Sports

Paul Merson has predicted Newcastle United might finish above Arsenal in the Premier League table next season. Merson said this ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League final day fixture against Everton on Sunday. There’s a huge doubt over Arsenal’s participation in the Champions League next season. Mikel Arteta’s side threw away a four-point lead over rivals Tottenham Hotspur and are now trailing Spurs, who occupy the fourth spot by two points with just one game to go. “Newcastle could actually finish above Arsenal next season based on what I saw the other night – I’m not saying they will, but I was flabbergasted by what I saw in that game,” Merson wrote in his DailyStar column. “Every single player was a four out of ten in that game. I’ve never seen that before. Usually, you have a couple who do the business. But every single player just didn’t turn up,” he added. “I was actually watching it wondering who finishes higher next season, Arsenal or Newcastle? The gulf was unreal. Only one team had nothing to play for in that game. But if you didn’t know, you’d think it was Arsenal, because they just didn’t turn up. I could not believe what I was watching.” “And I guarantee you there will be players at Arsenal now saying: ‘I want to leave if we don’t get Champions League football.’ That’s what sickens me the most. But they had their chance to qualify and they melted!” He said.