Photo by PAUL CHILDS / POOL /. through .
Paul Merson told Sky Sports that both Arsenal and Tottenham will not finish in the top four this season.
The television expert made it clear that Arsenal’s rebuilding work will take a “long, long” time to fix, while he feels the gap is “too great” for Spurs to secure Champions League football.
England Euro team if you can only use 1 player per club
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England Euro team if you can only use 1 player per club
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Even Arsenal’s most ardent fans will tell you they have no chance of finishing in the top four while sitting in the bottom half, it’s about securing Europa League football that they need to worry about.
And while the Spurs are nine points behind fourth-placed West Ham with a game in hand, Merson sees both Manchester clubs Leicester City and Liverpool wave the flag on the biggest stage of all next season.
On Tottenham’s top four chances: “If Tottenham win their game in hand, they’re back in the mix in terms of points,” Merson. “But the problem is winning that game after a streak after a five-game losing streak in their last six league games.
“But you look at their next matches and you think they could play a role. At the moment, I think the gap is too big for Spurs, but we’ve seen other teams do it. A winning streak can turn things around in terms of confidence and the table, and that’s what the Spurs need to hold on to.
On Arsenal’s top four chances: “I don’t see Arsenal doing anything between now and the end of the season to get into the top four,” Merson said.
“I played for Arsenal for a good number of years a long time ago and they are a phenomenal football club. It’s a Rolls Royce from a football club, but when you look at where they are now, it’s hard to see.
“This is a huge rebuilding job at Emirates Stadium and I think it will take a long, long time.”
Photo by Danilo Di Giovanni /.
While the goal for both Spurs and Arsenal at the start of the campaign was the top four, they have to get it out of their heads now.
The simple reason is that they can miss European football entirely with the way they are doing it.
They’re both outside of the top seven and, more importantly, they’ve played one more game than some of those above them.
In other news, ‘Hard to stop’: Arsenal reportedly signed £ 20m ace with ‘huge potential’
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