Arsenal’s title hopes are hanging on by a thread after they lost to Man City this weekend and Jamie Carragher believes some damage could be done if they do feel.
An Erling Haaland winner put the title back in Man City’s hands and it’s now a sprint to the finish for both clubs.
Arsenal, of course, have finished second three years running now and Mikel Arteta knows the pressure is on.
And according to Jamie Carragher, losing out this time could hold a whole different meaning.
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Jamie Carragher says Arsenal will struggle to recover if they finish second again
It feels like we’re going to be talking about this between now and the end of the season, pretty much non-stop.
Indeed, Carragher was asked live on air if he felt it was a case of now or never for Arsenal under Arteta.
And while the former Liverpool man feels that might be too harsh, he did admit there is a different feeling about this season.
“Yes and no. I don’t think it’s a case of if they don’t win the league then Mikel Arteta will be out of the job or anything like that. But, this does feel different,” Carragher said on Sky.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt they were the best team in the league but I think for the majority of this season most people in the country have felt they’ve got the best squad and the best team and now it’s just turning late in the season unfortunately for them.
“I think in the past we’ve always felt like last season it was Liverpool or the season before it was City and they’ve just got the edge and they should win it. The best team won.
“Right now it hasn’t felt like this for a lot of this season and Arsenal have been nine or 12 points clear. There was a game at Brighton and I think I remember seeing Arsenal think we’re nearly there but I feel like it’s slipped now. I think this will now be very hard and tough for everyone at Arsenal if they don’t now get across the line.”
Arsenal now know there is no room whatsoever for error.
As Carragher mentions here, the amount of times Arsenal have looked like they’ve got it in the bag this year, coupled with just how much better they’ve been than everyone else, would see this loss sting more than ever.
As with every team who wants to win titles, there comes a time when you have to go and do it, whatever it takes.
If Arsenal fail again, it is indeed hard to see how Mikel Arteta rallies the troops again to get things right for next season.
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