Arsenal are six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have played one match fewer than Mikel Arteta’s side, and Jamie Carragher believes that’s too much to make up
Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit knows what it’s like to win the Premier League with the Gunners, and believes Jamie Carragher has spoken too soon by dismissing their chances.
Arsenal’s draw with Aston Villa on Saturday left them six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand thanks to the postponement of their game against Everton in December. However, they were even further adrift when they won the league with Petit in their ranks in the 1997-98 season.
With 22 games of that campaign played, the Gunners sat fifth in the table with an 11-point gap to league leaders Manchester United. By the time the teams met in mid-March the gap was nine points, but with three games in hand for Arsene Wenger’s side, and the Londoners ended up clinching the title with two games to spare.
Carragher considers that Arsenal team to have more firepower than the current crop, who are without injury victims Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. For that reason, he has all but written off Mikel Arteta’s team, but Petit doesn’t see things the same way.
“I know that he will disagree with me,” Petit said of his fellow Monday Night Football guest Carragher during the Sky Sports show. “But from my experience I know that we did it in 1998 and we’ve seen it again this season with Manchester City. They were fighting for the best position and dropped. Chelsea as well. They were second for weeks as well.
“Things go so fast in the Premier League. Jamie said to me, with all the strikers you have at Arsenal you cannot win the Premier League. I disagree with that. They’re not far from Liverpool by scoring goals. Liverpool have 50 goals, Arsenal have 43.
“They are almost the same in terms of defence, 20, 21. The difference is not that huge. Consistency in results is the most important thing in the Premier League.”
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Liverpool have lost just once all season, but cracks have begun to show in recent weeks. After back-to-back draws against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, Arne Slot’s side needed a late Darwin Nunez brace to beat Brentford, and Petit can see them slipping further as the fixtures pile up.
“Liverpool and other teams are dealing with so many competitions,” the former France international continued. “Arsenal, they have so many injured players and they’re going to be back soon, so they’ll be fresh. They will only concentrate on the Premier League and Champions League.
“In February, just like Liverpool, they will also qualify for the next one, the Champions League. They will make a turnover as well. There are so many reasons. Liverpool are not that well the last few weeks. They are conceding goals all the time. They’re not that confident.”
The big test lies in wait on May 10, when Liverpool host Arsenal in the league. The teams drew 2-2 in the league in October, but Petit’s old side may feel they’re in with a chance if they can stay in touch by the time they head to Anfield.
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