Merson predicts Arsenal vs. Burnley
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has predicted the outcome of his former side’s game against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
The Gunners take to the Emirates Stadium field at 3pm BST on Saturday to take on the in-form Championship side in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Merson, who won the FA Cup in the 1992/93 season with the Gunners, predicted that it would be yet another good day for the home side, who, according to his Sky Sports weekly prediction column, will run away 3-1 victors.
Burnley are on fire but Sean Dyche is in a catch-22 situation. Do you go to the Emirates and say ‘we are playing well and scoring loads of goals’ and then Arsenal hit top form and beat you by four or five? Something like that can knock all of the confidence out of a side. At the end of the season Burnley need to get promoted, so I think they might rest some players.
This has been a good cup for Arsene Wenger, if it wasn’t for the FA Cup he wouldn’t still be here as manager. Two-nil down against Hull, ball cleared off the line, fans fuming; he would have been gone if they’d lost. So it’s been a good cup for him.
Arsenal go into the game in poor form, having picked up just two points in their three previous Premier League games, but a win over Sunderland in the third round means that Arsene Wenger’s side will go into the game in confidence.
The Gunners can also welcome back both Francis Coquelin and Tomas Rosicky to the matchday squad, while Mohamed Elneny is expected to make his first appearance of the season as an Arsenal player.