Paul Merson changes Premier League title prediction three games into the season | Football

Paul Merson has changed his Premier League title prediction, having previously tipped Arsenal to land their first top-flight trophy in 22 years.

Merson backed his former club Arsenal to come out on top before the season began but now believes that Liverpool will defend their crown.

The Reds are the only team to have won all three of their opening Premier League games with wins over AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle and Arsenal.

The Gunners are currently sat third, having beaten Manchester United and Leeds United before Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Arne Slot’s side at Anfield.

Arsenal have finished as Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons in a row and Merson now thinks their wait will continue to go on.

Merson, who is a Chelsea fan despite playing for Arsenal before he became a football pundit, feels Liverpool’s business in the summer transfer window – which closed on Monday – will see them win the title.

Liverpool signed Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak on deadline day and have also recruited a number of other top players this summer including Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez.

Asked if Liverpool were now favourites to land the 2025-26 Premier League trophy, Merson told Sky Sports: ‘Yeah, I would have thought so after yesterday as well.

‘After you got [Isak]. See, I always weigh it up with the league [after some time].

‘I thought advantage Arsenal when they went and won at Man United, then all of a sudden they [Liverpool] go and beat Newcastle and they beat Arsenal.

‘For me, they haven’t even got out of second gear yet and they haven’t played particularly well yet.

‘Watching [Sunday’s] game, I watched and I’m like, I’ve never seen an Arsenal team so comfortable at Anfield – so comfortable and they still lost.

‘What they are doing as well, as Christian [Purslow] said, they’re buying players to come into the team and these are top players.’

Like Merson, Gary Neville also tipped Arsenal to clinch the Premier League title before a ball was kicked.

But Neville is refusing to change his stance and still thinks Mikel Arteta’s side will end up coming out on top.

‘I’ve tipped them for the title and I’m not going to change that after [the defeat to Liverpool],’ Neville said on The Gary Neville Podcast. ‘I’m not!

‘There’s an element of belief I have that I think, ‘Go on Declan Rice, you can be that player that runs through’ – or ‘Martin Odegaard, you can be the player that scores in this game’.

‘Noni Madueke, I thought he had a good game [against Liverpool]. I thought Eberechi Eze looked sharp when he came on. So there is the talent there to think they can go and do it.’

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