I know what you're thinking: "Paul Merson saying something non-sensical is hardly newsworthy".

Regular watchers of Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday programme will be well-versed in Merson's particular brand of forthright opinion seemingly based on absolutely no evidence or research.

The nadir came in January at the time of Marco Silva's appointment as Hull City manager when Merson went in with studs showing on "this geezer" as he disparagingly called Silva. Merson you may recall said: "I could win the league with Olympiakos. They’ve won it 107 times and it’s only been going 106 years. What’s he know about the Premier League? What’s he know?”

Merson's colleague Phil Thompson added: "It’s astonishing that they have plumped for someone like this, when there are a lot of people out there who know the Premier League. He’s not got a clue. It's a slap in the face for British coaches."

Silva of course enjoyed a hugely impressive spell with Hull and is now the manager of Watford, where he has made an excellent start.