Arsenal will ‘SLAUGHTER’ Tottenham in the north London derby because the Gunners have ‘better players’ that can ‘destroy’ Ange Postecoglou’s hopefuls, predicts Paul Merson

Paul Merson has predicted Tottenham will get ‘slaughtered’ by Arsenal in Sunday’s north London derby as Mikel Arteta‘s side host their cross-city rivals at the Emirates.

Ange Postecoglou is set for his first encounter with the Gunners and will be hoping to keep his unbeaten start to the new Premier League season going at the home of Tottenham’s fiercest competitors.

The two sides head into Sunday’s clash level on 13 league points and with Spurs boasting the better goal difference, however, former Arsenal star Merson has discarded any notion that the visitor’s can clinch a result.

Merson argued that Arsenal boast better players ‘all over the pitch’ and revealed his expectation that the hosts will dominate proceedings.

‘I’m bullish, very bullish. I can’t see anything but an Arsenal win. I think they will absolutely slaughter them, I do. Absolutely rip them to shreds,’ Merson said on Sky Sports.

Tottenham are seeking to maintain their unbeaten start to the new season against Arsenal

‘I don’t think [Spurs] will change the way they play. Man United had 14 shots against them in the first half; give Arsenal 14 shots on Sunday and we will see what happens.

‘It’s end to end, it’s good football, I like the way they play, I like the manager. It’s gung-ho football. But you don’t play gung-ho football against better players than you.

‘Arsenal have got better players than Tottenham, no question, all over the pitch. You talk about [James] Maddison, good player but you would not take him over [Martin] Odegaard any day of the week. 

‘[Yves] Bissouma has done well, but you wouldn’t take him over [Declan] Rice, in my opinion,’ he said.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou (right) is preparing for his first clash against Mikel Arteta’s (left) Arsenal

Former Arsenal player, Merson, is confident the Gunners will beat Tottenham on Sunday

‘All over the pitch they are better players. Not many Spurs players get into this team, and if you open this game up on Sunday then Arsenal will destroy Tottenham. And I mean destroy them,’ he added.

Merson’s predictions carry some weight behind them with no Spurs manager winning away against Arsenal at their first attempt in the past 20-years.

Furthermore, they have only won twice on the road against the Gunners during the Premier League era in what has been a largely one-sided contest over the years.

However, Postecoglou insisted his team are confident going in Sunday’s derby adding: ‘If we shy away from it, don’t play our football, manage to get a draw and survive the experience, what have we really learned? Apart from surviving 90 minutes of football? Nothing. We’re going to go out and play our football.’