Jamie Carragher admits he wishes Liverpool had one of Arsenal’s players ahead of their huge Premier League clash against Manchester City.
Following the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Wednesday night, Liverpool have gone eight points clear of Arsenal albeit having played a game more.
The Reds were unconvincing in their draws at Villa and Everton and narrow win over Wolves, and on Sunday they face a huge test when they travel to the Etihad.
Despite the recent performances, Arne Slot’s side are far more fancied to lift the trophy, in part because of the Gunners’ terrible luck with injuries, especially in attack.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are out for the season, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli remain sidelined, with Mikel Arteta forced to deploy defensive midfielder Mikel Merino as a striker in their last game – admittedly to great effect.
Carragher claims Arteta would love to have one of Liverpool’s forwards in his squad but also admits that he would have liked Slot to sign an extra defender in January in order to have guaranteed the title.
‘Whoever falls short this season will be asking themselves if they could have done a little more in the summer and January transfer windows,’ the Liverpool legend wrote in his Telegraph column.
‘It is sure to dominate the post-season discussion at Anfield and the Emirates if there are just a few points between first and second. I am not convinced either club truly grasped the nettle with recruitment to maximise their chances.
‘Arsenal supporters have been concerned since the start of the year that they do not have the necessary firepower. How Arteta must wish he had someone of the calibre of Cody Gakpo in his squad, the Dutchman’s 16 goals in this campaign going under the radar.
‘For Liverpool, I have been banging the drum about the need for defensive reinforcement and wish they had a full-back like Jurrien Timber.
‘The recent injuries to Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley leave Slot short of cover, but he still has his first-choice back four to select – a contrast to Arsenal’s injury problems up front.’
Timber missed practically all of last season with injury but has been a dependable player for Arsenal this campaign, playing in every position across the backline.
Injuries to Gomez and Bradley mean Trent Alexander-Arnold is the only senior right-back at Liverpool as they look to win both the Premier League and Champions League.
Man City may not pose as much of a threat as previous seasons, but Carragher believes that should Liverpool triumph on Sunday, the title is almost certainly theirs, adding: ‘Beat Manchester City at the Etihad and win the title.
‘It sounds more straightforward than it is, and no one will be making such a wildly premature declaration if Arne Slot is celebrating an away win on Sunday night, but history informs us that victory in this fixture can be the difference between being champions and runners-up.
‘Jürgen Klopp would have won two more titles with victories at the Etihad in 2019 and 2022. Mikel Arteta would have been marking the end of Arsenal’s 20-year wait to add to Arsène Wenger’s Premier League triumphs with an away win last season.’
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