Can Manchester City win the Premier League for the 2026/27 season? They are in good shape after five matches, which, of course, means nothing. Still, Paul Merson, your favorite football pundit, thinks City won't win the league because they, well...score too many goals?
Merson's observation appears to come directly from what happened in the Sunderland match when City allowed three goals. Did Enzo Maresca's side play well defensively? Not at all. The issue is that Sunderland's three goals (all by Brian Brobbey, mind you) should have been more.
City had a bad game on the back line, but thankfully had enough offensive talent to overcome the inferior foe. If City plays as poorly defensively moving forward, they will lose matches they shouldn't, but the Sunderland match isn't what those who watch Maresca's squad closely have seen so far this season. Merson should know better.
Manchester City can't win the Premier League, claims Paul Merson
According to Sky Sports, Merson said, "I saw City against Sunderland and go, 'no.' There's no way Manchester City win the league. You can't keep scoring loads of goals to win football matches. You can't play that kind of football. Top teams will pick you off...Going forward, Manchester City were good, but at the back they were all over the place. It just catches up with you, especially against the big boys."
But therein lies the rub. Sunderland's, or, more specifically, Brobbey's, brilliance against City on Sunday was a one-off so far. In league play so far, City has allowed five goals, with three of them coming against Sunderland, of course. In the team's Champions League match against Porto, City didn't allow a goal.
The Carabao Cup match against Norwich City doesn't really matter because Norwich was overmatched. In essence, at a presumed similar level of quality, Manchester City has given up five goals in six matches, with more than half of those coming in one match.
Merson could be correct, of course. Maybe City returns from the international break and has a poor showing on the back line. Or maybe what happened against Sunderland wasn't the norm, but an accident. No other team has managed to do what Sunderland did against City, so expecting constant repeats seems like a stretch.
Moreover, Man City has revamped its back line, and while it's already been good, except against Sunderland, the chemistry is still forming, and the group should be better as the season goes on. Meanwhile, the talents of Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, and others aren't suddenly going to diminish.
At least Paul Merson has given City some material to read to be inspired. The top team currently in the Premier League is expected to fail? That's great motivation.
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