I think he'll get out while he's still ahead.
"There are only two sure things in management: you pay your tax, you get the sack. They're the two surest things in management, you've got to give time.
"You know what Arteta has done. I hear people go, 'if they don't win it this year, Arteta has got to go'.
"He's got the life back in Arsenal. They had no chance of ever winning the league. Would they get in the top four? It was a flick of a coin.
"They are big, big players now. He's got rid of everybody, all the trouble, all of them, and he brought life back to the club, and now they are a very good team, that if you finish above Arsenal, you will win the Premier League."
Chelsea are a good cup team - not league winners
"(Enzo) Maresca is going, 'I don't see the problem'. You were the problem! You started it last week. If he doesn't come out and say anything, everybody's just moving along.
"Chelsea are in the semi-final of the cup, fourth in the league, Champions League. Everything's alright at the moment. It ain't too bad, but they're not going to win the league yet.
"They haven't got a league-winning squad. They've got a cup team. The team is a cup squad where it will perform at certain levels so high, but it's such a young team that it will be up here one week, and then it will be down here.
"When I go and watch Chelsea, they never give you a 90-minute performance. It'll be 20 minutes of greatness, 25 minutes of 'wow, where's that come from?', and another 15 minutes of greatness.
"It's never like across the board. So that's why they'll do well in the cups. I think they will win a cup, but they won't win the league over 38 games. The team's not got enough experience to go the full length.
"They haven't bought to win the Premier League, in my opinion. That's why I don't think there'll be a problem if they don't win the league.
"I think they keep on getting in the top four. They can keep on nicking a player here and there and maybe sell them on, but they have to keep on getting in the top four for Champions League football.
"I don't think the owners will have the hump for them not winning the Premier League, because the owners haven't bought to win the Premier League. In my opinion, they've bought to be a good cup team, with a solid Premier League position."
Villa are not part of the title race
"Aston Villa are three points behind. If we're talking today, yeah, they're in the title race.
"But we're talking over the next 22 games. I think Unai Emery would want to win the Europa League. If he got fourth in this Premier League and won that, I think the Villa fans would be happy.
"Villa haven't won a trophy for 30 years. Yeah, I played at this club. Fortunately, I loved it there. It's a massive football club.
"They've got to win a trophy. If they can win a trophy and finish in the top four, I think they've had an amazing season, but the squad is not massive. And if Morgan Rogers gets injured, I would worry for them a little bit."
Problems run deeper than the manager at Spurs
"It goes deeper than the managers [at Tottenham]. It's got to be the players, got to be the players. They've had some of the greatest managers of all time at Tottenham, and none of them have been a success.
"And I didn't like what he [Thomas Frank] said the other week. I know the fans get a little bit anxious, and if you're not 3-0 up in the first 20 minutes, they all start wanting to go mad.
"Their neighbours are doing well, but at the same time, as a manager, you've got to understand the shelves as well. When you're a player there are shelves. Managers have their shelves.
"He's managing a big football club, and that's no disrespect to Brentford. I've been at Brentford when they got beat by Bournemouth, and everybody's walking around the ground, clapping, and they're still there.
"That's not happening at Tottenham. You need to know that when you get in. These Tottenham fans turn up every week, 60,000 every other week, and they haven't been great for the last how many years, but they turn up. You cannot say what you said. I think that on Saturday, if they get beat [by Liverpool], I think Frank will be in trouble."
