Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has identified the player he believes could be the crucial "X-factor" for Mikel Arteta's side as they attempt to fend off Manchester City and secure the Premier League title. The title race has been intensely competitive throughout the season and appears destined to be decided in the final weeks of the campaign.
Title Race Heats Up as Arsenal Face Chelsea Test
Manchester City narrowed the gap at the top to just two points following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday evening. Arsenal now have the opportunity to restore their five-point advantage when they host fifth-place Chelsea on Sunday in what promises to be a challenging encounter.
"For me, I think they've got to take the game to Chelsea," Merson stated during his analysis on Sky Sports. "Chelsea will probably sit back like they did in the semi-final and soak it up and try to get Arsenal on the counter-attack. This is a big, big football match. If Arsenal win this game, you could tick another big team off that they've beaten."
Eze's Breakout Performance Against Tottenham
Arsenal should approach the Chelsea match with significant confidence following their dominant 4-1 victory over arch-rivals Tottenham last weekend. The North London derby proved particularly productive for Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, who both scored twice in a difficult debut for new Spurs manager Igor Tudor.
Eze has now scored five goals in his two appearances against Tottenham this season, though he has struggled to maintain that level of performance consistently throughout the campaign. Merson, however, remains convinced that the 27-year-old midfielder has much more to offer and could become one of Arsenal's most influential players during the decisive final ten matches of the season.
The "X-Factor" Arsenal Need for Title Success
"It's a hard position to play, the number 10," Merson explained. "You don't just put someone in there and tell them to do whatever they want. You've got to make things happen. You've got to find pockets, and Eze is very good at that. I thought that was what he was bought for - to get into those little pockets."
Merson elaborated on Eze's unique qualities: "If you get him on the ball, he can turn, he's elegant, he goes past people like they're not there. That game was perfect for Arteta. They win 4-1 with Gyokeres getting two goals and Eze scoring two. If you could pick two players you want to score the goals, that would be it."
The former Arsenal midfielder made a bold prediction about Eze's potential impact: "If these two hit fire until the end of the season, Arsenal win the league if they can go and be 8 out of 10 every week. We said at the start of the season, when Eze got bought, he was the X Factor. He was the one that was going to get them over the line, and I still think that could be the case, as long as he plays and Arteta trusts him."
Arteta's Management Style Questioned
When questioned about whether Arteta fully trusts Eze, Merson expressed some concerns about the manager's approach: "No, I don't think he does trust a lot of people. I think Arteta plays on sparks, where he'll watch someone, they'll do something wrong, and then you're out of the team. I've seen it with Calafiori not long ago. He had a nightmare game, gets ripped off, and doesn't play again."
Merson specifically referenced Eze's experience: "Eze gets caught on the far post against Matty Cash at Aston Villa and doesn't really play again. You've got to give them a chance. Trust in them more, these players. I don't think he does that enough, in my opinion."
The Premier League title race continues to captivate football fans as Arsenal and Manchester City battle for supremacy. With crucial matches remaining, the performance of key players like Eberechi Eze could ultimately determine which club lifts the trophy at season's end.
