Football News
Merino backs Arsenal for double as champions chase Manchester City
Mikel Merino believes Arsenal can win the Premier League and Champions League, with a trip to Nottingham Forest next and injury concerns surrounding two players.
Mikel Merino has backed Arsenal to win both the Premier League and Champions League this season, with the reigning English champions three points behind Manchester City domestically and maintaining a perfect start to their European campaign.
The midfielder's confidence follows Tuesday's victory over Lille, which gave Mikel Arteta's side two wins from their opening two Champions League matches. Attention now turns to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, where Arsenal's pursuit of City will be accompanied by questions over the fitness of Martín Zubimendi and Piero Hincapié.
Confidence despite Brighton setback
According to ESPN, Merino believes Arsenal are equipped to improve on last season by securing both major prizes. It is an ambitious assessment, but one supported by a start in which the report identifies the 3-0 defeat at Brighton as their only blemish.
That result has left Arsenal chasing rather than setting the Premier League pace. The three-point gap to Manchester City gives their next domestic assignment significance even as their European results offer encouragement.
The distinction between those two campaigns is important. Arsenal have no ground to recover from their opening Champions League fixtures, while their title defence already involves closing a deficit. Merino's backing sets a high benchmark for a team attempting to meet both demands.
Lille victory underlines options
Arsenal beat Lille 3-0, with the coverage collected by NewsNow highlighting the contribution of Arteta's substitutes and Bukayo Saka's impact. ESPN's accompanying analysis also pointed to the depth of Arsenal's squad, while identifying Viktor Gyökeres as a concern.
The result extended a sequence described by ESPN as 14 consecutive victories in the competition's group stage. Alongside the two wins at the beginning of this campaign, that run provides a measure of the consistency behind Merino's confidence.
Yet the coverage of the Lille match also presents a more nuanced picture than the score alone. Praise for Arsenal's options sits alongside questions about Gyökeres, making the victory a demonstration of collective strength rather than evidence that every attacking issue has been resolved.
Fitness watch before Forest
Zubimendi is likely to return to contention against Nottingham Forest after suffering an ankle injury in a training session following the win over Leeds United last weekend, ESPN reports. His possible availability is a positive development as Arsenal switch back to league football.
Hincapié also sustained an ankle problem during the post-match training session at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta indicated that the defender was improving, although his issue appeared more significant. The supplied report does not establish a firm return date.
For Arsenal, the immediate task is narrower than Merino's double ambition: negotiate the Forest trip while managing those fitness concerns. Their European start has reinforced belief, but Manchester City's advantage ensures the next Premier League test remains central to their larger objectives.
