Scholes backs one Arsenal star to ‘save their season’ as Merson makes CL prediction – ‘I dread to think’ | OneFootball

Paul Scholes has named one Arsenal star who could “save their season”, while Paul Merson has made a bleak Champions League prediction.

Arsenal are likely still reeling from losing 2-0 to Manchester City in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

The Gunners have arguably been the best team in the Premier League and Europe this season, but they did not turn up at Wembley and were deservedly beaten by Man City.

With this result, Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Quadruple are over and Man City may now have extra impetus to close in on their rivals for the Premier League title.

Scholes has argued that Man City’s win against Arsenal at the weekend is a “victory for football”, and has explained why teenager Max Dowman might be needed to “save” his side’s “season”.

“I was actually quite happy Man City won because it’s a victory for football,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

“If you think about the two teams and the way they play, you want the team who try to play the best football to win the game, I don’t care who it is.

“The only way Arsenal were going to win that game was if they scored one of those early chances and then shut up shop which would have been boring, it would have been the worst game ever.

“They haven’t got a team to do it, they haven’t got players with flair, it sounds harsh but they’re workmanlike. There’s no flair about the team whatsoever, you have to say they missed [Eberechi] Eze and [Martin] Odegaard who possibly could give them something, but even when they’re available they’ve not played free-flowing football.

“I do think they’ve become obsessed with the set-pieces and taken their eye off the rest of the game. You don’t have to entertain to win the league but as fans you want to see more.

“As I said, the two No. 10s were missing who are very good players but they didn’t bring Max Dowman on. He could be the person, as a 16-year-old kid, who might save their season a little bit because he can bring a bit of flair to them.”

And Merson is worried about Arsenal, with the pundit suspecting Barcelona will comfortably beat his former side if they clash in the Champions League.

“Watching that game and that second half, I don’t see Arsenal winning anything else but the Premier League,” Merson told Sky Sports.

“Man City are still in the FA Cup. Watching that game, you’d be shocked if Arsenal went back to Wembley and beat them.

“And then in the Champions League, I look at Barcelona – who Arsenal are on course to play in the semi-finals – and Arsenal haven’t got the pace to trouble Barcelona’s high line.

“The forward players aren’t electric – they’re not like Anthony Elanga or Anthony Gordon who caused Barcelona problems in the last 16.