Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were involved in a heated argument at Anfield ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Arsenal as the latter’s pre-season predictions were once again brought up.
The Reds host their closest challengers this season for the Premier League title later today – although, in truth, the title race proved to be a stroll in the end for Arne Slot’s side.
Liverpool wrapped things up two weeks ago, and now sits 15 points ahead of Mikel Arteta’s team with three games still remaining. In fact, the Gunners are still yet to secure a top five finish, and could drop below the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle before the end of the campaign.
That’s despite Arsenal having been tipped by some for the title before a ball was even kicked this season, including Neville. What’s more, the former Manchester United captain suggested Liverpool wouldn’t even secure a top four finish – a prediction that has definitely not aged well.
And Carragher was not about to let his fellow pundit get away with it so easily, with the pair clashing live on Sky Sports as the former Liverpool defender brought up Neville’s pre-season predictions.
Having listened to Neville bemoaning Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker last summer, Carragher said: “It’s obvious to everyone when you look at the situation they’re in right now about the striker, and I’m sure they’ll rectify that in the summer and bring someone in.”
Carragher then turned to his fellow pundit, saying: “But were you saying this at the start of the season?”
A puzzled Nevilled responded: “A striker? I thought they should have brought a striker in, of course they should have brought a striker in.
“In March, you said they shouldn’t bring a striker in.”
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Carragher then asked the question: “So why did you tip them for the league at the start of the season?”
Neville replied: “I thought they would step up this year.”
Carragher: “You just said they were short of a striker. You tipped them for the league at the start of the season, so don’t now talk about because they’ve had injuries up front they need a striker.
“They might need a striker, the point I’m trying to make is if you tip someone for the league, you can’t then say halfway through the season or at the end of the season ‘they should have bought a striker, what was Arteta doing?’ You tipped them for the title!”
Neville: “On August 15, there’s three weeks left of the transfer window, I thought they would also get a striker in January…”
Carragher: “Who?”
Neville: “Oh my god, that’s like saying… Villa got two or three, are they not allowed to get a striker in January?”
Carragher: “They can do whatever they want, but who was the name you said at the start? You tipped Arsenal for the title, so don’t say now ‘Mikel Arteta made a mistake about the striker’.
Neville: “Oh my god, Carra, last summer everyone was saying, Arsenal’s fanbase have been saying they need a striker for two or three years.
“Me? I think Arsenal would have won the league this year, I’m hugely disappointed in Arsenal this season not winning the league.”
Carragher: “I bet you are.”
Neville: “Nothing to do with Liverpool, Liverpool have done absolutely fantastically well, it’s not Liverpool’s problem, but Arsenal should be closer to them, and they’ve gone backwards.
“They should have added a striker last year in the transfer window, and they didn’t do it, and I’ve been saying that for two years, three years Carra, so it’s not just a case of saying it now, they should’ve got a striker in their squad.”
