Jamie Carragher pays Arsenal big compliment with surprise Champions League claim
Jamie Carragher would back Arsenal to knock Manchester City out of the Champions League if they were drawn together in the quarter-finals.
The Gunners face Porto in the last 16 after breezing through a group containing PSV Eindhoven, Sevilla and Lens. Mikel Arteta ’s side plundered 16 goals in their six matches in Group B, with only Man City (18) and Atletico Madrid (17) managing more.
They have looked confident upon their return to European club football’s top competition following a six-season absence. Arsenal have been buoyed by their impressive 3-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, which catapulted them back into the Premier League title race.
Carragher was at the Emirates Stadium to watch the game against his former club and was so impressed that he thinks they would give City a run for their money over two legs. “I’d love Arsenal to get [Manchester City] in the quarter-finals,” he said on the Stick to Football podcast. “Arsenal could be one of the few teams in there that maybe could knock City out.
“When you play an English team, everything ramps up in Europe. It’s like this game becomes so big and that probably would help Liverpool. We don’t want City to win it again! City would be on two European cups – it’s too close to comfort that [to Liverpool's five European Cups].
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Carragher feels the competition is open this season. He added: “Who can compete with City? Maybe Bayern Munich – they have got names who if they go on the pitch, they will not feel inferior. I just don’t think there’s that many good teams in Europe. Real Madrid aren’t at their best, Munich aren’t at their best, PSG I don’t think they can [win it].”
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright is happy with his old club’s progression under Arteta, but believes they are still lacking a killer instinct in front of goal. The Gunners have scored 10 goals in their past three league matches, but have still scored fewer goals than the other clubs in the top five of the Premier League.
Arsenal beat Manchester City 1-0 back in October (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! What do you make of Arsenal's chances in the Champions League this season? Comment below.
Wright thinks they have got a chance in the Champions League if they can tweak a few things. “I’d love Arsenal to win it,” he said. “If we got there, to the final with City, I’d feel more confident. We’ve got to be more ruthless with the chances – you’ve got to see games off so you can relax in games.
“At the moment we’re not taking those chances even though in the end we won the game, but if we could take those chances, I’d be more confident about going to play these teams because we’re defending a lot better.”
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