Merson: It's very important for Arsenal to lose and be out of the title race[weirushui]

Arsenal (17 points, third) will play Liverpool (21 points, first) in the Premier League, the famous Merson has his views on this. He believes that this battle will directly affect its championship prospects, warning that if you lose the game will quit the ranks of the championship.

Merson: "If Arsenal lose this game, they are out, it is a big game, a very important game. I can even say that if Arsenal lose here, I think they are out. I'm serious. I want them to agree with me."

"Because if they lose this game they will be seven points behind Liverpool. I don't think City will lose to Southampton. That would put them six or seven points behind their two biggest rivals at the start of the season."

"It's a big difference, especially considering the way these teams are winning now. They can all beat lesser teams. The power gap is huge."

"I would be shocked if Arsenal win the league after losing this game. I would be completely stunned. I would be dumbfounded. They're not chasing one team, they're chasing two."

"I know everybody's going to be at home saying, 'Oh, there's 29 more games.'"

"But, at the start of the season with 38 games to go, if I say I pick Manchester City and Liverpool to win the league, you can pick Arsenal, but you give me a lead of seven points and six points, you won't agree in a million years. With 29 games left, you wouldn't agree."

"So, the talk about 29 games left, for me Arsenal will be out of the title race. They'll be out. I don't see how Manchester City can catch up, given the numbers they have produced in the last five or six years."

"Sakar is extremely important. On the right, he has a great relationship with Ben White and when Erdegaard comes to that side, it makes for a very strong Arsenal attack on the right."

"He is essential. He's been able to perform consistently week in and week out. He always finds a solution. He's a winner. When opponents double up on him or force him to use the reverse foot, he always finds a different way. I'm a big fan of Sacca."

"The key is to be able to maintain a high standard season after season. And he's been able to do that every season. So he deserves absolute credit. It would be a big loss if he doesn't play."

"You know, Sacca, Erdegaard, Saliba, they are the three core of the team. If you add Rice, those are their four most important players." "If all three are unavailable, I think Liverpool have to take the opportunity. I think this weekend is the best opportunity for Liverpool if these Arsenal players are not available."

"The reason Saliba's numbers are good is because of his partnership with Gabriel, that's it. When he plays with Gabriel, they are an amazing pair."

"They are like Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke up front at Manchester United. You see that kind of partnership on the pitch and the combination is very strong. If one of them is missing, the effect is different."

"The only thing in Arsenal's favour is that they are always competitive in games. This is not the type of team Jurgen Klopp is going to come and push Arsenal crazy. They won't see three of Arsenal's four best players missing and decide to go all-out. Liverpool have their own way of playing and that is solid."

"I'm not saying it's conservative football, but it was much safer under Beklopp. I think Arsenal will always have a chance in this game and that's what gives them a bit of hope this weekend."