Paul Merson delivers percentage chance of Arsenal winning title amid ‘different league’ claim

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has claimed that Arsenal only have a “15%” chance of winning the Premier League title this season - despite his former side’s impressive start to the new campaign.

The Gunners have won seven out of their eight top flight matches so far this term, and could move back to the top of the table if they beat Liverpool at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. Mikel Arteta’s men were leapfrogged by Manchester City on Saturday after the defending champions ran out 4-0 winners over Southampton.

And Merson is of the opinion that City’s gathering momentum and pattern of dominance means that his old club should instead focus their attentions on Champions League qualification. Arsenal have not finished in the top four since 2016, when they ended the season in second place.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday, Merson said: “I watch Man City and they’re in a different league, but you’ve just got to keep on going along. If you get to the end of November when the World Cup starts, and then you get back and there’s quick games - just keep on taking it a day at a time, a game at a time.

“At the moment I give them [Arsenal] maybe a 15% chance of winning it. If they’re top of the league in November I make that a 25% chance of winning the league, and then all of a sudden it gets to January and they’re still top of the league or second, and that percentage will go up.

“At the moment, I think they’ve got to keep their eyes on one goal, and that’s to finish in the top four. It’s been a long time since they’ve been out of the Champions League, so for me, finish in the top four.”