Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson does not think Enzo Maresca will have enjoyed Manchester City’s 5-3 win over Sunderland – and believes the table-toppers will not win the Premier League title.
Man City have started the league campaign well under former Chelsea manager Maresca, who has steered his team to five wins from five games, scoring 13 goals and conceding five.
Defending champions Arsenal had been keeping pace with Man City, but the wheels came off for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners at Brighton, who thumped the Londoners in a shock 3-0 win.
That means Man City have forged a three-point lead over second-placed Arsenal at the top of the table heading into the international break.
Merson’s chaos theory
But former Arsenal and England forward Merson was not impressed with the ‘chaotic’ nature of Man City’s defending against Sunderland.
He told Sky Sports: “I sat there watching the game thinking, ‘if Manchester City put on a show and beat Sunderland convincingly, there could be a big momentum swing’.
“Arsenal had been ripped to shreds, fully deserved.
“I was thinking they’d win the league quite comfortably and not lose too many football matches. Have I got this wrong?
“Then I saw City against Sunderland and go, ‘no’. There’s no way Manchester City win the league.
“You can’t keep scoring loads of goals to win football matches. You can’t play that kind of football. Top teams will pick you off.
“Sunderland are not the most high-scoring football team in the country but they scored three goals – and could have scored more.
“Going forward, Manchester City were good but at the back they were all over the place. It just catches up with you, especially against the big boys.”
Not a chaos manager
Merson added: “I remember what Enzo Maresca was like at Chelsea and he won’t like that result. He doesn’t like chaos. He’s not a chaos manager.
“Yes, City did beat Manchester United at Old Trafford with 10 men. But that’s not hard is it? City were all over the place 11 versus 11, and United were by far the better team.
“When it went to 10 vs 11, you get to sit back a little, there’s not that much pressure on you. If you go two banks of four and leave Erling Haaland up there, that’s hard to break down.”
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