“It sounds strange, but…” — Paul Merson delivers his Arsenal vs Liverpool prediction as questions are raised over Slot
Paul Merson has offered his verdict ahead of Liverpool’s heavyweight Premier League clash away to Arsenal on Thursday night, with the reigning champions travelling to face the league leaders at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s side head into the contest holding a commanding 14-point lead over the Reds, who have endured a frustrating start to 2026 with back-to-back draws against Leeds and Fulham. Liverpool could also be without their top scorer Hugo Ekitike, should the forward fail to recover from injury in time.
Chris Sutton has already predicted a comfortable home victory for Arsenal, and Merson has echoed that view.
Merson’s prediction for Arsenal v Liverpool
Writing in his midweek Premier League predictions for Sportskeeda, the former Arsenal midfielder tipped his old club to secure a 3-1 win.
He said: “If you’re Arsenal, this is the perfect moment to play Liverpool. A win at the Emirates would end Liverpool’s title hopes completely. Something just doesn’t seem right with Liverpool at the moment, and I can’t see them getting anything from this game.
“It sounds strange, but I’d genuinely be more surprised by Liverpool winning at Arsenal than by Wolves or Leeds picking up away wins this weekend. Arsenal’s second string would give problems to almost every team in the league — that’s how strong their squad is.”
Merson also questioned one of Arne Slot’s late decisions during last weekend’s draw, adding: “I don’t understand why Slot took Cody Gakpo off after he’d scored against Fulham. If Gakpo stays on, he probably tracks Harrison Reed before that incredible late goal. For me, it was a really poor call from the Liverpool manager.”
Liverpool should not be written off
Despite the widespread expectation that Arsenal will prevail, Liverpool have already beaten Arteta’s side this season — along with victories over Real Madrid, Aston Villa and Inter Milan — without conceding a single goal in those matches.
It has been dropped points against lower-half opposition that have damaged their league campaign, rather than struggles in big games. Even without Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah and potentially Ekitike, Slot still has enough quality at his disposal to approach this fixture without fear.
Liverpool are rarely viewed as clear underdogs in domestic matches, and that status could work in their favour. The pressure will be firmly on Arsenal to take the initiative, particularly if Manchester City and Aston Villa both win to close the gap at the top.
While neutrals may understandably back the Gunners, it’s worth remembering that Liverpool — not Arsenal — are proven title winners. This match presents a perfect chance for Slot’s side to silence critics like Merson and Sutton, and remind everyone exactly why Liverpool are the reigning champions of England. 🔴
