Paul Merson has expressed doubts about Manchester City's chances of winning the Premier League title if they continue their current style of play. City secured a chaotic 5-3 victory against Sunderland, marking their fifth consecutive win under manager Enzo Maresca.
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Despite this strong start to the season, City leads reigning champions Arsenal by three points as the league enters a three-week international break.
Merson reflected on the match, noting that while City performed well offensively, their defensive performance raised concerns. He observed, "if Manchester City put on a show and beat Sunderland convincingly, there could be a big momentum swing." However, after seeing the game, he concluded that City is unlikely to maintain their winning streak, arguing, "You can't keep scoring loads of goals to win football matches. Top teams will pick you off."
Merson pointed out that Sunderland, not known for their scoring prowess, managed to score three goals and could have added more. He criticized City’s defensive organization, stating, "They were all over the place at the back," and noted that such vulnerabilities will be detrimental against stronger opponents.
He also referenced City's previous match against Manchester United, suggesting City's defensive issues were evident even when they played with ten men, stating, "City were all over the place 11 versus 11, and United were by far the better team."
Turning his focus to Arsenal, Merson questioned manager Mikel Arteta's decision-making, specifically regarding the absence of Myles Lewis-Skelly in their recent match against Brighton, which resulted in a disappointing performance for the team. He pondered whether Arteta regretted not utilizing Lewis-Skelly, noting that Bruno Guimaraes struggled in the match.
Merson stressed that while Guimaraes is a talented player, the dynamics of the game favored Brighton, who played exceptionally well, illustrating the challenges even experienced players face when pressured tightly by opponents.