Arsenal's winning streak fails to convince Merson as he predicts imminent thrashing

The former Gunners star says Unai Emery's side are not good enough defensively to maintain their current form, despite racing into the top four

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has dismissed the team's nine-match winning run, stating that Unai Emery's men are not good enough at the back to compete for the title.

The Gunners put to the sword at Craven Cottage on Sunday, winning 5-1 thanks to an Aaron Ramsey strike and two goals each from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette .

After losing their first two games of the 2018-19 campaign, Emery has masterminded a superb revival built on fluid, attacking football and high pressing, much to the delight of club supporters.

However, they have shipped 10 goals already this season and look extremely vulnerable in defence, with summer signing Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi playing as first choice centre-backs.

Merson has been harsh in his assessment of the team's credentials and firmly believes they are due a thrashing in the near future, as he told Sky Sports : "Sooner or later they will be on the end of a big score - defensively they are all over the place.

"The one thing that gets them out of trouble is that they're always going to score goals. But defensively, they are just not good enough."

After the international break, Arsenal will return to Premier League action against at the Emirates, where they will be expected to extend their winning run.

The mood around the club is one of optimism at the moment, with many fans happy with the way things are going on the pitch under the new Spanish boss, as they sung in the away end against Fulham 'We've got our Arsenal back', though Merson's comments paint a more realistic picture of the team's progress.

Playing Lacazette and Aubameyang up front together was an inspired decision by Emery, which is already reaping considerable rewards, but for the sake of Arsenal's continued development, he must also try to address the defensive issues which have plagued his side at the start of the year .

As it stands in the Premier League table, the Gunners are in fourth place with 18 points, just two points behind joint leaders , and .