'I don't see Man Utd losing to Liverpool' - Paul Merson previews the weekend's Premier League action

only one place to start Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon Manchester United against Liverpool two wins from two so far M for Ana slot but this is probably the day where he really finds out what being the Liverpool manager is all about this is it this is a big big football match I think you know Liverpool have to go to man united and get a result and if you're a man united fan Cup Final Cup Final for him you know the one thing we say about man united over the last few years is consistency you know I thought they did all right against Fulham I thought they played some good football and against Brighton we're unlucky you know that the disallowed goal hits his knee but they shouldn't lose that football match the worst you know you you come away from there with at least a draw this this is a big big football match big football match I I don't I don't see man united losing this game I think Man United caus Liverpool problems I think it' be an entertaining two two draw this game interesting and it was it was a two- two draw in the Premier League last season and it almost felt that with Klo Liverpool got sucked into being a bit chaotic against Manchester United and you wonder whether the way that slot started they might just try and be a little bit more patient and and make their way through the game that way yeah may you maybe I mean Liverpool are a different team now you know they're not going to play the clock way the manager's coming with his own ideas and he's more solid and he's more you know not regiment in you know they're safe but they're more cautious at the same time they've got great players up front where the manager goes you know you get on with it and win us the game and we'll make sure we're solid at the back man united don't want a Gung own game you know so I think this plays into man United's hands that Liverpool will come and play a little bit safer because if this gets into an end to-end football match you know Liverpool have more of a threat and probably have better players all around the pitch so for me that's where I think it plays into Liverpool's man man United's hands a little bit more with Liverpool P away they will play but I still think it'll be an entertaining game there's too much talent going forward on this pitch for there not to be goals you would expect there to be goals as well in the earlier game on Super Sunday Newcastle against Tottenham not been a a happy hunting ground for Spurs in recent years but Spurs very very good at Everton or against Everton last weekend Newcastle struggling for Defenders at the moment would you expect something more positive from Tottenham this time up in the Northeast not really not really I think this is a difficult game going to Newcastle the last two times they've been there they've been absolutely destroyed I mean destroyed ain't the word so for me I see Newcastle going after I think it's a big test for Tottenham great result last week you know I mean I didn't see anything but that result the week before I thought they were absolutely outstanding against Leicester for 45 minutes when it went one1 it was worrying you know a big game for Tottenham I think Tottenham come here go there and and make sure they don't lose this football match I think that's a positive and a good step forward but yeah they were good last week but yeah I mean everon were bordering on atrocious and Tottenham made them pay and I think if Tottenham would have scored the second against Leicester I think you know you're looking at Tottenham would be top of the league at the moment but we're looking at what happened with Le with the Leicester game in the second half and that was the worrying signs for me if they get a draw I think it's a real real good result rob a real good result would the biggest positive of the week for Newcastle be if they could get Mark gy done between now and tomorrow yeah I think they've got to I think you know you're hearing I hear Clinton I've been on side with Clinton and he's saying about five five million between both teams you know that five million in Premier League football is a cup of te it is a cup you know in Premier League football for five million if you want him that bad you go the extra five million you know I don't know if it's e own Pride that gets in the way and you go you know you're not going to do us we're not going to get done by you and then it Fizzles out for me Palace have to keep him but at the same time Newcastle need him he's a good Defender he gives you the opportunity with his Pace that you can push the fullbacks forward who they've got very good fullbacks at at Newcastle who want to get forward so that gives you the option then if you get gay in with his Pace but for me they've got to get that over the line it's an important situation Port signing for an extra 5 million you know I can't believe the way I'm talking you know it's a cup of tea but it is in Premier League football I tell you what I want some of the tea you're drinking if it's 5 million quid a cup it's absolutely delicious you know what I mean I do I do let's let's go to Chelsea on the pitch because we've spoken about recruitment but I guess the one thing that that last week showed particularly second half is they've got some incredibly good players in that Squad already because they took wolves to the cleaners after after halim you know what some a brilliant finishing some brilliant finishing brilliant counterattacking football walls were terrible I don't want to be a party pooper here and I don't want to be you know I'm a Chelsea fan you know don't want to be flat track bullies you know last the week before didn't lay a glove on Man City didn't lay a glove the end of the season finished the season beating West H bright and Forest you know the week couple of weeks before that getting smashed at Arsenal five you know that's the bench Mark you know this is what I say about Chelsea it's consistency it's consistency and this is what they need to do you know they need to get beat Palace this weekend you know and then when they start playing the big boys they've got a great start to the season they've got some real real good fixtures but his consistency this lad withe got a great hattick I mean real real good finishes hitting them hard low down at the goalkeeper feet you know and was very good he's got to do that again this weekend and this is what this is what it's all about it's being consistent it can't be a nine out of 10 one week and a four out of 10 the week after and this is I mean that's just this is world class you know neto's different class and then the Finish By y Felix you know they've got the players Chelsea they have got the players have they got got the consistency and that's what it's about is about consistency you know they will hurt teams but it's when they play against your big boys will they be out to produce and that is the big question for me yeah and actually goes back to something you were saying about about Manchester United against Liverpool this weekend that against wolves you can maybe get involved a little bit in that you have a shot we have a shot type game but against the sort of big six or seven you cannot no you can't rob it and they open the game up I thought walls I thought walls were really really bad I was worryingly bad but they they punished them with good finishing but yeah there's certain games you can go into and you can go you know what this open this game up we got better players than you we got it's a big pitch we've got a lot of pace on the Counterattack and we'll take our chances and open this game up you can't do it against certain other teams they can do that against Palace this weekend Chelsea's not the biggest pitch in the world quite tight you know that's when they got to try and you know it's G to be a different kind of game but for for me with Chelsea it's G to be against the big boys I I see him being flat track bullies against the Lesser teams because they got good players but as I said the week before against Man City never laid a glove on them and six seven eight weeks ago before the end of the season they were getting absolutely destroyed by Arsenal I mean destroyed talking of Arsenal they passed a big test at Aston Villa last weekend another one this time around against Brighton who've looked good in the opening weeks yeah it's a I mean theyve had a shock they've had a hard start Arsenal I mean this computer I mean the next three games I think a defining games of the season for Arsenal I really do you're talking you know Brighton have won both games who you know on their day can pass it around and have a right go at you and can do special things then you got Tottenham away and V and Man City away I mean they lose two of them football matches out of them three or even win one and draw two they're not far out the title race already you know that's how ruthless it is your man city put up numbers we know man city finished strongly you don't want to be going to Man City in a few weeks you know next month on Super Sunday and needing to win the game to stay in touch with Man City so these next two games are massive for Arsenal I think they beat Brighton but again for a game that probably at the start of the Season probably looked a nice one has become a hard game a hard game that they need to get through and they need to get three points because they need to stay with Man City in my opinion they need to stay on their coach TOs and after the international breaks you couldn't pick too hard of games for me Tottenham away and a massive North L Derby then the following Man City away at the you know you lose both of them and you could be six points behind Man City and that's that's too many already sorry people might go there 30 OD games left but you know if Man City lost three more games that would only give Arsenal an opportunity of losing one more so big big big big couple of weeks coming up for Arsenal as for City there at West Ham on on the Saturday Night Football we still haven't seen rodri Mata ktic picked up a a little bit of a problem against ipswitch last week might see ilkai gundan back but that game at Chelsea and I know you watched them beat ipswitch the worrying thing is they seem in about second gear at the moment oh second gear you know you're talking about the best player in the world Rod not playing you know B go he's not the he is the best player in the world because best player you know world class means you get in every football team in the world and rodri gets in every football team in the world so the lad's world class for me he's the best player in the world at the moment for what he does 100% and he's not even playing coverage just stepped in I think that might have been precautionary last weekend you know they're cruising against IP switch I think you know just took a knock I think he a bit of a dead leg I'm sure he'll be all right the longer they can keep rodri rested big Advantage you know and rodri comes back for especially the Arsenal game at the E yet but yes second gear you know they're bringing on gundan breish Stones as their free Subs I mean and the kid saino wow what a talent he's going to be I mean it's unreal it's unreal you know as go as Fair as saying it's not fair it's not fair how do you sell Alvarez for 80 million and get Gundam back on a free it's like being in a cheat on on a computer game is it it's unbelievable football manager when used to stick it on the easy mode uh not an easy start though for the three promoted clubs we lost all three promoted clubs last season I just how old I am Rob when I was playing football manager crew were a top team then for me crew G sorry no AB that's you carry on I mean yeah I used I used to put Neil Leonard Neil Leonard is attacking Midfield play used to get me 40 goals a season I was thinking this is easy and then one day I took over at wsa I couldn't believe how bad I was but anyway let's move on I didn't know you could play football manager on a tight right IM M but apparently you can um as as I was saying before we took our trip down memory lane that those three promoted clubs leester Southampton iwit have you seen much from them so far uh I i' still the jues out on IP switch because I I look at ipswitch and they've had Liverpool Man City so they're not their defining moments of the season I look at Leicester who fortunate to get a draw against Tottenham got destroyed first half then go and get beat by Fulham not a great result I look at Southampton they went to South Newcastle and passed them off the pitch played against 10 men for a lot of the game and lost it and never looked like scoring and then they go and get destroyed by Forest at home I worry for them too I'm still the JW's out on I switch because they haven't you know they haven't come up against teams that they're expected to get a result against so I'll wait and see this weekend with it switch but I do worry for Leicester who I think will get destroyed by uh this weekend and Southampton I mean that was their bread and butter game against forest and they failed miserably in my opinion just before we let you go am I right in saying a little birdie tells me that you know the lucky lady is going to be your dance partner moving forward that is so true what you just said as well the lucky lady knows yeah yeah any clues yeah she know yeah I I know it's all top secrets so I'm not allowed to say but yeah very pleased very pleased with my partner I just I just hope she's pleased with me well I hope she's got plenty of plasters for her toes for the weeks of training ahead good man good to speak to us ever have a good day thank you very much and you take care have a lovely weekend take care [Music]