Arsenal have a huge game coming up on Saturday evening when they take on Champions League rivals, Aston Villa.
Unai Emery haunted his old club in big ways last season when Villa beat the London club home and away.
Arsenal lost the Premier League title to Manchester City on the final day and many believe their defeats to the Midlands club was the big difference.
Since then, Mikel Arteta has made one major call in the summer transfer market and is hoping to make more ahead of next Friday’s deadline.
Arsenal secured the signing of Riccardo Calafiori, but could there be another name in-bound at the Emirates to further enhance this ever-growing team?
Paul Merson spoke about what the Premier League title chasers are up against and trying to stop the might of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Manchester City beat Chelsea 2-0 for their opening game at the weekend, with several big players not starting or featuring.
Rodri, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Nathan Ake weren’t in the starting XI – only Foden came onto the pitch.
This was touched upon by Merson, but he still praised Arsenal, their transfer methods and who they could be about to sign.
Mikel Merino isn’t training with Real Sociedad as a move to Arsenal is close and this is something Merson very much likes, as he told The Football Show on Sky Sports (22/08/24 at 10:20 am).
Arsenal competing against Manchester City
“I still think they are one or two players short to cover,” said Merson. “But they are going to be there or thereabouts (in the Premier League title race).
“I like what Arteta did the other day, he took him (Saka) off when they went 2-0 up. I thought that was good. Even a 15 minutes here. This is the difference between Man City and Arsenal. This is what Arsenal are up against. Man City, no Foden, no Walker, no Stones and no Rodri. And they still go and breeze past Chelsea like it was a Sunday morning stroll. That isn’t going to be the case when Arsenal go to Stamford Bridge. That’s what they are up against.
“I like what they do Arsenal. They buy the players they need. They are looking at the midfield player now (Mikel Merino). They just brought the lad in from Italy (Riccardo Calafiori) to take the workload of Saliba and Gabriel if they get injured. There is a method about Arsenal. They are doing it the right way. They are just bang out of luck because they are coming up against one of the greatest teams ever to play football, not just in the Premier League.”
Will Arsenal sign anyone else after Mikel Merino?
That striker talk won’t go away, even if Kai Havertz was deemed ‘special’ for helping Arsenal beat Wolves.
But it seems as though, after Merino, that could be it for the London club and then it will all be about outgoings.
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Arsenal’s next three away matches are huge – Villa Park, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Etihad. It’s as tough as it could come.
But if they want to be crowned champions of England, then you show everyone what you are all about and win them all.
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