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Really? Paul Merson thinks Spurs & Chelsea will finish in the top four, but not the Red Devils
It’s the international interlull, people are bored, and so Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson appears to have volunteered a provocative statement to rial up football fans this Thursday.

Merson gets paid for being a pundit, and in his latest article for Sky Sports he’s made some bold predictions on which teams will comprise the top four at the end of the season.

Starting with the top two places, Merson believes the title race will be a shoot out between Man City and his former club Woolwich. The ex-pro said:

I can’t split Manchester City and Woolwich, I really can’t…but if you’re forcing me to pick one then I’ve got to with Manchester City because of their squad and what they’re doing without two of their best players.

So where do Manchester United feature in the title race for Merson? Well, nowhere, and the pundit doesn’t even think they’ll make the top four!

Instead Merson has plumped for Tottenham to finish third, and for Jose Mourinho to stage a miracle turnaround at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea salvage their season coming fourth. Explaining those decisions, Merson wrote:

People have got to start respecting Tottenham and I definitely think they’ll finish above Manchester United.

Chelsea have a lot of points to make up but I can see them going on a run while United are capable of drawing too many games.
 
Well, what he says isn't totally unrealistic. I think everyone thinks Chelsea are done for, but in reality they are only 11 points behind us, so four wins while other teams lose, and it wouldn't be unrealistic for them to climb right up the table and be competing for top four. Worth remembering in Harry's last season that we were thirteen points ahead of the scum for a sustained period, but they were only a few places down (if that) and made up the gap on us and eventually finished above. Chelsea are the champions so I don't think it's entirely outside the realm of possibility....subject to the drop in form being just that and Jose not having lost the dressing room.
 
ArtyB said:
Really? Paul Merson thinks Spurs & Chelsea will finish in the top four, but not the Red Devils
It’s the international interlull, people are bored, and so Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson appears to have volunteered a provocative statement to rial up football fans this Thursday.

Merson gets paid for being a pundit, and in his latest article for Sky Sports he’s made some bold predictions on which teams will comprise the top four at the end of the season.

Starting with the top two places, Merson believes the title race will be a shoot out between Man City and his former club Woolwich. The ex-pro said:

I can’t split Manchester City and Woolwich, I really can’t…but if you’re forcing me to pick one then I’ve got to with Manchester City because of their squad and what they’re doing without two of their best players.

So where do Manchester United feature in the title race for Merson? Well, nowhere, and the pundit doesn’t even think they’ll make the top four!

Instead Merson has plumped for Tottenham to finish third, and for Jose Mourinho to stage a miracle turnaround at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea salvage their season coming fourth. Explaining those decisions, Merson wrote:

People have got to start respecting Tottenham and I definitely think they’ll finish above Manchester United.

Chelsea have a lot of points to make up but I can see them going on a run while United are capable of drawing too many games.
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What witchcraft is this?
 
Immersive predictions
It’s international week, so ‘Football Expert & Columnist’ Paul Merson joinsSky Sports to provide us with some predictions for the Premier League season. They’re here to replace his weekend fixture predictions, but fear not, Merse is still bang on form.

We begin with who will win the Premier League title. “I can’t split Manchester City and Woolwich, I really can’t,” says Merson. He backs City within the same paragraph. “It’s a really hard call but if you’re forcing me to pick one…” adds Merson. He does know what predictions are, right?

With (his former club) Woolwich taking second, Merson then predicts Spurs to finish third, demanding that ‘people have got to start respecting’ them. Merson predicted that Spurs would lose 3-0 to Woolwich on Sunday, and admitted that he would be “shocked” if the Gunners didn’t win. Big respect.

Considering Merson also tipped Spurs to finish eighth in another prediction of the final Premier League table after four games in September, it’s been quite the rise for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. They were behind Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Swansea in Merson’s rankings at that point.

Most bizarre though is Merson backing Chelsea to finish fourth. For context, the Blues are currently 16th on 11 points after 12 games; the highest any side has finished after such a poor start is sixth by Aston Villa in 2003/04. Chelsea have to overhaul a 13-point gap on currently fourth-placed Manchester United, never mind the 11 teams separating those two sides. Chelsea could go on an incredible run – contrary to their current form and all common sense – but them finishing fourth also relies on numerous other teams suffering sudden drops in form.

Those teams also include the current holders of the fourth-placed trophy, Manchester United. On how Chelsea will finish above the Red Devils, Merson says Louis van Gaal’s side ‘go out not to lose’ games as opposed to Chelsea’s desire to win them. Considering the Blues have lost seven of their 12 Premier League games so far this season to United’s two, perhaps they’d be best advised to adopt such tactics more often.

Mediawatch: Sterling, The Sun and digging - Football365
 
It's like turning your back on Michael Myers because you're certain he's dead. Then the creepy music starts and you find yourself running for your life again. I can't bring myself to turn my back on Chelski just yet. I won't believe they're dead until it's a mathematical certainty. Spooky bastards.
 
Chelsea, Chelsea
Paul Merson remarkably predicts Chelsea will finish fourth, Sky Sports website, November 13: ‘There’s still a long time for Chelsea to make up that gap and, while it’s a hard, hard one to call, I fancy Chelsea to just edge it.’

Paul Merson previews Chelsea v Norwich, Sky Sports website, November 20: ‘If they don’t win, I think top four is out of the question and Jose Mourinho will be under so much more pressure.’

Well they do say a week is a ‘long time’ in football.



Suits you
‘I think it’s a nice game for Liverpool’ begins the Magic Man’s prediction for Manchester City v Liverpool.

‘I think it’s another game that suits Aston Villa in a way’ begins the Magic Man’s prediction for Everton v Aston Villa.

He then proceeds to predict they will both lose 2-0. Which presumably they will both really, really enjoy.



Behind the times
One last thing from Paul Merson, who has noticed that Leicester have garnered a few points from going behind. When something finally lodges in Merson’s brain, it takes some shifting.

‘Leicester are the best team you’ll ever see when they’re 2-0 down, but before 2-0 down they’re not as impressive,’ says a proud Merson.

Which will come as something of a surprise to anybody who has watched their last three Premier League victories in which they have been behind (by one goal) for a grand total of 27 minutes.

Mediawatch: Klopp the 'cyborg law enforcer' - Football365
 
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