Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has boldly declared that a win against Fulham could finally end the Gunners' 22‑year drought without a Premier League title. While Merson is confident that a triumph will clinch the championship, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has cautioned that Marco Silva's Fulham side could act as a "banana skin" – a tricky obstacle that might derail Arsenal's title charge.
Arsenal head into the Saturday night clash with Fulham, broadcast live on Sky Sports' Saturday Night Football, holding a three‑point lead at the summit of the table. That advantage came after Arsenal leaptfrog Manchester City – who still have a game in hand – thanks to a tense 1‑0 victory over Newcastle United in their previous league outing.
In that Newcastle game, Eberechi Eze produced a spectacular strike in the ninth minute, giving Arsenal an early boost. However, the Gunners struggled to maintain momentum and were nearly denied the full points when Yoane Wissa hammered a close‑range effort over the bar in the dying minutes.
Despite the drama, Arsenal's expected‑goals (xG) metric for the match was a modest 0.49, indicating a performance that fell short of their usual standards. Merson, speaking on the Premier League Show, insisted that the upcoming Fulham fixture will be decisive for the title race, regardless of the nerves that have plagued Arsenal of late.
"If we beat Fulham, it'll be Arsenal's league title," he asserted. He added that the team’s display against Newcastle was worrying: "Arsenal never really looked like scoring, and that's a concern. You go 1‑0 up against a struggling Newcastle side, you think they'll push forward, but they didn't." He continued, "The problem is everyone is nervous.
As the season draws to a close, any mistake could be the end of the campaign. It was a hard watch, not because the football was poor, but because of the tension. You can't finish second four times in a row." Carragher, meanwhile, highlighted the physical toll of juggling domestic and European commitments.
Arsenal have just played a Champions League semi‑final first leg against Atletico Madrid, meaning they will travel back from a Wednesday night in Spain to face Fulham on Saturday – a turnaround that tests recovery and squad depth. "If Arsenal continue in that vein, as we saw against Newcastle, I don't see them winning all the games," Carragher told Sky Sports News.
He noted that Arsenal's schedule is tighter than Manchester City's, with the Gunners playing four matches in 11 days across the Premier League and Champions League, while City only have two fixtures in the same period. The former defender warned that the compressed timetable could turn Fulham into a "banana skin" for Arsenal.
"You're playing three games in six days instead of three in eight. That's a big difference at this stage of the season, especially when fatigue sets in. Can you recover quickly enough from a Wednesday night in Madrid, travel back, and then play Saturday against Fulham? That's a tall order, and Fulham are a decent side.
One slip could feel like the league is lost." Carragher also expressed doubts about Arsenal's ability to sustain their form after the Newcastle win. On Monday Night Football he said, "I'm less convinced about Arsenal winning the league after the victory over Newcastle than I was after the defeat to Manchester City.
There was an energy I liked against City, especially on the counter‑attack. They just needed to win against Newcastle, so perhaps they didn't care as much about the overall football. My worry now is fatigue." He praised Arsenal's pressing when the team is at its best, calling them "the best team in the league without the ball" and one of Europe's top pressing units.
Yet he observed that Newcastle seemed comfortable at the Emirates, making passes and reaching the edge of the box with ease, which to him signalled fatigue within the Arsenal ranks. "It was far too easy for Newcastle to dictate play. It smacked of fatigue for me," Carragher argued. Looking ahead, Arsenal must balance the immediate pressure of securing three points against Fulham with the longer‑term challenge of navigating the Champions League semi‑final second leg and the final stretch of the Premier League.
Arteta's squad depth will be tested, especially in midfield where players like Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard and the emerging Gabriel Martinelli will need to manage minutes wisely. If Arsenal manage to overcome Fulham, they will likely seal the title with a few games to spare, ending a two‑decade wait for the Premier League crown.
However, the risk of a slip‑up remains real, given the congested schedule, the physical demands of European travel, and the psychological pressure of a title race that has seen both Arsenal and Manchester City exchange leads. Fans can catch the live action on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 5 p.m. on Saturday, with the possibility of a dramatic finish that could finally bring the long‑awaited league trophy back to North London.