Arsenal news: Alexis Sanchez would be only player to get into Chelsea team - Paul Merson

That is the view of former Arsenal midfielder turned pundit Paul Merson. 

Arsene Wenger’s side lock horns with Chelsea on Sunday at Stamford Bridge (1:30pm). 

The Gunners have endured a difficult start to the season by their standards, picking up just six points from their opening four Premier League games. 

While Chelsea began the defence of the title in disappointing fashion with a shock home defeat to Burnley on the opening day. 

However, they have since recovered with three straight wins - which included a victory over rivals Tottenham at Wembley.

But when it comes down to the quality of the two squads, Merson reckons Chelsea come out on top with Alexis Sanchez being the only Arsenal player to make the cut. 

When asked how many Arsenal players in the current squad do you think would get into the current Chelsea side, Merson said on Sky Sports’ The Debate: “One. And that’s Sanchez. 

“He scored a worldie again tonight and he would get in.”

The ‘worldie’ Merson speaks of marked Sanchez’s first goal of the season as Arsenal came from behind to beat Cologne 3-1 in their Europa League opener at the Emirates last night. 

He was probed further about fitting any other Arsenal players into Chelsea starting XI, but he struggled to even make a case for any of them even getting on the bench. 

“Im looking at the way both teams play. The goalkeeper, you have got to go with Courtois. The back three, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill and Alonso. You need Kante and Fabregas, you’re not going to have Xhaka. And then you’ll have Hazard and Sanchez. 

“People say ‘what about Ozil?’ He isn’t getting in front of Hazard. And then you go Morata, who’s better than what Arsenal have got.” 

He added: “But it was sad because when I got a phone call to pick the team, I tried my hardest. 

“I didn’t just go bang, bang, bang. And it was sad because 10 or 12 years ago it would have been the other way round and there would’ve probably been one Chelsea player that got into the Arsenal team. 

“How can it have drifted that far away? I don’t even know if I could make a case for the bench.”