Tottenham Hotspur currently has control of fourth place in the Premier League table. If the north London club holds onto their spot, they’ll clinch UEFA Champions League football for next season.
Spurs are in the driver’s seat, considering their only difficult matchup left on their schedule is against Liverpool. Despite having all these factors in their corner, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson isn’t sold on Tottenham.
Furthermore, Merson explains in his column for Sky Sports why Arsenal will still finish ahead of their north London rival even though The Gunners are coming off losses to Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion.
“I still feel Arsenal are in it because Tottenham have still got a Tottenham in them. I don’t mean that in a horrible way, but they still have got a Tottenham in them. Everyone was going mad about them, but they could’ve been blown away in the first half against Aston Villa,” Merson wrote.
“Villa should’ve been out of sight and they only have to have one of those days in the next seven weeks. The 4-0 win over Villa covered over the cracks. They did some great stuff, don’t get me wrong, but in the first half Hugo Lloris had to make save after save. So I’m still not convinced by Tottenham. The top four is still very much on for Arsenal.”
Both clubs are on a collision course to have the May 12th matchup be one of the more significant North London Derby’s in recent years, considering what will be at stake for whoever wins.
Nonetheless, Merson hopes that the Spurs, who crashed out in the FA Cup to Middlesbrough and fell to Burnley, make an appearance before the season ends and Arsenal can take advantage.