You say that, yet it was very much an unexpected result last year. Stoke had the best defence in Europe at the time and we were only just starting to look as though we could consistently play at the level. To be 3-1 up on 30 minutes was astonishing, yet Stoke showed their determination and strengths at the time when down to ten men, that Cameron Jerome equaliser was astoundingly good.
Do like how Merson is actually consistent in what he says and predicts, some more veteran pundits could learn from that.