Paul Merson says Arsenal success is no fluke while Alan Smith believes squad is ‘older and wiser’ for Premier League title challenge | Football News

Paul Merson says Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League table is no “fluke”, while Alan Smith believes his squad are “older and wiser” for the title charge.

After title rivals Manchester City and Newcastle dropped points earlier on New Year’s Eve, the Gunners beat Brighton 4-2 at the Amex Stadium to see them take a seven-point lead into 2023.

No team in the history of the Premier League has surrendered such a lead after 16 games and gone on to win the title.

With 22 games still to go – and a handful of fixtures in the new year that could decide their title prospects – Sky Sports pundit Merson doesn’t believe Arsenal’s recent success is a fluke.

“Arsenal are playing well, it’s not a coincidence,” Merson told Sky Sports.

“He went to Old Trafford and was beaten, and I don’t think he deserved it. There’s a way to lose a game and he’s back.

“The other night, they lost 1-0 to West Ham and came back and put it away.

“They’re right, there’s no question. It’s not a coincidence, they’re where they are because they’re a very good football team.

“There are 26 games left, they should do for the other 22. They have given us a small gap where they can lose a few games. Man City will not win every game.

“Arsenal are right, I can’t talk about them. But it’s the Premier League, it changes very quickly.

“Those three games: Newcastle, Tottenham, Man United. If they beat Newcastle, you expect them to get a result at Tottenham, if they get a result at Tottenham, I expect them to beat United.

“If they don’t beat Newcastle, you don’t expect to beat Tottenham, they don’t beat Tottenham and then you don’t expect to beat United. It’s a domino effect. Now, they’re doing everything right.

“He is in a good position, he still has a long way to go.

“He started well and that’s the name of the game. He was a little bit off when Arteta changed the team and went back, but who goes to Brighton and scores four goals?

“We can always say that they scored two goals, but you have to be happy. They are playing good football and now they are the best team in the country. They are the number one team.

“He looked good, scored goals, all four strikers scored today. You can’t say enough about him.”

Merson also believes that only Arsenal and Man City can now realistically win the Premier League title – unless another team makes history.

“When we’re down at the World Cup, you think it’s just going to destroy Arsenal. They’ve flown and come back and scored seven goals in two games,” Merson added.

“They have a platform, it’s in their hands. I know it’s still a long way off, but there are big teams in this league that can’t win – Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, maybe Man United.

“It’s not down to Arsenal and Man City unless the other team is doing the most incredible run you’ve ever seen in the history of the Premier League.”

Next up for Arsenal is third-placed Newcastle on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports, and Merson expects another home win for the Gunners.

“I think we will beat Newcastle,” he said. “They’ve only won two games, scored seven goals, confidence is high. They’ve won every home game this season in the league, which they’ve done.

“He’s good to watch, it’s not a fluke. You have to look at Man City, they have lost at home to Brentford and drawn at home to Everton who are in a bad run. They are two games they expected to win. They lost five points. I don’t see the man who stopped Arsenal now.”

Smith: The squad is older and wiser

After Arsenal’s season ended at the end of the last campaign, Sky Sports’ Smith believes the Gunners have more experience to handle the pressure of a title challenge this time around.

He said: “I think so [Arsenal fans believe Arsenal can win the title], there is no doubt about it. It doesn’t take many fans to be excited and optimistic. When you’re seven points ahead, you think ‘Maybe this is our year’.

“I don’t think anyone thought it would work in the first place. It’s an unusual situation, but everyone still thinks Manchester City will win.

“But that’s probably Arsenal’s advantage. The game they’re going to play at Man City on February 15, if they can keep the gap and if they can beat City, then you’ll believe it.

“The wheel fell off at the end of last season – the Spurs game and the Newcastle game that they didn’t show up, they burned the gas, the squad was done to the limit.

“The squad is better this season in terms of strength and more maturity. They are still the youngest team in the Premier League with an average starting XI, but there is experience in that. You would hope they have learned from last season. They are older a year and hopefully a year wiser.”

Of course, two of Arsenal’s summer signings – Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko – have won Premier League titles at Man City, and Smith believes the duo have had an impact.

He added: “Maybe a lot of things happen behind the scenes, in the training ground Monday to Friday, in the dressing room before the match and after the match – the experience of winning, how to handle certain situations.

“They are young, Jesus and Zinchenko, but they have seen everything under Pep at City and have said a lot and I believe that is a big reason why Arteta bought these players, apart from their ability.

“When you’re in this position, it sets the standard going forward so they’ll play a big part.”

Arteta: We are ruthless and clinical

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed the win on the south coast with four different players on the scoresheet, crediting his side for seizing the opportunity.

“A big win against a really good team,” he said Sky Sports. “We had big moments, we were ruthless, very clinical. We had some good moments and there were moments when we had to dig in and suffer because they put you in trouble and that’s a really good side.

“If you expect to come here against Brighton and play in the park, and not concede anything, it’s very difficult. It’s a big test for us to win again, three in a row. Next time.

“We started very fast, after the first one, I had two or three great chances to put the game in a comfortable position, but it didn’t finish. many players advanced, and tried the last line. They did it and we had to overcome some difficult situations. “

With a number of big games coming up in the next few weeks, Arteta remained calm and said despite knowing the result at 3pm before kick-off, Arsenal were still focused on themselves.

He added: “We have to refocus, review the match. There are many things we have done well and many things we still need to improve and take them to the next match. We have to take the same energy and momentum. .

“You look at every result, obviously you know what happened, but we have to focus on what we can do which is against a very difficult team and win.”

Arsenal purring – and can hit you from all angles

Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:

“One of the clues to know that an elite team is in front of you is how they can destroy the opposition from all angles. It’s rare for a team that can defeat them all to rely only on one area of ​​attack. Arsenal can hit you from the left, from the right and through the middle .Brighton felt the power as the Gunners went seven points clear.

“Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah all found the net as Arsenal’s ability to spread the goals proved a huge strength in their unlikely push for the Premier League title.

“They now have four players who have scored five or more Premier League goals this season – Martinelli, Odegaard, Saka and Gabriel Jesus. No other team can claim that.

“And Nketiah will join the party soon if he keeps up the level of attack that has seen him score on both sides since his injury to Jesus. The Amex Stadium is the hunter-like instinct shown by the Arsenal youngster – that’s his speciality. Arsenal are good without Brazilians because no one relies on certain individuals. It can be done.”