Paul Merson believes there is a strong chance that Manchester City could lose to both Chelsea and Arsenal over the next seven days.
Pep Guardiola’s side came crashing back down to earth with a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday and, writing in his Sportskeeda column, Merson said things may yet get worse:
“Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic are all ageing and it was so evident against PSG. City couldn’t live with PSG when they started having a go in that second half. Chelsea can do the same in my opinion. If Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson can run at them, I think they will cause City some serious problems. Pep Guardiola’s men may not be able to live with that kind of pace and energy.”
“City now face a massive challenge to get into the top four this season. They face Arsenal after this game and all the [next] six fixtures starting with Chelsea on Saturday are crucial. If they lose to Chelsea, you can’t expect them to beat Arsenal.”
City’s top four credentials are questioned
Merson says the club are in serious danger of missing out on Champions League qualification. Considering they would be five points behind Chelsea if they lose to the Blues, that is a legitimate concern.
Of course, fifth place could still be enough to qualify but, it must be pointed out, they are only ahead of Newcastle on goal difference currently, with Bournemouth and Aston Villa just behind them.
More signings are required before the transfer deadline
While the Premier League champions have already brought in the likes of Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov, they haven’t really addressed their biggest weakness.
As Merson says, they lack legs in midfield so fans will be hoping for reinforcements in that area before February 3rd. A replacement for Kyle Walker may also be needed.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
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