Jamie Carragher explains why Arsenal won't win the Premier League this season
Former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher has explained why Arsenal might not win the Premier League this season. The Gunners finished runners-up in the last two campaigns, finishing both times behind Manchester City.
Mikel Arteta's side were the primary challengers to City's Premier League title charge in the last two seasons. That was especially the case in the previous campaign, as the title race went into the final day, before the Cityzens finished two points in front.
The Gunners have made reinforcements to their squad, snapping up Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna and making goalkeeper David Raya's loan deal permanent, and are being linked with a few more players.
However, Carragher reckons the Gunners are missing a 'special' player to end City's Premier League stranglehold, telling FFT (via TBR):
“I can only see Arsenal or City really. I know people are talking about Arsenal because they’ve gone close twice and they’re really close to making that next step, but I still look at Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, and I think that is still better than what Arsenal have got.
“I think Arsenal are one attacking player short. They’ve got Bukayo Saka, but the other two, in terms of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard, I think they need one more who’s pretty special to take over from Manchester City.”
The Gunners open their Premier League campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday (August 17).
A look at Arsenal's 2023-24 Premier League campaign
Arsenal are coming off an impressive 2023-24 campaign, especially in the Premier League, finishing two points behind Manchester City (91). The Cityzens became the first English team to win four straight league titles and six in seven years.
Mikel Arteta's side provided a formidable challenge to the Cityzens, beating them 1-0 at the Emirates and drawing goalless at the Etihad. However, dropped points in other games meant they couldn't pip Pep Guardiola's side to the title, which they haven't won since the 2003-04 season.
Despite boasting the league's meanest defence - conceding 29 goals - five less than champions City, the Gunners scored five fewer goals than Guardiola's side (96).
Arteta's side were impressive down the home stretch, winning eight of their last nine league games - including the last six (keeping five clean sheets). But a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa eventually put paid to their hopes of ending their two-decade Premier League title drought.