Jamie Carragher reckons Arsenal are lacking a “special” forward to compete with Manchester City for the Premier League title as the pundit predicts Chelsea to miss out on the top six.
The 2024/2025 season starts this weekend with Manchester City looking to make it five titles on the bounce under Pep Guardiola having become the first team to win four English titles on the bounce last term.
Arsenal pushed City close, as they did for much of the previous season, and will be hoping to end their 21-year wait for a Premier League title.
Liverpool were also in the mix for the majority of last campaign in Jurgen Klopp’s final season at the club, but Arne Slot faces a huge task in replacing the honorary scouser at Anfield and they’re yet to make a summer signing, which is causing concern among the fans.
Aston Villa were the surprise package last term as they secured Champions League football under Unai Emery with Tottenham impressing in the first half of the campaign under new boss Ange Postecoglou before falling away and finishing fifth.
Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United finished sixth, seventh and eighth respectively after largely disappointing campaigns.
Carragher can’t see past City again and believes Arsenal will finish second for the third season on the trot, with his former side Liverpool third and Tottenham backed to leapfrog Villa into the Champions League spots.
Explaining his Premier League title prediction, Carragher told FourFourTwo: “I can only see Arsenal or City really.
“I know people are talking about Arsenal because they’ve gone close twice and they’re really close to making that next step.
“But I still look at Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, and I think that is still better than what Arsenal have got.
“I think Arsenal are one attacking player short. They’ve got Bukayo Saka but the other two in terms of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard, I think they need one more who’s pretty special to take over from Man City.”
The Sky Sports pundit doesn’t think a fifth-placed finish will be enough for the United owners, having claimed earlier this week that manager Erik ten Hag would be sacked earlier in the campaign.
Asked for his hot take of the season, Carragher said: “What’s mine… Ten Hag gone by November… international break.”
Carragher believes a top-four finish would be a job well done for new Liverpool boss Slot after the team “overperformed” in Klopp’s final season at the club.
“I was really surprised Liverpool came so close last season, if I’m being honest,” he added.
“With the new manager coming in, finding his feet in the Premier League, most Liverpool fans would expect top four this season. I don’t think anyone will be expecting a title.
“If you could have a title challenge like last season, and maybe a new manager comes in and adds something to what Jurgen Klopp had, but having a new manager in the Premier League is not easy and I think Liverpool slightly overperformed last season in terms of being in the title race for so long.
“Another season like Liverpool had last season would be a great start for Arne Slot.”
