According to Paul Merson, Rodri's presence at Arsenal could lead them to winning the Premier League next season.

Paul Merson, a former Arsenal player, has shared his belief that Manchester City midfielder Rodri unintentionally aided Arsenal in their quest for the Premier League title next season. This comes after Rodri made a critical comment about Arsenal during Manchester City's title celebrations at the Etihad Stadium.

During an interview with Optus Sport, Rodri was asked how Manchester City continue to win titles. He responded by pointing to his head and stating, "To be honest, I think it's in here [the mind]. It's the mentality." He went on to say that Arsenal, although deserving of recognition for their "unbelievable season," lacked the same mentality as Manchester City.

Merson views these comments as "harsh" and believes they will only serve to motivate Arsenal even further in their pursuit of the title. He also predicts that Rodri's remarks will be prominently displayed in the Arsenal dressing room as they prepare for the new season.

He also acknowledges the role that the fixture list can play in the title race, noting that tough fixtures early on can make it difficult for a team to recover and stay in contention. He gives credit to Manchester City for their impressive record of four consecutive title wins, but also points out that it only takes one game to make a difference in the final standings.

Arsenal won 28 out of 38 league games this season, earning 89 points, but still finished two points behind Manchester City. Merson believes that both teams will be favorites for the title next season, along with Liverpool under their new manager Arne Slot.

He also mentions other teams, such as Aston Villa, Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Manchester United, who will be looking to improve and challenge for the title in the upcoming season. The 2024-25 Premier League season is set to begin on the weekend of August 17/18 and conclude on May 25.

Merson's final thoughts are that Arsenal will use Rodri's comments as motivation and come back even stronger in the new season. He also predicts that the Premier League title race will once again be tight and highly competitive, with multiple teams vying for the top spot.

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