Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal face an acid test of their Premier League title credentials at Anfield (Picture: Getty)
Jamie Carragher insists Arsenal face the acid test of their Premier League title-winning credentials at Anfield on Saturday.
The top two go head-to-head at ground which has been anything but a happy hunting ground for the Gunners who haven’t won in the red half of Merseyside since 2012.
Indeed, it was at Anfield last season that Arsenal’s hopes of winning a first Premier League crown in 19 years began to fade after they threw away a 2-0 lead.
Mikel Arteta’s men return to the scene of that crime looking like a more resilient side following the addition of Declan Rice and the return to fitness of defensive linchpin William Saliba.
While they are undoubtedly a more secure defensive unit, questions persist over the dependability of summer signing David Raya, who has displaced Aaron Ramsdale as the club’s No.1 goalkeeper.
Raya’s deficiencies have cost Arsenal in high-profile games so far this season against the likes of Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle, while he made two poor errors in the recent 4-3 win over Luton.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have no such concerns over their goalkeeper Alisson who continues to excel and Carragher believes the Brazil international would cure many of Arsenal’s remaining issues.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been in great form this season (Picture: Getty)
‘If Arsenal had Alisson Becker they would be almost guaranteed a minimum of nine extra points, which would win them the title,’ Carragher told the Telegraph.
‘Overall, Arsenal are a year ahead of Liverpool in their development, but the teams are closer than Klopp could have imagined when playing catch-up at the start of this season,’ added the former Liverpool defender.
‘The teams meet three times over the course of the next seven fixtures, with a rivalry evolving like that of the late ’80s and early ’90s, when Graham’s side knocked Kenny Dalglish’s off their perch.
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‘Where Liverpool still have the advantage is in Klopp himself. Of the current contenders in the top four, Arteta has the most to prove as the only coach still to win a league title.
‘He has done a brilliant job since taking over from Unai Emery but that final step is always the most difficult and he is up against two of the best coaches of all time and, in Aston Villa, an emerging side with a hungry coach with fewer expectations of them and nothing to lose.
‘That is a dangerous combination.’
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