Paul Merson predicts where Chelsea and Manchester United will finish in the Premier League next season.

 Paul Merson predicts where Chelsea and Manchester United will finish in the Premier League next season.

Paul Merson believes that Chelsea are currently linked with bigger things this season following the takeover by Enzo Maresca.

He made it clear that Chelsea will undoubtedly make their way to the top positions as they maintain their relentless efforts to make significant signings this summer.

The former Arsenal and England star said via Sky Sports that he thinks Chelsea will do better than last season.

I’ve got a feeling for next season,’ Merson told Sky Sports. ‘I think Tottenham have got to concentrate on one thing. I think the top four—Chelsea are going to be there; Man United can only get better—the top four’s hard now.’

With the way Villa got beaten in this season’s tournament, it made West Ham’s achievement a lot bigger. Before, we just thought, “Oh, whoever gets in that is going to win it,” but that isn’t the case.

‘I think if Tottenham win a trophy, that’d be amazing. I don’t think they have to get in the top four; I think they’ve got to win a trophy, I really do. I think trophies are the ones.

‘I mean, if you get in the top four and you do what Newcastle have done, you’re out [of the Champions League] by October. Everybody fights to get in it, and 80 percent of the teams getting in it haven’t got a chance of winning it.

‘Really, they’re doing it for the money, and really, it should be for the fans and winning trophies for the fans. So if they can win the League Cup or something like that, then I think it would be amazing for them, 100 percent.’

Given the potential competition at the top of the table next year, Merson has urged Tottenham to focus on winning a trophy rather than a top-four finish in the Premier League.

‘I’ve got a feeling for next season,’ Merson told Sky Sports. ‘I think Tottenham have got to concentrate on one thing. I think the top four—Chelsea are going to be there; Man United can only get better—the top four’s hard now.’

Spurs finished fifth in Ange Postecoglou’s first season in north London, narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot after briefly threatening to mount a surprising title challenge.

On Tottenham’s prospects for next season, Merson added, ‘I think a trophy would be amazing. I think that’s the way he’s got to go. I think it would have helped if they’d finished sixth and gotten into the Europa League, because a trophy is a trophy.