"It will get them through" – Jamie Carragher predicts who will win when Arsenal host Porto next month
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has predicted that Arsenal will overturn their 1-0 deficit in their UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg match against Porto on Tuesday (March 12).
Earlier this Wednesday (February 21), the Gunners crashed to a narrow loss at the Estadio Do Dragao in their first UEFA Champions League knockout tie since 2017. They failed to register a shot on target against Porto as Galeno bagged the winner deep into injury time.
Speaking on CBS Sports, Carragher claimed that Arsenal will bounce back in their upcoming continental clash against the Portuguese outfit at the Emirates Stadium. He said (h/t The Boot Room):
"I think Arsenal have enough. There will be a great atmosphere there. I think they will get two or three goals and it will get them through."
The Gunners, who are third with 55 points from 25 Premier League matches now, topped their Champions League Group B with 13 points from six games. They lost just once in the group stage – 2-1 at RC Lens.
Prior to their recent loss at Porto, Mikel Arteta's side were on a five-match winning streak. They found the back of the net a staggering 21 times and shipped just two goals, recording three shutouts along the way.
Arsenal urged to rope in 27-year-old striker
Following his former team's loss at Porto, Theo Walcott asserted that Arsenal need to strengthen their strikeline with Brentford star Ivan Toney. He told the BBC Radio Five Live (h/t Metro):
"I am a big fan of a certain Brentford striker who I won't name. It's really quite obvious to see there with all the set pieces, Arsenal are a really big team, but if you've got someone like that in your team as well. Missing [Gabriel] Jesus tonight as well who is a different sort of No.9, again, there's no one else to call upon."
Claiming that signing a striker is a priority for the club, Walcott added:
"Kai Havertz is not a striker, I think he's done really well but I don't think he's a standard No.9. That is something I feel that [sporting director] Edu [Gaspar] and [manager] Mikel [Arteta] will be discussing in the summer, I'm pretty sure about that."
Toney, who returned from an eight-month-long betting-related ban past month, has been linked with a move away from Brentford for quite some months. The 27-year-old, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2025, is allegedly valued in the region of £100 million.
A former Newcastle United striker, Toney has been in fine form this season. He has scored four goals in six league matches since his return and has netted 36 goals in 72 Premier League outings for Brentford so far.