December 5th 2024.
In a thrilling midweek Premier League clash, Arsenal emerged victorious over Manchester United, closing the gap on current leaders Liverpool. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes that the addition of Martin Odegaard to the squad has transformed the team, giving them a real shot at the title if they can maintain the fitness of their key players.
After a disappointing run of results, Arsenal has turned their season around with four consecutive wins in all competitions. Their latest victory over Manchester United, thanks to second-half goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, has reduced Liverpool's lead at the top to just seven points.
However, Arsenal's title hopes were almost dashed by a last-minute equalizer from Fabian Schar in their match against Newcastle. Meanwhile, Chelsea's dominant 5-1 win over Southampton saw them leapfrog Arsenal into second place. Reigning champions Manchester City also managed to end their seven-game winless streak with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Merson was impressed by Arsenal's performance against Manchester United, despite a couple of injuries. He believes that if they can field their strongest team, which includes the likes of Odegaard, who shone in their previous matches against West Ham and Sporting, they have the potential to go on a winning streak and close the gap on Liverpool.
As for Chelsea, their assistant coach Enzo Maresca has played down their title chances, even after their convincing win over Southampton. Merson, a lifelong Chelsea fan, praised Maresca for his outstanding job since replacing Mauricio Pochettino. However, he agrees that the title may be out of reach for Chelsea this season.
Merson believes that Chelsea should focus on maintaining their current form and not rush into becoming title contenders. He also highlighted their impressive record against the top teams, with draws against Liverpool and Manchester City and a close defeat to Arsenal when they were struggling.
Overall, Merson feels that if Chelsea can secure a top-four spot and win a trophy, like the Europa Conference League, it would be considered a successful season. He also praised their manager and believes that he has been outstanding so far. However, he reminds everyone that at the start of the season, Chelsea's main goal was to secure a top-four spot, and anything beyond that would be a bonus.
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