Paul Merson says Liverpool beating Tottenham on Saturday – live on Sky Sports – would be “huge” for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Liverpool are second in the Premier League after five wins and one draw from their first six matches, but still trail Manchester City after the champions won six in a row.
With Pep Guardiola’s side starting their title defense in relentless form, Merson says getting three points from Liverpool over Spurs – who are fourth and also unbeaten in the Premier League – would be an impressive statement.
Liverpool beating Spurs would be massive
If Liverpool beat Tottenham next week it will be a massive result. I’m not saying they’ll lose the game, but if you go to Tottenham now, they’re up against a very good team with good players. For the first 35 minutes against Arsenal I thought Spurs were quite a disappointment. I thought it was no different than watching Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho’s Spurs. If Gabriel Jesus makes it 2-0, it’s a completely different story, but he lacks an absolute playmaker.
I liked Tottenham after they continued to play the way they wanted and I was so impressed with them.
I thought Arsenal would win easily but Spurs are 1-0 and 2-1 down – usually laid back and beaten. Credit where credit is due. I thought they were great and now I see them in the top four.
Destiny Udogie was great. If he is booked this early in the game and then against Bukayo Saka – one of the best wingers in the world – he will go.
But credit goes to Ange Postecoglou. He told him: “I believe in you, you are a winger, your job is to defend one-on-one, stay on the field.” Usually against a player like Saka, the manager takes him off because you don’t want a red card. But fair play to the manager and Udogie did a very good job.
Liverpool still have so much to do. Manchester City are destroying the league at the moment, putting so much pressure on everyone. It’s phenomenal what they do.
Liverpool are doing well at the moment because you just have to stay there. You have to take it one game at a time and you don’t want to give them the lead.
Liverpool’s biggest advantage is that they can draw Tottenham and Brighton in the next fortnight, with two more games to play against Man City – and twice to beat Man City.
Arsenal may need Toney in January
In this week’s The Question, Sam Blitz and Nick Wright ask if Arsenal need a new No.9 to win the Premier League.
I’ve always said it from day one – Eddie Nketiah won’t beat you in the Premier League. Need a decent centre-forward. I don’t blame Nketiah because they drew 2-2 with Tottenham, but with 32 games to go and all the Champions League games they have to play, I don’t think he will take them to the next level. I don’t even think Gabriel Jesus will take them to the next level.
I was so sure Arsenal would win on Sunday but when I saw the teams I was really worried. Jesus on the wing, Nketiah up front, Fabio Vieira — I don’t think he’s good enough. Then Declan Rice comes and Jorginho comes.
It wasn’t Arsenal’s strongest team, but when you think about the Champions League and all the games they have to play, it looked a bit weak on Sunday, didn’t it?
It’s fine to sit there and think ‘they need a centre-forward’ – but who is there?
They only have Ivan Toney in January – there aren’t many centre-forwards around the world. They are a dying breed. I heard Michael Owen speak yesterday. Years ago he, Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham and Robbie Fowler scored 20-30 goals in a season and they didn’t get a million English football matches. Also Ian Wright and Les Ferdinand. Now you score 20 goals in the Premier League and play in England.
Toney is a good player – can hold the ball up, is good in the air. Arsenal may have to turn to him. But there aren’t a million center forwards.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank admits the club could sell Ivan Toney for the “right price” and says he expects bids for the striker in January.
Arsenal will be out of the Champions League if they lose to Manchester City on October 8. They would trail by close to seven points.
Many people say, “But there are still so many games left”. But Arsenal would not catch Man City in 600 games if City hold on to a seven-point lead. You just can’t fix that because Arsenal only have one game against City since then and that would be away.
This game at the Emirates is a huge match, it’s already make or break.
