Paul Merson points finger of blame and responds to Arsenal failure with new prediction

Arsenal's rubric hopes were dealt a immense set-back aft blowing their 2-0 pb implicit Aston Villa, with the Gunners near frustrated by Mikel Merino's precocious onslaught being ruled retired by VAR

Former Arsenal prima Paul Merson has deed retired astatine "atricious" Thomas Partey aft his torrid show successful the team's 2-2 gully against Aston Villa - and said helium would beryllium "shocked" if Liverpool don't triumph the rubric now.

The Gunners suffered different stroke to their rubric hopes aft squandering a 2-0 pb against Unai Emery's men, with Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz strikes cancelled retired by Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.

Arsenal thought they had won it precocious connected erstwhile Mikel Merino's onslaught recovered its mode into the nett earlier VAR ruled his effort had gone successful disconnected the limb of Havertz.

Merson was acold from blessed with what helium saw from his erstwhile squad and pointed the digit of blasted astatine Partey, who was playing retired of presumption astatine right-back but was good disconnected the gait with mediocre marking and a deficiency of intensity.

He was peculiarly astatine responsibility for Villa's equaliser arsenic helium wholly mislaid Watkins, who had the state and abstraction to interruption wide from the Ghanian and firearm into the nett disconnected the bar.

"They’re 2-0 and the defending for the goals wasn’t bully enough," helium told Sky Sports. "You’ve got to beryllium solid. It was excessively lackadaisical. If you privation to triumph Premier Leagues you’ve got to beryllium connected it.

"Every play you’ve got to crook up and marque it hard. If we look astatine Partey connected the 2nd goal, it’s atrocious. Partey [second goal] erstwhile we ticker it again. I can’t judge it."

"To triumph immoderate league is hard. Anybody wins cups. The gully wins you the FA Cup oregon the Carabao Cup. But the league you’ve got to enactment yourself there."

After Liverpool's 2-0 triumph astatine Brentford - which Arne Slot's men secured with 2 stoppage clip goals from Darwin Nunez - the Reds are present six points wide of the Gunners with a crippled successful hand.

Merson was downbeat connected Arsenal's rubric hopes aft the disappointing effect and said helium would beryllium "shocked" if Liverpool failed to seizure the Premier League crown.

"Liverpool scoring 2 goals successful wounded time, Arsenal 2-0 up, backmost to 2 all," helium added. "[It's] a monolithic swing. I’ll beryllium shocked present if Liverpool didn’t spell connected to triumph the league."

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