Liverpool are seven points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League championship race, and former Gunners great Paul Merson believes their clashes with Aston Villa and Manchester City are significant.
Paul Merson feels Liverpool’s games against Aston Villa and Manchester City this week will “define” the Premier League title battle.
Liverpool currently lie seven points clear of their closest opponents Arsenal, but Merson feels they were “nervy” in their 2-1 win over Wolves and they did lost points against Everton in the game before that.
Arne Slot’s side now faces two difficult road journeys in five days, against Villa on Wednesday and City on Sunday. Former Arsenal striker Merson believes Liverpool can likely wrap up the title if they win at least four of those games.
“The only thing that is important for Liverpool at this stage of the season is to keep winning,” Merson told Sky Sports during an interview. “They were nervous against Wolves. It was clear, but does it matter?
“They finished the job and won the game.” Liverpool started incredibly well against Wolves, but I expected this to be a difficult game. The game versus Aston Villa is an important one. This is the first of several major games for Arne Slot and his team.
“For me, the Premier League title battle will be decided in Liverpool’s next two games. They will determine whether Liverpool wins the league comfortably or if it comes down to the wire.
“Trips to Villa Park and the Etihad are never easy, and if they pick up a point or two, I believe it’s game on. But if they get four points from the next two games, I believe they’ll almost certainly win the title.”
When asked how vital he believes this week is to Liverpool’s title campaign, Slot replied: “I see it as 13 games to play, with the next game being the most important one, starting with Villa away – which, like Wolves at home, is a difficult game for us but for everyone.”
“They have an excellent home record, possibly even better if they play in the evening, so we know it will be a battle. But we also have a decent away record this season, and we’ve done well overall. So, I believe it’s a game that everyone will be looking forward to, seeing these two teams compete.”
