"A one-man team" - Paul Merson names his top 4 favorites after Arsenal's 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are currently locked in an intense battle for the chance to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Spurs have a better chance of joining Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in securing a Champions League spot ahead of next season.
Arsenal had a disappointing outing in their most recent league fixture, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday. That allowed Tottenham to climb over them in the standings after they hammered Newcastle United 5-1 at the weekend.
Crystal Palace's last two home wins against Arsenal have both come in 3-0 scorelines.
2017: Crystal Palace 3-0 Arsenal
2022: Crystal Palace 3-0 Arsenal
History repeats itself. 🔁 https://t.co/H1BzXxLW7t
As it stands, Antonio Conte's men have the same number of points as Mikel Arteta's men (54), although the latter have a game in hand.
Regardless, Paul Merson feels the Spurs remain favorites to seal the fourth spot in the table, especially now that Harry Kane is in red-hot form.
He wrote on Sky Sports' website:
"Spurs are the favorites for top four now. When Harry Kane's playing like he is, I don't think too many teams are going to beat them. I saw him go to the Etihad and rip Manchester City apart. I saw him rip West Ham apart, I saw him rip Newcastle apart."
Paul Merson, however, raised concerns about Tottenham's dependence on Harry Kane's brilliance. According to him, Spurs' hopes of finishing in the top four rely greatly on the striker.
He said:
"But you take Kane out of the team, top four ain't happening for Spurs. It's as simple as that. When he doesn't turn up at Burnley away, they get beaten. Tottenham are a one-man team and that's not being disrespectful.
Spurs 5-1 Newcastle UnitedThe highlights. 🍿
🎥 Spurs 5-1 Newcastle United https://t.co/K8dkkXw7SC
"You could have a Ferrari, but without an engine in the car it ain't working. He's the all-round package, and that's why he's the best centre-forward in the world, and I've said it for a long, long time."
What next for Arsenal and Tottenham?
Arsenal will next face Brighton in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. After that, they'll take on Southampton the following weekend before clashing with Chelsea and Manchester United in their next two games.
Tottenham, meanwhile, will face Aston Villa this weekend before taking on Brighton, Brentford and Leicester City in their next three games respectively.
It remains to be seen whether they can end up pipping Arsenal to the fourth spot.