Merson Backs Arsenal to Settle Title Race This Weekend with Fulham Victory

A pivotal weekend of Premier League action is upon us, and Arsenal legend Paul Merson reckons the destination of the title could be effectively settled before Monday night's final whistle.

The Gunners currently sit three points ahead of Manchester City, though they've played one additional fixture following their 2-1 defeat to the champions and subsequent victory over Newcastle. With Fulham arriving at the Emirates on Saturday, Arsenal have the chance to open up a commanding six-point gap before City travel to Everton 48 hours later.

While City's mathematical hopes remain alive—they can still win the league if they claim every remaining game and finish with superior goal difference—Merson is convinced that an Arsenal triumph against Fulham would effectively end the contest.

"If Arsenal win this game, they win the league!" Merson declared in his column. "Three points for Mikel Arteta's side here and Manchester City will have mountains to move if they're to claim the title from this position."

The pundit has emphasised the importance of the Newcastle and Fulham fixtures for the North Londoners, stressing that securing victories should take precedence over chasing goals. "I'd take a 1-0 win and just grab the three points," he explained.

Merson highlighted the difficulty of City's remaining schedule, with tricky away days at Everton and Bournemouth presenting potential pitfalls. He recalled watching City against Burnley and felt they weren't entirely convincing, suggesting that sides like Everton or Bournemouth could exploit opportunities if they arise.

The former Arsenal man urged the Gunners to compartmentalise their European commitments, insisting they must dispatch Fulham before turning attention to their Atletico Madrid second leg. "Arsenal must forget about the second leg against Atletico Madrid and get the job done against Fulham," he said. "If they lose to Fulham, then they will definitely lose to Atletico on Tuesday. And hence, it could be all over for them in the next few days."

Merson has specifically predicted a 2-0 Arsenal victory and backed Everton to hold City to a 1-1 draw, which would effectively wrap up the title race in the Gunners' favour.

"The pressure will be on Manchester City here," Merson noted. "If Arsenal don't win against Fulham, I would back City to win two-nil or even three-nil in this game. But I think Arsenal will win and that could force City to slip up in their chase."

He pointed to Everton's attacking threat, recalling their impressive form at home—including a recent demolition of Chelsea—and suggesting they were unfortunate not to take points from recent defeats to Liverpool and West Ham. "Everton have a lot of footballers who can hurt City," he observed. "This is a difficult game for City."

Should Arsenal stumble against Fulham, Merson acknowledged that City could afford a draw in one of their remaining fixtures and still claim the title. However, he's convinced that won't prove necessary.

"I'm predicting the title race to be over this weekend with a Manchester City draw at Everton," Merson concluded.