Jamie Carragher has issued a stark warning to Premier League leaders Arsenal, urging them to shut out any psychological warfare emanating from Manchester City as the title race intensifies.
The Ghost of 2019: Liverpool's Cautionary Tale
The former Liverpool defender, writing in The Telegraph, has drawn direct parallels between Arsenal's current situation and the one his old club faced six years ago. In the 2018/19 season, Liverpool finished a heartbreaking single point behind City despite amassing 97 points, before finally clinching the crown the following year.
Carragher recalls how, during that tense run-in, the City camp made several pointed remarks suggesting Liverpool's desperation to end a 30-year wait and their fans' anxiety could become a hindrance. He believes Arsenal, who last won the Premier League over two decades ago in 2004, should brace themselves for an identical "cynical attempt to ramp up the pressure."
Arsenal's Lead and Lingering Scars
Mikel Arteta's side currently holds a five-point advantage at the summit, with reigning champions Manchester City their closest pursuers. However, the Gunners have been here before, only to be pipped at the post by Pep Guardiola's men in both 2023 and 2024.
Carragher emphasises that emotional management is now as crucial as tactical acumen for Arteta. "Almost none of these Arsenal players have won the Premier League," he notes, pointing to the potential psychological impact of those recent near-misses. The club's last major trophy was the 2020 FA Cup.
Arteta's Admission and the Final Hurdle
The Arsenal manager himself has acknowledged the need to convert performances into silverware. Earlier this year, Arteta stated that while his team had accrued the most points in the league over the past three years, "we still need to win a major title. That's what we're missing."
Carragher concludes that City will inevitably seek to exploit this narrative. He points out that when Liverpool finally triumphed in 2020, their victory was so commanding that long-standing anxieties never had time to surface—a scenario aided by games being played in empty stadiums during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The message from the pundit is clear: for Arsenal to end their long wait, they must navigate not just the football on the pitch, but the potent mind games off it, learning from the painful experience of others who have fallen short.
