Merson names two ‘absolutely outstanding’ stars who can help Arsenal ‘steamroller’ to Premier League glory

Paul Merson thinks the “statement” win for Arsenal over Bayern Munich will make Europe sit up and take notice – and he’s named the two absolutely “phenomenal” stars vital for their cause and poised to help them stroll to Premier League glory.

The Gunners beat arguably European football’s most in-form team right now in Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, claiming a devastating 3-1 win in the Champions League to move Mikel Arteta’s side top of the table. Having also gone unbeaten in their last 16 games in all competitions, Arsenal are also top of the Premier League and finally look well placed to end their wait for trophy glory.

Whether that comes in the Premier League, Champions League, or both, remains to be seen, but after witnessing their crushing display at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, Merson has been left wowed.

“It’s a huge statement from Arsenal,” Merson told Sky Sports.

“That goes all around Europe. People will be watching and seeing this result. They will be saying ‘wow’, especially because of what Bayern have done to Arsenal in recent years.

“This Bayern Munich team are blowing everyone away. I know the Bundesliga is not like the Premier League, but they are proven in Europe. They go deep in European competition.

“Arsenal were outstanding. The first half was touch-and-go. Both sides had their moments, but in the second half, Arsenal steamrolled them.”

Merson reckons Arsenal’s strength in depth sets them apart from all other sides this season, but has also named Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi as the two players who are vital to their cause…

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Mikel Arteta purring after beating ‘Europe’s best side’

After Rice was named as Arsenal’s man of the match against Bayern, Merson was quick to wax lyrical.

He said: “Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard and Ben White came on. They were the five subs and they walk into the first XIs of most teams.

“For how big the squad is and how good it is, they cannot afford to lose Declan Rice. The man gets better and better and better.

“He was absolutely outstanding and he ran Bayern into the ground.

“He is Arsenal’s most important player – one million per cent. But Martin Zubimendi deserves a mention too. He was phenomenal.”

Off the back of that, Merson thinks Arsenal will blow Chelsea away on Sunday – and if they do, he feels the title will be theirs.

“Sit down and buckle in on Sunday”, he said.

“This is a Super Sunday. Chelsea vs Arsenal is a massive football match.

“If Arsenal win it, I think it is good night nurse. I think it will be all over.

“They won’t be caught and they’ll just blow everyone away.”

Arteta, meanwhile, was quick to praise his players for their victory, claiming they had seen off Europe’s best.

“I have to praise our players because I think they had an incredible match against, in my opinion, the best team in Europe,” he said.

“Individually, we were immense in resolving all the challenges that these teams bring to the table.

“They know how hard we work to prepare for every single game. We know that the margins are super small. We started the week really well against Spurs, winning here at home. Today is another massive victory, but that’s it.

“We’ve certainly been very consistent in the competition so far, but it’s just the beginning. We are so pleased with what we’ve seen today.

“Again, the energy that we created in the stadium, what the team transmits, the energy that we bring, the quality that we play with, it’s incredible. And we have to maintain that because it’s still very early.”

Latest Arsenal news: LaLiga dynamo eyed; Odegaard 2.0 under watch

Meanwhile, Arsenal have emerged as frontrunners to sign a hugely talented LaLiga midfielder, but TEAMtalk can reveal that Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester City have also made contact with the player’s representatives, teeing up a furious transfer battle in the January window.

Elsewhere, despite getting the better of Bayern, the Gunners will have been interested to see the visitors’ 17-year-old attacking midfielder, Lennart Karl, make his impact felt.

The Gunners are reportedly interested in the teenager, and the clash at the Emirates was billed by some as an ‘audition’ over whether they could move for him in the future.

In other news, Chelsea are interested in Arsenal left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly – keeping an eye on his situation amid his lack of consistent playing time.

Arsenal are not willing to let Lewis-Skelly join Chelsea mid-season, but he could be one to watch next summer if he stays out of Arteta’s starting XI.

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