Paul Merson says Arsenal remain the favourites to win the Premier League despite their 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, but he does not expect them to lift any other trophies this season. Nico O’Reilly’s two second-half goals at Wembley ended Arsenal’s bid for a quadruple, though Mikel Arteta’s side still sit nine points clear of City in the league and remain in the FA Cup and Champions League.
Merson described City’s second-half performance as a high-level lesson in football, saying City dominated for a spell and left Arsenal looking bereft of composure. He condemned the Gunners for repeatedly clearing the ball instead of keeping possession, adding that for around 25 minutes they were “absolutely destroyed.” He called the defeat confidence-sapping and the kind of loss that will weigh heavy in the dressing room.
Despite that verdict, Merson believes Arsenal’s league form and remaining fixtures are good enough for them to secure the title. However, based on what he saw at Wembley, he expects this season’s Premier League crown to be their only major prize. He pointed out that City still remain in the FA Cup and suggested he would be surprised if Arsenal could go to Wembley later in the season and beat them there.
Looking at the Champions League, Merson highlighted a potential tie against Barcelona as problematic. He argued Arsenal lack the pace to trouble Barcelona’s high defensive line and suggested Arsenal’s forwards are not as electric as other wide attackers who have caused Barcelona problems in Europe, expressing concern about how Barcelona could exploit Arsenal.
Merson singled out Kepa’s error but was clear that the problem extended beyond the goalkeeper. He said most outfield players were overrun and that only William Saliba and Gabriel stood out, praising both as outstanding. He stressed that criticism should not fall only on Kepa, asserting that many teammates deserved low marks for their performance.
A recurring worry for Merson was Arsenal players’ reluctance to take responsibility under pressure: he said he saw few players willing to demand the ball when things were going wrong. Still, he acknowledged positives — Arsenal are competing on three fronts and their priority should be the league. He accepted that the Carabao Cup might have been the most expendable prize, but noted it is yet another missed final and expects the team to face scrutiny this week.