‘They’ll slaughter them!’ Paul Merson only sees one result in Arsenal vs Spurs

Paul Merson fears Arsenal will ‘slaughter’ Tottenham unless Ange Postecoglou employs more cautious tactics against their rivals.

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The north London rivals have made encouraging starts to the new season having both collected 13 points from their opening five matches, with each having record a home victory apiece over beleaguered Manchester United.

Postecoglou has overseen a rapid transformation at Spurs who have been totally rejuvenated by a manager whose unflinching commitment to attacking football has breathed new life into a club that went through three different managers last term.

Merson, however, believes Spurs will need to come up with a different game plan if they are to take anything from the Emirates Stadium tomorrow, a venue at which they have won only once in the last 30 league visits.

‘I can’t see anything but an Arsenal win, I think they’ll absolutely slaughter them I really do,’ said the former Arsenal star. ‘I think they’ll rip them to shreds.

‘I don’t think they’ll change the way they play. Man United had 14 shots against them in the first half the other week. Give Arsenal 14 shots tomorrow and we’ll see what happens in the first half.

‘Teams are having shots, they’re opening the game up, it’s end to end. They’re going you have a go, we’ll have a go. It’s good football and I like the way they’re playing.

‘I like the manager and it’s gung-ho football. But you do that against better players and they’ll hurt you. Arsenal have got better players than Tottenham there’s no question about that all over the pitch.

‘Maddison is a good player but you wouldn’t take him over Odegaard any day of the week. Bissouma has done well but you wouldn’t take him over Rice, he’s a better player in my opinion.

‘Not many Tottenham players get in the Arsenal team and if you open the game up tomorrow Arsenal will destroy Tottenham and I mean destroy them.

‘If they play a counter-attacking game then it is a different football match but I don’t think the manager has got it in him to say let’s sit and counter-attack.’

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