‘If Liverpool win…’ – Paul Merson makes ominous title race claim ahead of Selhurst Park clash | OneFootball

Paul Merson has claimed that Liverpool could already have one hand on this season’s Premier League title if results were to go their way this weekend.

The Reds go into their 3pm kick-off against Crystal Palace – the only other unbeaten team in the division – with a five-point lead at the top of the table, and they could stretch that to eight on current nearest pursuers Arsenal (who don’t play until tomorrow) and Tottenham Hotspur (8pm tonight).

Arne Slot’s side already have enough of a buffer to lose one game and still remain in first place, although the scheduling of the weekend’s fixtures gives them a chance to steal a further march on the chasing pack.

Merson claims title race could potentially be ‘over’ by tomorrow

In his Premier League predictions column for Sportskeeda, Merson wrote that a win for Liverpool today – coupled with Arsenal losing at Newcastle tomorrow – would open an ominous gap for the teams hoping to usurp the champions and current leaders.

The Sky Sports pundit declared: ‘Should Liverpool win at Selhurst Park, they will go eight points clear of Arsenal before the Gunners play Newcastle away from home.

‘If Liverpool win this game and Arsenal lose on Sunday, the title race is over, finished! I know it sounds crazy and Arsenal have good fixtures coming up, but eight points between them will be too much.

‘We were all choosing between Liverpool and Arsenal at the start of the season. If anyone was on the fence back then and I told them Liverpool would have an eight-point head start, no-one would have backed Arsenal for the title! That was when we still had 38 games left to play, and we only have 32 after this weekend.’

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Merson changing his tune on Liverpool!

Merson had backed Mikel Arteta’s side at the start of the campaign, but appeared to change his mind after they lost at Anfield on matchday 3.

He hasn’t exactly been complimentary of the Reds, though, writing after their win at Burnley a fortnight ago that Slot’s team have been ‘gifted’ six points and ‘should be mid-table’. To therefore declare us a potential champions-elect less than two weeks later is quite the turnaround!

Should Liverpool put themselves more than two games’ reach beyond Arsenal over the weekend, it’d certainly make the north Londoners’ chances of reeling us in all the more difficult and unlikely, particularly with the psychological boost of beating a Palace side who haven’t lost in five months.

Conversely, should the Reds drop points this afternoon and the Gunners claim all three at Newcastle, Arteta’s men will be within arms’ reach of us by Sunday night, and the title race takes on a different narrative.

Whatever happens today and tomorrow, it’s clearly far too early to make any definitive statements about where the Premier League trophy will be presented in May. However, the champions do have the opportunity to strike yet another blow to the chasers if they can emerge victorious from what’ll be a daunting contest against the high-flying Eagles.