Paul Merson makes allegiances clear before Chelsea vs Arsenal clash on Sky Sports

Paul Merson admitted that being a fan and icon makes for a 'tough' watch when both clash, as they will on Sunday.

Sky Sports pundit Merson and, after a loan move to Brentford, returned to stamp down a first-team place. Over 400 appearances and 93 goals later, the 56-year-old had cemented himself as .

However, Merson shocked fans last year when he openly admitted his, a team he called rivals for the majority of his playing career.

Now, as and prepare to face off in what promises to be a pivotal affair, Merson has once again reminded us that both the red and blue sides of London hold places in his heart.

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“On Sky today for the game! Being a big fan and having in my heart it’s always a tough one for me,” Merson wrote, posting to X.

Merson has been covering football for Sky as an analyst on Soccer Saturday since 2006, and will be on air to guide fans through the action as his former club travel to Stamford Bridge.

However, despite confessing that his fandom towards Chelsea began at just five years of age, Merson never truly considered playing for the west London outfit.

“No, I wasn't,” Merson responded when asked on the ’s Greatest podcast if he was ever close to calling Stamford Bridge home as a player.

"When I was growing up, I started supporting Chelsea at about five,” Merson continued. “We weren't very good. We were poor, but my dad was a massive Arsenal fan, and he wanted me to sign for Arsenal.

“So, I signed because of my dad. If it wasn't for my dad, I wouldn't have been a professional footballer. My dad wanted me to sign for Arsenal, so I signed for Arsenal. I did wear the Chelsea kit once in a charity game at Stamford Bridge, though, where my hero Ray Wilkins was the manager of the Chelsea team I played for.”

As Merson struggles to throw favouritism to either side, both Arsenal and Chelsea could be without key names for the fixture, with the talismanic Cole Palmer a doubt in blue and reportedly suffering from a broken toe in red.

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