Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson discussed the performances of four teams—Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Aston Villa—since the start of the season in his column.

"Is Iraola finding it harder than he thought?"

I'm a bit worried about Liverpool now because Saturday's result was very bad. It was a really poor result. I don't know—compared to when he came to Anfield from Bournemouth, is he finding it harder than he originally imagined? No disrespect to Bournemouth, but if they draw 0-0 at home to Fulham, it's not a big deal.

However, for Liverpool to draw at home to Fulham makes headlines. That's something he has to adapt to. He has to loosen up and let the team play more openly. Now, every weekend you watch the games, and as the season progresses, Manchester City and Arsenal are far ahead of the other teams. The gap is unbelievable.

Concerns about Wirtz and whether Barcola is the right choice for Liverpool

I don't know how long they can wait for Wirtz. I really like him, and I think he's a special player. But it's just not working out right now—it really isn't. I don't know how much longer they can wait. I also like Barcola, but I'm not sure if he's the player Liverpool needs.

If you ask me what Barcola's characteristics are, he's fast. But playing for Liverpool, you don't actually need to be that fast. You don't need to be the fastest player in the Premier League. You need more. And right now, I'm not sure he has those qualities. Don't get me wrong, he'll have moments of brilliance, but I think they need a more intelligent, more creative player. Salah had this ability when he broke onto the scene, which is why he achieved such success at the club.

At Liverpool, you don't just need pace. No team actively presses Liverpool. All teams drop players behind the ball to defend. There are no other tactics, and that's the worrying part.

Mentality and confidence are key issues for Tottenham Hotspur right now

Against Everton, in the first 15 to 20 minutes, I thought they played extremely well. Their passing and ball movement caused Everton a lot of problems. But they didn't score that goal. And when they couldn't get that goal, that mentality returns. I think if they keep not scoring, they might still be playing now, right? That's the problem. They need to score early. Confidence is also key.

I would say that for any footballer, whether you're a U10 academy player or a professional, if there's one thing you can lack, it's confidence. And right now, they just don't have that confidence or belief. That's the problem.

Arsenal will comfortably defend their title

I think they will win the Premier League by a double-digit margin. I think they will win it comfortably. I looked at Arsenal's schedule: away at Manchester City, away at Manchester United, away at Chelsea, away at Liverpool. After these four matches, I don't know who else can beat Arsenal.

They are a very, very difficult team to beat. I don't think they will lose many games this season. They've eased the pressure now. Nobody can say Arsenal are "bottlers" anymore, so the pressure is off them. They play as if they've already been told in advance what the final outcome will be.

I just watched their game against Villa, and then their game against Sunderland—they didn't panic at all. They played very patiently. They will eventually score, and the opponent won't. That's their current state.

Is Aston Villa really in danger of relegation?

No, no. I think they have too many good players, to be honest. Their result against Nottingham Forest was very bad. It's worrying. They were dominant but couldn't score. But I would be very surprised if they ended up being relegated.

They have too many good players and one of the best managers in the business. They're just going through a difficult period right now.

However, I do think this weekend's game against Tottenham Hotspur is very important. If you're at the bottom of the table, that's where you are. I'm not worried about Tottenham or Villa, but I think it's an important game for both teams because it could change momentum. Win the game and you can move forward after the international break. It's an important football match.

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