Paul Merson has made a huge prediction about Arsenal’s Premier League title defence, claiming the champions could finish the season with a double-digit points advantage.
Arsenal have wasted little time setting the pace after four league matches, sitting at the top of the table with 12 points.
Manchester City have also collected 12 points, but Merson believes Arsenal have already shown enough to suggest they could eventually pull away from the chasing pack.
“I think it’ll be double digits. I think they’ll win it easy,” Merson told Sky Sports.
It is a remarkably confident assessment from the former Arsenal star, particularly with the toughest stretch of Arsenal’s league campaign still to come.
The Gunners face away trips to Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Those fixtures could provide a serious test of their title credentials, but Merson is not convinced any of those teams will be capable of stopping Arsenal consistently.
“I look at Arsenal’s fixtures, Man City away, Man United away, Chelsea away, Liverpool away. After those four games, I don’t know who’s beating Arsenal.”
His confidence goes even further.
“I don’t know who’s beating them. They’re just a hard, hard team to beat.”
Arsenal’s strength, according to Merson, is their ability to remain composed when matches become difficult.
“I don’t see them losing a lot of football matches this season.”
That belief is particularly interesting because Arsenal have endured intense scrutiny during their recent title challenges. Merson believes that pressure has now eased after the club finally ended its long wait for the Premier League trophy.
“The shackles are off a bit. No one can call Arsenal bottle jobs anymore. So the pressure is off.”
The champions appear to be playing with a different level of confidence, and Merson believes their performances suggest they already have a feeling that they know how matches will unfold.
“And they just play with that feeling like they’ve had an email through and told them, you know what the score is going to be already.”
Recent performances have only strengthened his argument.
Merson pointed to Arsenal’s displays against Aston Villa and Sunderland as examples of a team that is refusing to panic when results remain uncertain.
“I just watched them against Aston Villa, and you watch them against Sunderland, and there’s no panic.”
Instead, he sees patience, control and an increasing belief that the result will eventually follow.
“They play, it’s patient. They will score in the end and the opposition won’t. That is the way they are at the moment.”
That mentality could prove crucial as Arsenal attempt to defend their Premier League crown.
The biggest challenge will come when the schedule becomes relentless and the pressure of Champions League football adds another layer to the campaign. Arsenal will also have to navigate their difficult run of away fixtures against several direct rivals.
Yet Merson’s prediction suggests he sees something different in this Arsenal side.
With 12 points already secured and confidence growing, the champions have given themselves an ideal platform.
Now comes the real test.
If Arsenal can maintain the consistency Merson expects, the title race could look very different by the time the season reaches its final stages. And if his prediction proves correct, the Gunners may not simply retain the Premier League trophy — they could do it in emphatic fashion.
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