Paul Merson makes bizarre Celtic claim about Ange as he insists Arsenal will 'slaughter' Tottenham boss

Paul Merson has dismissed Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham derby day chances - and reckons he stayed at Celtic too long with obliteration on the way.

The pundit held nothing back as he takes a polar opposite to what many south of the border are saying about the Aussie. He won August's Premier League Manager of the Month after an impressive start to life at Tottenham and he faces a stern test on Sunday when taking his Spurs side to face North London rivals Arsenal.

Former Gunners man Merson, speaking on Sky, holds no hope for Postecoglou in his first derby south of the border, as he picked him apart in a blistering rant that took an odd dig at his two-year Celtic tenure, with a high-octane attacking style carried with him to England. He said: "I am bullish. I can't see anything but an Arsenal win. I think they will absolutely slaughter them. I really do. I think they will rip them to shreds.

"I don't think they will change the way they play. He's been at Celtic for too long and come out and started off... Man United had 14 shots against them in the first half the other week at home. Give Arsenal 14 shots tomorrow and we'll see what happens, in the first half.

"Teams are having shots, they are opening the game up, going end to end, it's good football and I like the manager. It's gung-ho football and don't play gung-ho football against better players than you. Arsenal have got better players than Tottenham all over the pitch.

"James Maddison, good player, but you wouldn't take him over Odegaard any day of the week. Not many Tottenham players get into this Arsenal team and if you open the game up tomorrow, Arsenal will destroy Tottenham and I mean destroy em.

"If they play a counter-attacking way, it's a different football