Sport
“Chelsea’s Games Get Difficult” – Paul Merson on Their Tough Run
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has shared his latest prediction for the Premier League top four, leaving Chelsea out once again.
Liverpool currently lead the table with 13 points, followed by Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City. However, Merson believes Liverpool will go on to win the league. He sees Arsenal finishing second, Manchester City securing third place, and Newcastle United claiming the final Champions League spot.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Merson acknowledged the competition in the race for the top four, mentioning Fulham and Aston Villa as potential contenders if they can build momentum.
“Chelsea were seventh earlier in the week. They beat Southampton, and Forest couldn’t get past Arsenal. Now, Forest face Man City next, while Chelsea play Leicester at home. If Chelsea win and Forest lose, Chelsea move above them with 10 games left. But Chelsea’s schedule gets tough after that,” he explained.
Merson also hinted at a possible surprise in the top four battle. When asked which team could shake things up, he initially backed Bournemouth but admitted their recent performances had changed his mind.
“If you had asked me last Saturday, I’d have said Bournemouth for sure. They had Wolves at home and Brighton away—I expected them to get at least four points. But they lost both. Now, I’d say Newcastle are more likely to take Forest’s spot,” he added.
Napoli have been cautioned against signing Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, despite his strong form for Atalanta last season. Italian football analyst Marcelo Altamura believes Lookman struggles with tactical discipline and often ignores instructions on the pitch.
Instead, he advised the Serie A champions to go for Mattia Zaccagni and Dan Ndoye, whom he described as more reliable and better suited to Napoli’s system.
Speaking on 1 Station Radio, Altamura explained, “Zaccagni and Ndoye are solid players. Ndoye is fast, technical, and disciplined. Unlike Lookman, he follows instructions and fits into the team structure.”
He described Lookman as a gifted player who can score brilliant goals but tends to drift from the game plan. Lookman finished the 2024–25 Serie A season with 15 goals and 5 assists in 31 appearances, sparking interest from top clubs including Napoli.
TRT Spor pundit Kaya Çilingiroğlu has sparked debate after claiming that Argentina’s Mauro Icardi is a better striker than Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen. Both players were teammates at Galatasaray last season, where Osimhen made a big impact during his loan spell from Napoli. Galatasaray is now pushing to keep the 26-year-old forward permanently, reportedly offering him a staggering €25 million per year to sign a long-term deal.
However, Çilingiroğlu doesn’t seem worried about whether Osimhen stays or not. “Even if Osimhen doesn’t return, it’s not a big deal,” he said. “Icardi is better. If I know football, Osimhen can’t earn that kind of money anywhere else in Europe.” He added that as time passes, Galatasaray gains more leverage in the negotiations.
Jadon Sancho is attracting serious interest from two top Italian clubs as he weighs his next move away from Manchester United this summer.
Juventus have reportedly opened talks with United in recent hours over a potential deal for the England international. Napoli are also keen and have made direct contact with Sancho’s representatives to explore the possibility of bringing him to Naples.
The winger spent last season on loan at Chelsea, but the London side chose not to make the move permanent. Sancho has since returned to Old Trafford, but with new manager Ruben Amorim yet to finalize his squad for next season, the winger’s future remains uncertain. A final decision on his next club is expected soon.
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