‘You were never going to’: Paul Merson makes fresh Arsenal and Tottenham top 4 claim

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Paul Merson has made it clear that Tottenham are ‘still favourites’ to finish in the Premier League’s top four ahead of Arsenal, as he told Soccer Special on Sky Sports (18/04/22 at 2:30 pm).

The Sky pundit added by saying that Tottenham and Arsenal were ‘never’ going to win their remaining matches, in order to secure Champions League football, and there were going to be hiccups along the way.

Both the north London duo hit that brick wall over the weekend when Spurs lost at home to Brighton, before Mikel Arteta watched his team fail to capitalise on their neighbour’s defeat hours later.

The Gunners have a game in hand on Spurs and they can go level with them in the table if they beat Chelsea on Wednesday night.

It’s a big ask for an Arsenal team that have lost three in a row and will also have to face Man United at the weekend.

Nonetheless, this is what Merson had to say about the Premier League’s top-four race, after the latest round of action from the weekend.

“We sat here two or three weeks ago when Arsenal were (starting to struggle),” said Merson.

“Arsenal and Tottenham weren’t going to win their last eight games each. They weren’t and they aren’t good enough to win their last eight games each. Liverpool and Man City are.

“That’s why that Sunday (Premier League) game was big. Whoever won that Man City-Liverpool game, you could see them reeling off the next seven wins. You were never going to see that with Arsenal or Tottenham.

“They (Brighton) had a play. Sat back and counter-attacked – there is still a long way to go. I still think Tottenham are favourites to get into the top four.”

The forthcoming north London derby is going to be a game for the ages and one that could seriously define this Champions League race.

Arsenal won the bragging rights during the reverse fixture, but Nuno Espirito Santo was in the dugout back then.

Antonio Conte knows what it’s like being part of London derby matches, but that’s whilst donning the colours of Chelsea.

Whilst Tottenham’s forward line had an off-day over the weekend, the likes of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and new boy, Dejan Kulusevski, have the power to blow anybody away and it wouldn’t be a surprise if there are goals galore in this game.