Paul Merson believes Arsenal’s Premier League title chances are “100 per cent” over with Mikel Arteta admitting his side face a “big test” following Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.
Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League for the first time since 2004 were dealt a huge blow by former boss Unai Emery, whose Villa team scored two goals late on to claim an impressive victory at the Emirates.
The Gunners would have returned to the top of the Premier League with a win and were even handed a boost before kick-off when Liverpool slumped to defeat against Crystal Palace.
But Arsenal’s shock loss to Champions League-chasing Villa has once again handed the initiative to Manchester City, who are now two points clear at the summit after thrashing Luton on Saturday.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Aston Villa’s win against Arsenal in the Premier League
While there are still six games to play, Merson thinks his former side are now out of the race.
“For me, it’s gone – 100 per cent,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s completely turned on its head now. Man City put pressure on them by playing first and they couldn’t handle it. But take nothing away from Crystal Palace and Aston Villa they were absolutely outstanding.”
‘Arteta picked the wrong team’
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports’ Gail Davis and Joe Shread discuss Arsenal’s damaging defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates
Arteta made three changes to his side following Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard replaced Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho and Gabriel Martinelli as Kai Havertz moved into midfield. It was a decision that left Merson slightly perplexed.
“I said before the game I didn’t like Arteta’s decision with the team he picked.
“Keep on playing the same team that wins every week, don’t have the wool pulled over your eyes for a 25-minute cameo against Bayern Munich. Jesus comes on and does well and he moves Havertz.
“They’ve won nine of 10 with Jorginho and Havertz playing where they were. It was a bench today that if it wasn’t going right, he didn’t have anyone. Usually, you have [Leandro] Trossard and Jesus to come on.
“He did it against Southampton last season (3-3 draw at home) when he left Jorginho out last season. The pressure gets to everybody. That’s where you need a Pep Guardiola who keeps cool.”
Arteta: The moment is now | ‘We have to react’
While Merson was pessimistic about Arsenal’s title chances, Arteta believes his side are still in the mix but insists they have to react – starting against Bayern in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“We can’t control [Manchester City]. What we can control is that when we have the run we had when you win, win, win, win, it’s easy. The moment is now. After this blow, it’s how we react. Now it’s a big test for us,” Arteta said.
“We have the best opportunity to react against Bayern Munich. The team has to show it. If you want to win, you have to overcome these situations.
“With the games we had, this was going to happen. It is now about how we react. This is in our control.
“In any other league in the world, if you won the number of games in a row that we did, you would be six or eight points clear. That is not the case here. That is the challenge.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal prove their mental strength after their Premier League defeat by Aston Villa and wants to see a reaction against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday
The Gunners missed several chances in the first half before their lack of composure in the final third was eventually punished late in the game by Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins.
Emiliano Martinez producing a sensational save to deny Leandro Trossard from close range was a standout moment but Arsenal struggled to get going after the break.
“Two very different performances. The first half was superb, one of the best halves we have played against a top team. It should have been three or four – or more,” Arteta said.
“We didn’t put that score line up and didn’t reflect that second half. We lacked momentum. We didn’t have the flow we had in the first half and then we conceded two very, very poor goals.
“Credit to them, in the second half we were a bit unprecise with the ball, we weren’t able to do what we did in the first half. In the end we lost it so we have to congratulate them on the points.
“When you are at this level, you have to punish them, it is not like you can do that for 90-95 minutes against a top opponent.
“If you can’t do that then at least don’t concede. We couldn’t do that.
“We have to be more patient in the second half to find our moments. We were trying to do that with the changes but that’s when we conceded.”
Neville: Arteta must stop the balloon from bursting
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Gary Neville says Arsenal are already in a much better place than this time last season, but it’s about how they react following their disappointing 2-0 loss to Aston Villa
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville at the Emirates:
“It feels a huge day in this season’s title race. A wonderful second half from Villa, Emery and all his players. They were outstanding. They completely turned the tables, they played and they played and they played – and wore Arsenal down.
“Arsenal didn’t seem to have the answer. A big, big job now for Arteta this week to make sure that isn’t the balloon bursting on this season.”
What’s next?
Arsenal travel to Bayern Munich for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday; kick-off 8pm. The first leg finished 2-2.
Their next Premier League fixture is live on Sky Sports at Wolves next Saturday; kick-off 7.30pm.
Saturday 20th April 7:00pm
Kick off 7:30pm
Aston Villa visit Lille for the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final on Thursday; kick-off 5.45pm.
Villa then return to Premier League action at home to Bournemouth next Sunday; kick-off 3pm.
Ad content | Stream Sky Sports on NOW
Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League, EFL, F1, England Cricket and so much more.
Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp!
You can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel!
This content is provided by , which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow cookies for this session only.
Jones Knows takes aim at another exciting Premier League weekend, offering up his insight and betting analysis as he sees more misery for Manchester United.
Newcastle vs Tottenham, Saturday 12.30pm
St James’ Park remains a fortress.
Since the start of last season in 35 domestic Premier League games against teams that aren’t Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City – Newcastle have lost just once. On that basis the Evens available on the draw-no-bet with Sky Bet makes sense here.
Any winners for Jones Knows in midweek?
Arsenal to win to nil vs Brighton (2/1)
West Ham draw no bet vs Wolves (5/4)
Brentford double chance vs Villa (5/4)
BTTS & Over 2.5 goals in Spurs vs Forest (10/11)
Axel Disasi to make +1 foul (4/5)
Axel Disasi to make +2 fouls (4/1)
Liverpool +7 corners vs Man Utd (5/4)
Wins for Everton, Newcastle, West Ham, Man City, Arsenal
Tottenham might be on their way to becoming a Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City but they’re certainly not there yet and remain quite flaky and untrustworthy out of possession. Newcastle have only lost just two of their last 10 matches, taking 18 points and would be fifth in a league table over that period. Eddie Howe deserves credit for steadying the ship.
Alexander Isak owes me a goal.
He cost us the 13/2 best bet treble last weekend after the other two legs won. But this looks a great spot for him with Evens on offer with Sky Bet for him to score anytime. Spurs (81%) and Newcastle (71%) sit first and third when it comes to percentage of their Premier League games going over 2.5 goals – so a goals-based bet has to be considered. Isak is that play.
He’s scored 10 goals in his last 14 appearances and his goals per 90 rate is the fourth best of any player in the Premier League at 0.70. In a goal heavy game, he can get in on the act.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-2 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Alexander Isak to score (Evens with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)
Brentford vs Sheffield United, Saturday 3pm
Chris Wilder has found a formula to make Sheffield United competitive. It revolves around playing Ben Brereton-Diaz and Oli McBurnie as the battering rams. They have lost just once in their last four Premier League games – and that was at Liverpool – scoring eight goals in the process.
Brentford are in a false position in the Premier League based on their performance numbers but just one win in 12 Premier League games does make this a pressure game for them where expectation is high. The Blades did win the first meeting this season 1-0 at Bramall Lane and are playing with enough of a threat to make their quotes of 15/8 with Sky Bet for them to avoid defeat look quite attractive.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Semi-automated offside technology is coming to the Premier League next season and Sky Sports journalist Pete Smith explains all you need to know!
Fouls conceded against the Blades from opposition centre backs is a trend that I’ve jumped on with Brereton-Diaz and McBurnie a real hardcore front two. They have drawn 13 fouls between them in those four matches with centre-backs being responsible for nine of those fouls.
Mathias Jorgensen, or Zanka, has made at least one foul in his last seven games so could get lured into some rough stuff with the Blades front two. He’s 5/2 with Sky Bet to commit two or more fouls.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2
Burnley vs Brighton, Saturday 3pm – PLAY SUPER 6 TO WIN £250,000!
Despite the Premier League goal rush, I just won’t forgive myself if I don’t take a strong view on the prices available for under goals here. We’re dealing with two of the worst attacks in the Premier League since December – that’s a healthy sample size of 19 matches.
If you take out matches against Sheffield United since December, Burnley have scored 17 goals in 18 matches – 0.94 goals per game while if you remove Sheffield United from the equation again, Brighton have scored just 13 goals in their last 15 games across all competitions.
In those 15 games they’ve scored more than one goal in a game just twice – in wins over Crystal Palace and Stoke in the FA Cup. The markets are expecting almost three goals in this game which makes no sense to me.
The under 2.5 goals line at 6/5 with Sky Bet is one of the best plays on the weekend card.
Also, nine of Brighton’s 31 Premier League games this season have ended 0-0 or 1-1 – that’s 21 per cent strike rate.
Splitting your stakes on the 0-0 at 14/1 with Sky Bet and 1-1 at 6/1 could be a profitable strategy.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Under 2.5 goals (5/4 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)
Manchester City vs Luton, Saturday 3pm – PLAY SUPER 6 TO WIN £250,000!
The prices surrounding Luton to score are begging to be backed. There is Evens with Sky Bet on offer on Rob Edwards’ side finding the net, something they’ve achieved in 19 of their last 20 Premier League games, only failing on that front away at Arsenal. And let’s not forget, even Manchester City haven’t scored against the Gunners in the Premier League this season.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Ron Walker explores how this season’s epic Premier League title race could be decided by a play-off match
City have conceded 31 Premier League goals this season already having conceded just 33 in the whole of last season and 26 in whole of the 21/22 campaign. It’s a defence that has looked more susceptible to counter-attacks this season and Luton have already scored three goals in the two previous meetings this season.
Ross Barkley’s prices are also worth a second look. He leads the way for Luton this season for shots per 90 (2.48) with a recent record of hitting the target seven times in his last five matches. He is encouraged to join attacks from his central area. That makes the 2/1 on offer with Sky Bet for him to register at least one shot on target look appealing – as does the 9/1 about his anytime goalscorer chances.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-1
Nottingham Forest vs Wolves, Saturday 3pm – PLAY SUPER 6 TO WIN £250,000!
If the raw numbers are anything to go by, then a draw looks the obvious starting point here at 5/2 with Sky Bet.
Nottingham Forest have won 15 points from 15 Premier League games under Nuno Espirito Santo and the last three meetings between these two clubs in all competitions have ended 1-1. If it looks like a draw, quacks like a draw, then it’s probably a draw.
A potentially profitable betting angle to exploit revolves around cards being shown to Wolves players defending down the Forest right flank.
Anthony Elanga and Neco Williams are direct dribblers, who do have a strong ratio for drawing fouls that leads to cards.
Elanga has drawn a yellow card off an opponent every 343 minutes since joining Nottingham Forest while Williams is drawing one every 401 minutes. This double whammy of attacking trickery could leave Toti – the left-sided defender in the Wolves back three – very vulnerable to a card. He has been booked in three of his last five starts, so the 3/1 with Sky Bet could be a slice of value.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1
Bournemouth vs Manchester United, Saturday 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports – PLAY SUPER 6 TO WIN £250,000!
Erik ten Hag is a member to the ‘results only matter’ crew, isn’t he? Despite the disjointed football that allows so much traffic towards their goal, Ten Hag has no interest in ripping up his unsustainable blueprint.
Being a defender at Manchester United is hard work. You are kept very busy. In their last six fixtures, United have faced a total of 162 shots – that’s 27 per game, had to defend 68 corners – that’s 11.3 per game and have conceded a per-game average of 2.86 worth of expected goals.
When using Opta’s expected points model which assesses key expected goals for and against data to quantify the expected points gained, in results since December 1, Manchester United would be 17th in the Premier League.
Datawrapper
This content is provided by Datawrapper, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Datawrapper cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Datawrapper cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Datawrapper cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
And, interestingly, Bournemouth are fourth in that particular table.
Ten Hag’s side will continue on their quest of being the best ‘moments’ team in Premier League history – they are fantastic at that.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Speaking on the Essential Football podcast, Sky Sports football journalists Peter Smith and Nicholas Wright discuss whether Manchester United need to consider a complete revamp of their playing squad at the end of the season
Whether that’ll be enough of a game-plan to beat a thoroughly well-drilled and expertly coached side in Bournemouth is doubtful. Andoni Iraola’s team are rightly boasting the favourites tag to win at 29/20 with Sky Bet.
The Bournemouth simply shots line has to be of interest based on United’s recent numbers. Since December 1, United have faced an average of 20.11 shots per 90, therefore the home side to register 20 or more shots at 5/4 with Sky Bet looks worth considering.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-1
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports – PLAY SUPER 6 TO WIN £250,000!
Any opportunity we get to back both teams to score around Evens should be gobbled up this season in the Premier League. It’s a bet that has landed in 62.9 per cent of games – a huge increase on the average from the last five seasons of 50.66 as the goal rush in this league continues to flow at never-before-seen levels.
Well, the price is 5/6 with Sky Bet here and looks a confident selection.
Liverpool have allowed the opposition to score at least one goal in 15 of their last 18 matches across all competitions and looked like the Liverpool of last season on Thursday night in their mind-boggling 3-0 defeat to Atalanta.
If their midfield structure crumbles in similar fashion, then Crystal Palace’s attacking players do possess enough quality to punish them. Jean-Philippe Mateta is thriving under the new boss, scoring five goals in his last nine Premier League appearances while the dynamic duo of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise could be reunited in a Palace starting XI for the first time in 11 Premier League games. They can find a way to goal.
SCORE PREDICTION: 4-2 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Both teams to score (5/6 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)
West Ham vs Fulham, Sunday 2pm
Fulham have won once away from home in their last 15 Premier League games – a 2-1 win over Manchester United in February.
It’s a dismal run of results that included trips to Burnley, Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Wolves. On what we’ve seen in recent weeks West Ham are a better functioning outfit than any other those four so it actually makes their win price of 11/8 with Sky Bet look quite generous.
Further confidence can be taken in a home win as Lucas Paqueta is guaranteed to start following his booking in Leverkusen that rules him out of Thursday’s second leg.
As we’ve referenced before, when he plays, West Ham’s attacking output thrives. Since the start of last season, West Ham average 1.6 goals per game with him in the team and 0.6 without while their points-per-game ratio increases from 0.6 to 1.6 per game with the Brazilian in the starting XI.
After bagging penalty duty off James Ward-Prowse in the win over Wolves, his prices in the goalscorer markets make appeal with 100/30 with Sky Bet on offer for him to score. That’s a nice angle but a juicier way to get a Paqueta masterclass onside would be to back him to score or assist in a West Ham win at 11/4 using the Bet Builder with Sky Bet.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-1
Arsenal vs Aston Villa, Sunday 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports – PLAY SUPER 6 TO WIN £250,000!
With Bayern Munich on the horizon, Arsenal may want this match done and dusted by half-time. Since returning from their Dubai winter break, Arsenal have been synonymous with fast starts. They have scored 20 goals in their 11 first halves – that’s seven more goals than any other team – and that statistic is backed up by their expected goals figure in first halves (14.78) which is also the most of any team for that period.
Aston Villa aren’t expected to put up much resistance with Arsenal priced up at 1/5 by Sky Bet but adding that first-half goals angle into the mix to boost the price could be a way to play this. You can get to 4/5 if you back Arsenal/Arsenal in the half-time/full-time market. This game may play out like Arsenal’s recent win over Luton, where they roared into a 2-0 first-half lead before putting their cue on the rack to preserve energy.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-0
Chelsea vs Everton, Monday 8pm, live on Sky Sports
Everton at 7/2 with Sky Bet? Yes please.
Sean Dyche’s team are everything Chelsea are not. Streetwise, defensively secure and reliable.
This match sets up perfectly tactically for Everton to sit deep and frustrate the hosts, who have had huge problems turning mass possession into results against the lesser likes. There’s an over reliance developing on Cole Palmer too, which is masking their problems – he’s scored or assisted 50 per cent of Chelsea’s Premier League goals since his debut.
Stop him and you stop Chelsea. Dyche will have a plan.
I’m advising going fishing for a big-price winner here too, with that Everton win price in mind.
With the Toffees desperate for points, adding Everton player cards to the Everton win makes sense with the likelihood of time wasting and cynical fouls very much at play in the latter stages.
Jordan Pickford (5/1 with Sky Bet) will be running down the clock at every opportunity. He was carded in wins over Arsenal and Bournemouth last season and has been booked three times this season. Also, James Tarkowski (3/1 with Sky Bet) has been looking more uncomfortable than usual in recent weeks when asked to engage with the opposition up the pitch, picking up a card for late challengers in his last three Premier League games.
Adding both players to be carded to an Everton win results in a 80/1 shot using the Bet Builder.
SCORE PREDICTION: 0-1
Ad content | Stream Sky Sports on NOW
Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League, EFL, F1, England Cricket and so much more.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says his players are relishing the run-in ahead of their next fixture against Aston Villa.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok