Former England midfielder Paul Merson has voiced a stark warning about the prospects of Premier League leaders Manchester City, insisting that the Citizens have "no way" of clinching the championship if they continue with their current style of play. Merson’s comments came after City’s impressive 5-3 victory over Sunderland, which marked a flawless start to the campaign under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca, taking them to five wins from five matches.
Maresca’s side now sit three points clear of the defending champions Arsenal, who suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton on Saturday, as the league pauses for a three‑week international break. In his analysis, Merson reflected on the broader implications of City’s performance and why he believes Arsenal remain the more reliable title contenders.
"I was watching the game and thinking, ‘If Manchester City put on a show and beat Sunderland convincingly, it could trigger a massive momentum swing.’" Merson explained. "Arsenal had been thoroughly outplayed – it was a deserved loss – and I imagined they would go on to win the league comfortably without dropping too many points. Was I wrong?" His answer was a decisive "no." After seeing City’s display against Sunderland, Merson concluded, "There is no way Manchester City win the league. You can’t win matches by just scoring a lot of goals; you can’t rely on that kind of football forever.
The top clubs will eventually expose the flaws." He pointed out that while Sunderland are not among the highest‑scoring teams in the country, they still managed three goals and could have added more. "Going forward, City were impressive in attack but defensively they were all over the place. That kind of inconsistency catches up with you, especially when you face the biggest teams," he warned.
Merson also recalled Maresca’s reputation from his time at Chelsea, describing the manager as someone who dislikes chaos and prefers a disciplined approach. "Enzo Maresca isn’t a chaos manager. He likes structure, and a result like this won’t sit well with him," Merson said.
He acknowledged City’s recent 2-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, achieved after United were reduced to ten men, but argued the victory was not as impressive as it seemed. "When you play 11‑against‑11, United were clearly the better side.
When the game turned 10‑vs‑11, the pressure eases and you can sit back a little. That’s not a true test of quality," he noted, adding that a well‑organized defensive block with a player like Erling Haaland leading the line is difficult to break down. Switching focus to Arsenal, Merson questioned manager Mikel Arteta’s tactical choices, particularly the decision to start Bruno Guimarães instead of Myles Lewis‑Skelly in the match against Brighton. "I wonder what Arteta was thinking – perhaps he expected a less intense game after Brighton’s comeback from 2-0 down against United on Wednesday?" he speculated.
Merson praised Guimarães, describing him as a technically gifted midfielder who thrives in a low‑block system and excels when his team dominates possession. "He’s an intelligent passer, comfortable on the ball, and can dictate tempo. When he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa, he was outstanding – holding the ball, playing one‑twos, and controlling the rhythm. That would have been a better option earlier," Merson argued.
He was careful to stress that he does not blame Guimarães for Arsenal’s defeat. "I’m not blaming Bruno for the loss – absolutely not. I just don’t understand why Arteta felt the need to change the team in such a difficult fixture," he said.
Merson concluded with a broader observation about football at the highest level: "It doesn’t matter how talented you are or how many accolades you have. If the opposition presses you, forces you to keep your head down, the match becomes a completely different contest. Brighton showed brilliant organization; credit where it’s due – they are a very good side." In summary, Merson’s take is that while Manchester City can produce spectacular attacking displays, their defensive frailties and reliance on high‑scoring games could be their undoing. Meanwhile, Arsenal, despite occasional setbacks, appear to have the consistency and tactical stability needed to stay in contention for the Premier League title as the season progresses.