Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has told Sky Sports that Arsenal can win the league.
The Gunners beat Manchester United 3-0 on Sunday to move ahead of Louis van Gaal’s side and within two points of Manchester City.
A convincing win has everyone talking about Arsenal’s title credentials, but what about the Champions League? After two losses in the group stage and two games against Bayern Munich still to come, Arsène Wenger’s men are on the verge of heading out of Europe’s top competition. Crasher’s advice? Get out of the Champions League as early as possible.
“Arsenal are never going to win the Champions League, they always go out at the quarter-final stage at best,” said the former Liverpool defender. “So if they go out earlier it may actually be advantageous to them in terms of the title race.
“Arsenal need things to go for them this season and if they are going to win the league. They are not the best team, Manchester City are, they have the best squad.
“For them to win the title, it may be that they may need something and it could be going out of the Champions League.”
So throw the Champions League in order to win the league?
Heading out of our Champions League group would mean we will only have one a week to focus on after Christmas. Liverpool had a similar pleasure two years ago and launched a title bid off the back of it, why can’t Arsenal do the same?
“They will be in it again next year so don’t worry about it – they weren’t going to win it anyway.
“It may give them a big chance for the league this season because next season Chelsea will be back, they’ll spend big again, as will United. This is a season for Arsenal to take as much as they can.”
Obviously we all want to win the Premier League but is it really worth sacrificing the Champions League completely? That seems a huge call. Even finishing third in our Champions League group would leave us in the Europa League, and we’d have to play even more games.
“Arsenal need to win a title. It has got to be the main aim for this team now. They’ve won two FA Cups the next step for them is to win the league.
“The thing with Arsenal in terms of going for a title is that they still maybe lack through the spine of the team, we have said that for years now.”
“I don’t think Arsenal have got better, I think the teams contending for the title have gone back a bit. Looking at Arsenal you can still say they are a bit short, and we are saying that about all the other teams.”
It’s fair to say Chelsea are weaker, but Manchester City look stronger than last season. Manchester United are too.
If Arsenal win the league, we deserve it. No doubt it could be our best chance in a while and not playing in the Champions League would arguably help, but to say we shouldn’t even try is a bit mad.