Arsenal's crunch clash with Man City is 'MAKE or BREAK', says Merson
Arsenal’s crunch clash with Man City is ‘MAKE or BREAK’ for their Premier League title dream, believes ex-Gunners star Paul Merson – and he is backing Pep Guardiola’s side to win because hosts are ‘so open at the back’
- Arsenal conceded a late equaliser to Brentford in major blow to title aspirations
- Manchester City could overhaul them at the top of league as soon as Wednesday
- Paul Merson said a City win would likely spell the end of an Arsenal title triumph
Paul Merson has described Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City on Wednesday as ‘make or break’.
Manchester City host Aston Villa on Sunday bidding to close the gap on leaders Arsenal to three points after Mikel Arteta’s side drew 1-1 with Brentford on Saturday.
If City first beat Villa and then win at Arsenal on Wednesday they will go top of the league – albeit having played a game more than the hosts.
‘It’s a hard game coming up now. A big game Wednesday night. If you want to win Premier League titles, any league title, it’s how you bounce back,’ Merson told Sky Sports.
‘It’s all about timing. At the start of the season you probably think, “Brentford at home, not the worst” but they’re bang in form and played like a good football team, a clever football team.
Ivan Toney’s goal could have a huge say in the destination of the Premier League crown
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‘When they go 1-0 up you’d expect them to hold on and they didn’t.’
‘It’s a massive football match on Wednesday. I think it’s make or break,’ he added. ‘If Man City go and win the game, I don’t see Arsenal coming back from that.
‘After today’s performance, I don’t see them beating Man City on Wednesday. I’d be quite shocked. They were so open at the back. Played 2v2 at the back. If Brentford had picked the right pass at times they’d have got in and won that game.
Paul Merson backed Pep Guardiola’s side to go to Arsenal and beat them in crucial title clash
The former Arsenal man said that City will capitalise where Brentford couldn’t should the Gunners afford them the same space
‘Toney misses a real good chance where he hits the bar and Man City have a better quality of player to pick that right pass. Come Wednesday night I’d be quite shocked if Arsenal went and won that game.’
Arteta said his side put in a ‘strong performance’ but said the way his side were pegged back was ‘frustrating’.
‘I think it was a really strong performance. We had moments against a very tricky team to play against and credit to them as well because the results they’ve got against the top teams is not a coincidence,’ he said.
‘We did a lot in the game and did the most difficult thing, to score the goal. To concede in the way it happened is frustrating but this is the Premier League.’
Merson said that expected Arsenal to hold on but they didn’t in the face of Brentford pressure
Mikel Arteta said that his side put in a ‘strong performance’ against a ‘tricky’ opponent
Brentford’s goal was the third Arsenal had conceded from a set piece in as many games, and Arteta said his side were striving to improve in ‘every area’.
‘Of course, we want to improve in every area. We’re the third best team in terms of defensive set-pieces in the league. We want to be the best,’ he said.
‘Set-pieces are Brentford’s biggest strength and we controlled them quite well but in that situation, we were hoping they were going to be offside but they weren’t. Set-pieces cost you points, they are huge in this league.’
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