Jose Mourinho would have won the title at Arsenal, says Paul Merson

Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson believes the Gunners would win the league if Jose Mourinho were in charge at the Emirates. The north London club are chasing the pack yet again and are currently nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City in the Premier League table, whom they face at the Etihad this weekend.

Manchester United are currently the nearest challengers to what looks like City's crown after the first ten games of the season, while Arsenal look to return to the Champions League after finishing fifth last season – the first time under Arsene Wenger.

His nemesis Mourinho is no stranger to winning trophies, having helped kick-start a trophy-laden era for Chelsea in 2004 as the Blues won three Premier League titles during his two spells in charge.

The Gunners have not won the title since 2004 when Wenger could call on the likes of Patrick Viera, Ashley Cole and Thierry Henry, among others. The Red Devils have have also gone on a lean spell by their standards since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. But Merson believes that Mourinho will break the deadlock and would have managed the same at Arsenal had he been in charge.

"When United appointed Mourinho, they employed him for what he is doing now," Merson said on Sky Sports' The Debate show, as quoted by the Express. "They didn't call him in to play the Sir Alex Ferguson way and win 4-0 and 5-0. He will come in and do it his way. If he was at Arsenal, they would win the league. He sets them up hard to beat and they go from there."

Arsenal travel to City while United will take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, against whom they lost 4-0 in the same fixture a year ago. A win for the Gunners will bring them back in contention for the title while United will be desperate to keep the pressure on their noisy neighbours after a good performance against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.