Jamie Carragher has revealed that he is concerned about one area of Arsenal’s play ahead of Liverpool’s crucial Premier League clash with the Gunners over the weekend.
The two teams are preparing for one of the most important fixtures of the season, with the expectation that both sides will be in the title race this season.
Liverpool won the Premier League last season by a good margin, as Arsenal suffered from some serious injuries across the board.
With a rejuvenated squad, which has added quality in depth, Mikel Arteta is looking to close that gap to win it all.
An early-season win over their title rivals would be quite a boost for Arsenal, and they have one clear advantage heading into the tie.
Jamie Carragher outlines worry with Arsenal defence compared to Liverpool
While the Premier League season is only two games old, there are some early observations being made about each team.
For Arsenal, it appears to be more of the same, a solid defence with the occasional problem in creating at the top end.
While that seems pretty consistent with what we’ve seen of the Gunners in recent seasons, the same can’t be said of Liverpool.
After a summer of heavy spending, Arne Slot’s side have looked lethal in attack but open at the back.
In their two meetings so far this season, Liverpool have dropped a two-goal lead twice, the latest against ten-man Newcastle.
While they’ve managed to dig their way out of an issue on both occasions, the improvement at Arsenal could cause them some problems.
It was something Jamie Carragher revealed his concerns with, as he said on Stick to Football: “But my worry, from a Liverpool point of view, with Arsenal, is that, like, if you think of last season, I think Arsenal’s defence was just a bit better than Liverpool’s, but Liverpool’s attack was a lot better than Arsenal’s.
“And if Arsenal’s attack will improve, probably with Gyokeres getting more goals, but also if the injuries aren’t as bad, Saka, obviously, the games they missed last season. But I think Liverpool’s defence could drop.
“It’s only two games, but I still think Arsenal will be the best team in the league, defensively. I don’t think that will change.
“My worry is Liverpool might drop defensively because they’ve got almost more attacking options.”
If it ends up being an open game, it could suit Arsenal much more than Liverpool in the end, if they can keep it tight in the backline.
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How Arsenal and Liverpool’s attacking and defending numbers compared last season
There was something of a clear theme with both Liverpool and Arsenal last season, in that one was able to attack while the other was able to defend.
The Gunners struggled to find the back of the net in matches you would expect them to, while the Reds would often land the goals they needed at the right time.
| Team | Goals for | Goals against |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 69 | 34 |
| Liverpool | 86 | 41 |
While Arsenal had the best defence in the league, it’s clear they didn’t have the best attack overall.
With the number of draws Arteta’s side picked up, it was clear that reinforcements were needed in the market.
The added quality and depth from it, combined with their already steely defence, suggests this season could finally see them push for the title and get it over the line.
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