Louis Sealey
Published December 11, 2025 5:57pm
Updated December 11, 2025 5:57pm
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Arsenal legend Paul Merson (Picture: Getty)
Paul Merson has warned Arsenal they ‘won’t win the Premier League’ if Mikel Arteta does not bring one of his star players back into the team.
Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table has been cut to just two points ahead of Saturday’s clash against bottom-placed Wolves.
The Gunners, without a league title since 2004, threatened to run away with the title race just a matter of weeks ago but have since come back to the chasing pack.
Last weekend’s deflating defeat to Aston Villa was only Arsenal’s second loss of the season and gave Manchester City the chance to move to within two points of Mikel Arteta’s side.
Merson fully expects Arsenal, who beat Club Brugge 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, to get back to winning ways in the Premier League when Wolves visit the Emirates Stadium this weekend.
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The Gunners hero hopes to see Viktor Gyokeres back in the team and says it would be a mistake for Arteta to persist with Mikel Merino as a false nine.
Central midfielder Merino performed that role regularly last season due to Arsenal’s injury crisis but Merson believes that tactic could end up costing his former club the title this term.
Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyokeres (Picture: Getty)
Gyokeres, a £64m summer signing from Sporting, missed most of November through injury and has started on the bench in Arsenal’s last four games.
Looking ahead to the Wolves clash, Merson told Sportskeeda: ‘4-0 to Arsenal? 5-0? Honestly, it could be anything! I don’t know from where Wolves can find a win this season.
‘This is the perfect game for Arsenal after that loss to Aston Villa and a midweek trip away from home to face Club Brugge in the Champions League.
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Previous Page Next Page‘When Arsenal get on top of teams, they really dominate and I can see Wolves struggling in this game.
‘I thought Mikel Arteta got it wrong when he used Mikel Merino as the centre-forward in the game against Villa.
‘I know Merino scores a lot of important goals but Villa were bang in form and they needed someone like Viktor Gyokeres in that line-up to unsettle the opponents.
Mikel Merino has often played as a false nine (Picture: Getty)
‘You pay all that money for the ‘missing link’ and he sits on the bench for three straight games. If he had fitness issues, why is he on the bench? I don’t understand it.
‘I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, Arsenal won’t win the league if they keep playing Merino as their centre-forward.
‘Only thing I liked about Arteta last week is the fact that he had a go. I like that positivity from him.
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‘Arsenal have also had to deal with quite a few injuries in recent weeks, so Arteta hasn’t been able to pick his best XI for certain games. I expect them to return to winning ways on Saturday.’
Arsenal beat Premier League rivals Manchester United to a deal for Gyokeres, who scored almost a goal a game in Portugal.
Gyokeres has been unable to hit those numbers in the Premier League, however, scoring four goals in 13 appearances.
Wolves travel to north London this weekend having registered just two points from 15 games this season and sitting 13 points from safety.
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