Paul Merson predicts outcome of Tottenham v Arsenal

Paul Merson is tipping Arsenal to struggle at Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s north London derby.

The Gunners make the trip to White Hart Lane fresh from a 2-1 defeat by Swansea City in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

Arsenal are all over the shop at the moment

Paul Merson

Arsenal’s defeat at the Emirates Stadium has left Arsene Wenger’s side trailing leaders Leicester City by six points with 10 games remaining.

Tottenham, meanwhile, suffered a 1-0 loss to West Ham United at Upton Park as Slaven Bilic’s side ended Spurs’s six-game winning streak in the Premier League.

Former Arsenal playmaker Merson believes the Gunners will struggle to get a positive result at The Lane in the absence of injured Petr Cech and Laurent Koscielny.

“The way Arsenal are playing, I just cannot see them getting anything out of the game,” Merson told Sky Sports.

“No Cech, no Koscielny and if Tottenham get going, start well and score first, I can see it getting out of hand.”

Merson added: “The only problem is they looked tired the other day at West Ham and against Swansea, but I am going to go for a very hopeful 1-1, as that is what my heart is saying, but my head is telling me Tottenham are going to win this.

“Arsenal are all over the shop at the moment, they have just lost two in a row and are without their best defender and goalie so I do worry for them. This is not the greatest Arsenal team and they do not have a lot of fight in them.”

Arsenal are bidding to win the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.

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Tottenham have never won the Premier League and are only three points behind Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester side.