Paul Merson questions if Arsenal can overcome their latest blip to restore faith in a sustained title chase this season, with table-topping Liverpool lying in wait on Super Sunday, while also heaping praise on Arne Slot’s ‘outstanding’ start.
Saliba’s lack of composure cost Arsenal
Only time will tell if these red card offences will cost Arsenal the title.
It wasn’t a good result [against Bournemouth], three big points dropped. We had this problem early in Arsene Wenger’s reign, they suffered with sending offs, and they were not a dirty team, just physical.
It’s a bit of luck here and there. When you’re playing for Arsenal, it’s a big club, in the heat of the moment you have to make cool decisions and on Saturday William Saliba does not have to do that.
You’ve got to weigh things up. This is Arsenal, they will dominate, and the lad Evanilson still had to run half the length of the pitch with Saliba breathing down his neck – no disrespect, he’s not Erling Haaland.
You have to be calm and collected at a big club like Arsenal, so I’m disappointed with what Saliba did there.
Gunners can’t afford another slip-up
They would be in major trouble if they lose to Liverpool at the weekend. They are playing catch-up, and the top teams aren’t losing five or six games a season.
These top managers just don’t lose games. Arsenal will probably lose another couple before the end of the season, and so this is a cup final this weekend. It’s a massive football match.
Allow a six-point gap to Manchester City already – wow, that will be hard to overcome.
Outstanding Slot has no ego
When managers come into top clubs, it’s usually with an ego. They change players and formations to stamp a bit of character. But Arne Slot has come in and said ‘There’s nothing wrong with this team’.
Maybe he’s asked for a bit more control in games, but he hasn’t had to do anything drastic.
He’s been outstanding, but the players have to stay fit. There are four or five Liverpool players that Slot needs to remain fit if they are going to stay the distance.
Emery showing class
Aston Villa are top of their mini-league. You’ve got the top three, and they are in the next group.
Unai Emery is a top manager and you can see that by the way he improves players. Morgan Rogers was always going to be a good player, and he’s done brilliantly so far.
Sometimes it’s easier to play in a Premier League team, surrounded by good players, and there’s less blood and thunder like the Championship.
He’ll have to start coming up with solutions soon because he’s getting a reputation, and opposition teams will work him out.
I don’t think you put him in the [senior] England set-up yet because he’s not better than what we’ve got. But in the future, yes.