"I wouldn't say Bayern Munich are a better team than Arsenal" - Carragher says only one Champions League team is currently better than the Gunners
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes only UEFA Champions League holders Manchester City are better than Arsenal in the competition right now.
The former defender was addressing the Gunners' chances of winning the tournament after their 6-0 demolition of Lens on Wednesday night (November 29). Following this victory, the north Londoners have guaranteed their presence in the Champions League knockout stages as well as top spot in Group B.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have dominated Group G, having won each of their five matches in the league stage so far. They're six points ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig.
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have also enjoyed strong starts in Europe's prestigious club competition this season. The Bavarian outfit and Los Blancos are both placed on top of their groups, having racked up 13 and 15 points respectively.
Speaking about Mikel Arteta's side after their latest win, Carragher told CBS Sports (via Metro):
"I think they are contenders. They haven’t got that history that you can look back on in this competition of winning multiple-time European wins like Bayern Munich."
"I wouldn’t say Bayern Munich are a better team than Arsenal but there’s something about when you see Bayern Munich in Europe you feel like they could do it because they’ve been there before."
He added:
"I think the competition right now, there’s only Manchester City who are better than Arsenal in this competition."
The Gunners have won four of their five fixtures in the Champions League so far this season. They travel to PSV Eindhoven for their final group-stage match on December 12.
Mikel Arteta addresses importance of Arsenal's home form in Champions League
Mikel Arteta has stressed the importance of Arsenal's home form following their emphatic 6-0 win against Lens in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners put away their opponents with ease, scoring five in the first half before adding another after the break.
Arsenal have scored 12 goals and conceded none in three matches at the Emirates in Europe this season. Addressing his team's home form, Arteta said (via Arsenal.com):
"It’s a great that we are able to win in this way, but I think consistently we have shown at home not to concede any goals, and score a lot of goals, that’s a really positive factor, those players need to have those experiences, and believe that we can do it against big opponents."
Arteta and Co. have dropped points just once in the Champions League, which was their 2-1 loss away at Lens on October 3. The Gunners will next face Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday (December 2).