Paul Merson slams 'ridiculous' Chelsea title prediction after Arsenal beat Crystal Palace

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Paul Merson insists Chelsea should be considered genuine Premier League title contenders alongside Arsenal and Liverpool.

Arsenal have moved to one point behind Chelsea with an impressive 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.

Chelsea, meanwhile, could briefly go top of the Premier League on Sunday if they beat Everton but they will move back into second place if Liverpool seal a win over Tottenham later that day.

Despite their current league position, Opta currently give Chelsea only a 5.8 per cent chance of winning the Premier League title, while Liverpool lead the way on 80.2%, while Arsenal are given a 13.2% chance.

‘Well that 5.8 per cent needs to be biggest, whatever happens,’ Merson told Sky Sports.

‘That does need to be bigger, that’s ridiculous.

‘Arsenal need consistency, they need consistency as Mikel Arteta said, they’ve drawn their last two games.

‘Drawing at home to Everton, the chances they had, they’ve got to win those games, they’ve got to be more ruthless, they’ve got to put those teams away.

‘Bit inconsistent but they’re right in there. Forget the two games in hand, if I was Liverpool I’d forget the two games in hand because that comes around, for me I look at the league like it is now. Arsenal are in it, I’d definitely be having Chelsea at more than 5.8 per cent.

‘The thing with Chelsea is they’ve got no distraction. They’re not in Europe, they’ve got another team for European football, Cole Palmer, none of them play. They’ve got no two-legged Carabao Cup games in January and February.

‘Chelsea are in this 100 per cent. But Arsenal are probably 13 per cent and Chelsea five [per cent] because they haven’t been in this position.’

Meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp believes Liverpool have a key advantage over Arsenal in the title race due to their superior squad depth in attack.

‘Liverpool are the team right now in great form but we all know how quickly form can disappear. They’ve actually been brilliant because they’ve done it with a few injuries as well,’ Redknapp said.

‘But what Liverpool have got that I think Arsenal still need, and if they can do it in January I think they’ve got even more chance, is that when everyone is fit they can bring on so many people off the bench to make an impact. Arsenal are just short in that area.

‘[Gabriel] Jesus is going to be interesting in how they utilise him in games but I think they need another striker, another forward player, someone who can come in off the wide, to add some goals and a bit of experience to bolster that forward line.

‘Because at times if it feels if Saka is going to be out for however long, have they got someone who can fill that void. I think they will be short one or two players still.’

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