Paul Merson is convinced Manchester City will not be able to win the Premier League title if they continue playing the way they are now.

Under Maresca's leadership, Manchester City started the season strongly, claiming five consecutive wins after defeating Sunderland 5-3.

Ahead of the three-week international break, Maresca's side sits three points clear of defending champions Arsenal. Arsenal suffered a heavy 0-3 defeat to Brighton on Saturday.

Here is how the "Magic Man" explained why Arsenal still holds the initiative in this season's Premier League title race.

"Manchester City's Defence Is a Complete Mess"

Merson said, "I watched that match and thought, if Manchester City can put on a dominant performance and beat Sunderland convincingly, then their momentum might shift drastically."

"Arsenal lost heavily before, and it was a completely deserved defeat. I even thought they would win the title easily and wouldn't lose much. Was I wrong?"

"Then I watched Manchester City play Sunderland, and I thought: 'No, I wasn't wrong. Manchester City simply cannot win the title.'"

Merson stated, "You can't always win by scoring crazy goals; you can't play like that. Top teams will exploit your weaknesses."

"Sunderland are not the highest-scoring team in England, but they scored 3 goals and could have scored more. Manchester City's attack is good, but their defence is completely a mess. This problem will haunt them sooner or later, especially against strong teams."

"I still remember Maresca's style when he was managing Chelsea, and he certainly won't be happy with this result. He hates chaos and is not a manager who handles chaotic situations well."

"Yes, Manchester City beat Manchester United who played with 10 men at Old Trafford. But what's so difficult about that? When it's 11 against 11, Manchester City is completely disorganised, and Manchester United were the better team."

"Once it became 10 against 11, Manchester City could defend a bit better, and the pressure wasn't so intense. As long as they set up with two banks of four and leave Haaland up front, opponents will struggle to break through."

Did Arteta make a big mistake by not starting Lewis-Skelly against Brighton?

Merson said, "I really want to ask Arteta why he started Bruno Guimarães instead of Myles Lewis-Skelly against Brighton."

"Did he think this match would be easy? Did he think Brighton, after coming back from 0-2 down to beat Manchester United on Wednesday, would be tired?"

"As a result, this lineup completely backfired. Arsenal's midfield was overwhelmed and outplayed, which led to the heavy defeat."

"Bruno is a good player. If a team plays with a low block, there's nothing wrong with starting him. If the team dominates the ball and has enough possession, there's nobody better than him. He's technically excellent, his passing is accurate, and his football IQ is very high."

"I can't help but wonder if Arteta thought on the way home: 'I got this one wrong.' Bruno played brilliantly a few weeks ago when he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa. He could control the ball steadily, pass flexibly, play one-twos, and dictate the tempo strongly. If he had played like that in this match, the effect might have been better."

"I don't blame Bruno for Arsenal's defeat at all. I just don't understand why Arteta insisted on changing the starting lineup in such a difficult match."

"No matter how good you are, even if you're an international player full of accolades, if the opponent presses you and forces you to play defensively, the nature of the game becomes completely different."

"If there's plenty of time to control the ball, even a retired player like me could play. But Brighton's pressing is excellent; their performance was outstanding. Honestly, they are a very good team."

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