Paul Merson has boldly declared that Arsenal will finally break their 22‑year drought and claim another Premier League crown if they can overcome Fulham on Saturday. Yet former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher cautions that Marco Silva’s side could prove to be a dangerous "banana skin" for the title‑chasing Gunners, especially given the congested schedule that lies ahead. The upcoming clash will be broadcast live on Saturday Night Football, with Arsenal entering the match holding a three‑point lead at the summit after a tense 1‑0 win against Newcastle United. That narrow victory saw them leapfrog Manchester City, who still have a game in hand, thanks to a late‑stage goal that lifted the Gunners to the top of the table.
Eberechi Eze’s spectacular strike in the ninth minute of the Newcastle game gave Arsenal an ideal start, but the momentum soon faded. The visitors struggled to maintain control and nearly threw away two points when Yoane Wissa fired a powerful shot that clanged off the cross‑bar from inside the box in the dying minutes. Despite creating only 0.49 expected goals (xG) in that encounter, Merson remains convinced that the next league fixture will be the decisive moment in the title race, irrespective of the nerves that have been evident of late.
"If we beat Fulham, the league will be ours," Merson told the Premier League Show. "Against Newcastle we never looked like we were going to score, and that worries me. You go 1‑0 up against a struggling side, you expect them to push back, but they didn’t.
The problem now is the nerves. At the end of the season any mistake could be the end of the campaign. We can’t afford to finish second for the fourth time in a row." Carragher, however, points to a different set of challenges.
He warns that balancing a demanding Champions League semi‑final against Atletico Madrid with the domestic title race could take a toll on Arsenal’s players. Having just played the first leg in Madrid, the Gunners will be asked to travel back to London and face Fulham just a few days later – a schedule that Carragher describes as a potential "banana skin" for the league leaders.
"If Arsenal keep playing the way they did against Newcastle, I don’t see them winning every game," Carragher said to Sky Sports News. "Their fixture list has been brutal – they’re playing Champions League on Wednesday and then a Premier League match on Saturday.
That’s three games in six days, compared with three games in eight days for most clubs. The recovery time is minimal, especially after a high‑intensity night in Madrid." He added, "Can they recover quickly enough from a Wednesday night in Spain, travel back, and then face Fulham on Saturday? It’s a huge ask, and Fulham are a solid side.
One slip‑up could feel like the league is lost for Arsenal or even Manchester City." Indeed, the Gunners are set to play four matches in just 11 days across both competitions, while Manchester City will have only two fixtures in the same period. This disparity in workload could exacerbate fatigue, a factor that Carragher believes is more pressing than nerves at this stage of the season.
Earlier, before the Newcastle game, much of the discussion around Arsenal’s title bid centred on whether the squad could handle the pressure of a final‑stage push. CarrCarragher now argues that the bigger issue is physical exhaustion. He explained on Monday Night Football, "I’m less convinced Arsenal will win the league after the Newcastle win than I was after the loss to City. There was an energy in the City game that I liked, especially on the counter‑attack.
Against Newcastle they seemed content just to win, perhaps at the expense of quality football." He continued, "My worry isn’t nerves – that’s been there for weeks. My worry is fatigue. Arsenal are the best team when they don’t have the ball, and they press exceptionally well. But when they’re at their peak, they’re hard to beat.
Newcastle, however, moved the ball with ease and reached the edge of the box without much difficulty. It looked too easy for them, which to me signalled fatigue in the Arsenal side." Carragher also referenced the midfield battles, noting that players like Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes would have found it simple to dominate against a tired Arsenal side. "Seeing Newcastle play with such freedom at the Emirates was worrying.
It smacked of fatigue," he said. As the clock ticks down to the Fulham showdown, Arsenal must decide whether they can translate their defensive solidity and pressing intensity into a win that clinches the title.
The Gunners have shown resilience, but the combination of a tight schedule, travel demands, and the quality of the opposition means the margin for error is razor‑thin. Fans can catch the live broadcast on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 5 p.m. on Saturday.
For those looking for a bit of extra excitement, Sky Sports also offers a Super 6 competition with a chance to win £250,000, entry to which is free. The outcome of the Fulham match could very well determine whether Arsenal finally lift the Premier League trophy after more than two decades, or whether fatigue and a tricky opponent prove to be the proverbial banana skin that slips them up the final stretch.