Arsenal legend explains why Tottenham title hopes are already over

Tottenham’s defeat to Newcastle United at home on Sunday has already cost them any chance of winning the Premier League title this season, claims Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.

Tottenham followed up their opening day victory over Aston Villa with a draw on the road at champions Manchester City before the surprise defeat at home to Newcastle.

And Merson thinks that loss already puts them too far behind Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title – a view seemingly shared by talismanic striker Harry Kane.

“I must admit, I didn’t see this coming – Tottenham losing at home to Newcastle. Spurs look in disarray, a worrying sign this early in the season,” Merson wrote in his Sky Sports column.

“They are out of the title race already, five points behind Liverpool with three games played. That may sound harsh, but would you back Spurs to win the league over Liverpool if Liverpool had a five-point head start?

“People go on and on about there being 35 games left but I’m fed up with that rhetoric, five points is a lot of points to make up.

“As a general rule, it takes five games to make up five points, Liverpool lost once last season and have won every game so far this, so where are Spurs going to bridge the gap?

“Before a ball was kicked, I thought Spurs were a dead cert to finish in the top three, now they look in the equation for top four football after their performances.”

 

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