Ben Fleming
Published January 31, 2026 6:57pm
Updated January 31, 2026 6:57pm
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Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson (Picture: Sky Sports)
Paul Merson has sensationally claimed that Arsenal’s dominant 4-0 win over Leeds United is the game that ‘won them the Premier League title’.
Arsenal had seen their lead at the top of the table cut to just four points after a slight blip in form, which saw them pick up two points from their last three matches.
The Gunners faced a potentially tricky visit to Elland Road on Saturday, but responded in emphatic fashion with a comfortable victory to reaffirm their title credentials.
Mikel Arteta’s side went ahead through Martin Zubimendi’s header and doubled their lead after Noni Madueke’s cross was turned into Leeds’ net by Karl Darlow.
And after the break, Arsenal made sure of the result, Viktor Gyokeres turning home Gabriel Martinelli’s cross before Gabriel Jesus scored late on off the bench.
The result sees Arsenal temporarily re-establish a seven-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa, who both return to action on Sunday against Tottenham and Brentford, respectively.
But Merson believes that the nature of Arsenal’s win may have rubber-stamped his former side as this season’s champions in waiting.
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Mikel Arteta’s side got back to winning ways (Picture: Getty)
‘Leeds is a hard place to go at the moment and they’ve been playing the best football of the season for them,’ Merson said post-match on Sky Sports.
‘But honestly, it was like boys versus men at times they absolutely brushed them aside. For Arsenal, A+. I can’t emphasis enough what a big football result that was and what a performance it was as well.
‘They kept the ball, were patient, never really fussed but they dominated all over the pitch with their movement and set plays.
‘For me, that was the game that won Arsenal the Premier League.’
Arsenal are seven points clear of Manchester City and Aston Villa (Picture: Getty)
Explaining his bold statement further, Merson added: ‘What Arsenal have just done is even if Man City go to Tottenham and draw that game, it’s still six points.
‘So that’s two more games that is, and there’s not a lot of games left. So City have to go and win, but it’s not an easy place to go.’
Saturday’s result was also an important one for Gyokeres, who made it goals in back-to-back games for the first time since joining Arsenal.
📈 @Arsenal are back to winning waysThe league leaders went SEVEN points clear at the top after their win against Leeds pic.twitter.com/B15svoNJTG
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 31, 2026
Assessing the Swedish striker’s display, an impressed Merson said: ‘I think he done very well, and I think that’s what you bought him for.
‘To hold the ball up, play it simple and give other people the ball. He should have had a couple, he was a bit slow with another chance, but not many players score his goal. Pure strength.
‘I don’t like using the word bullied, but he kept the defender off and he just got his foot to it. But his hold-up play was decent, and I thought he was good.’
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Arteta, meanwhile, was impressed by the nature of his side’s performance after a run of form in the league which had left some fans and onlookers concerned.
‘Mentality is good. And the mentality, I mentioned it to you, to play with that level of enjoyment about where we are, and then with the conviction to believe in what we do and how good we are, and that we can beat any opponent,’ he said post-match.
‘And we certainly done that, but then you have to show the quality as well in this league to do it, and it came out in great ways from different players as well.’
Arsenal return to action in midweek for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
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