Jamie Carragher predicts who will finish in fourth place between Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal could pip Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur to a top-four finish this season.
All three teams are locked in a tight race for the final Champions League qualification spot in the Premier League. The Gunners are currently fourth in the standings. However, they are only three points clear of fifth-placed Spurs and four clear of the sixth-placed Red Devils, with a game in hand over both teams.
Mikel Arteta's side still have to play against both teams. Those two fixtures could be pivotal in deciding which club finishes in the top four.
While lauding the brilliance of individual players at Tottenham and Manchester United, Carragher stated that Arsenal have a better overall team. He said on The Overlap (as quoted by football.london):
"I think United and Spurs are probably still in the race for the top four because they have better individuals. I don't think Arsenal have got that superstar player. It's a real team."
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The former Liverpool centre-back also praised the Gunners' transfer business last summer and Arteta's impact on the team this term, saying:
"I think the signings they made this season, how young they were, they were signings no other top club would have made, and I really like it. When I watch Arsenal, I feel like I can see Mikel Arteta's imprint on the team."
Carragher added:
"When I watch Manchester United, I don't really think I'm watching a Rangnick team. I don't think right now you're seeing a Conte team [at Spurs]."
He also praised Arteta's "brave" decisions, stating:
"Last season didn't go well. But the thing I admire about Arteta, and any manager really, is seeing a manager be brave and seeing him be brave in his decisions. I think even last season when he left [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang out before a North London Derby because he was late for the team meeting, that was a very brave move."
What does the fixture list look like for Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham?
All three clubs are out of cup competitions and will focus primarily on a fourth-place finish in the Premier League. However, there are a number of tricky fixtures on the schedule for each of the three teams.
Arsenal still have to travel to Crystal Palace, Southampton, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham United, and Newcastle United. Arteta's troops will also take on Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United, Leeds United, and Everton at home before the end of the season.
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Manchester United, on the other hand, are yet to visit Everton, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Crystal Palace. They will also clash horns with Leicester City, Norwich City, Brentford, and Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Lastly, Spurs are yet to play the Gunners, Newcastle United, Brighton, Leicester City, and Burnley at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They will also travel to Aston Villa, Brentford, Liverpool, and Norwich City before the end of the campaign.