Sunday 14 August 2016 16:51, UK
Alexis Sanchez is "top-drawer" but Paul Merson fears for Arsenal if they settle for playing him up front rather than recruiting another striker.
Liverpool are the visitors to the Emirates on Sunday for their first game of the season and Arsene Wenger has seen a number of long-term injuries tear through his side, notably in defence with both Per Mertesacker and Gabriel the main absentees.
The Gunners are also desperate to bolster their front-line, with Oliver Giroud the only recognised centre-forward, ahead of the Super Sunday opener with Liverpool.
Danny Welbeck is out for nine months, while Theo Walcott is still to convince in that role and while Thierry Henry believes Sanchez could plug the shortage up front with Giroud, Merson feels his former club still lack the necessary firepower to be real title challengers.
"If Giroud does not play this week and Sanchez has to play up front, well, I mean Sanchez is top-drawer, there is no doubt about it, but will he win you the Premier League playing up front? No, no he won't.
"I think they're still short of a top-drawer centre-forward. If Giroud gets injured, you are talking about Sanchez coming in. They are going to struggle and it's very rare a team wins anything with no more than one centre-forward."
I mean Sanchez is top-drawer, there is no doubt about it, but will he win you the Premier League playing up front? No, no he won't.
Wenger is understood to be closing in on Valencia's Germany international Shkodran Mustafi but Merson would view that deal as a a panic buy.
Merson said: "Why didn't they buy him when the Euros had finished, if they fancied him that much? It feels as if it is a bit of a last resort."
With a number of teams adding to their squad considerably over the summer - Manchester City and Manchester United the heavyweight spenders - the former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa player says the league is as competitive as it has ever been.
"I think there are seven teams that can win the Premier League this season," Merson added. "What other league in the world can say that?"
