With Arsenal dropping points and allowing Liverpool to move six points clear in the Premier League title race, Jamie Carragher explained why he thinks Arne Slot‘s side have “a different mentality” to the Gunners.
When Darwin Nunez scored his late brace against Brentford, there were “groans and gasps on the concourse” at the Emirates, reported BBC commentator John Murray.
This was because Arsenal knew the pressure had just been piled higher ahead of their late kick-off against Aston Villa.
The burden didn’t show early on, as they went 2-0 up, but once Youri Tielemans got the first back, it seemed inevitable the visitors would equalise as they did.
"There is a different mentality around Liverpool and Arsenal" ?
Jamie Carragher on the Premier League title race ? pic.twitter.com/gD8DOJ1L1p
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 19, 2025
The next day, Liverpool legend-turned-pundit Carragher told Sky Sports: “I think there is a different mentality around Liverpool and Arsenal where I think Liverpool are a little bit calmer.
“They have won the title in the last few years. They’ve got players who’ve won the title and there’s a calmness to the manager, there’s no doubt about that. We’re still getting to know him in some ways.
“I think with Arsenal, I think the pressure’s cranked up because I think the frustration comes from the fact that they’re not chasing Man City.”
The last two campaigns have seen Mikel Arteta’s team finish runners-up to Man City, with 84 points in 2023 and 89 points in 2024.
This season, however, if they continue at their current rate of two points per game, they will finish with just 76 points.
“Because Man City have fallen away, they can’t actually believe it’s Liverpool in that position and not themselves, and I think that cranks up the pressure,” added Carragher.
“It feels to me that every time I watch Arsenal play, they’re only one game away from a crisis, so it will feel like a crisis this morning on the back of what happened yesterday (2-2 vs. Villa), but they’re still in the title race.
“But a lot of that comes down to the fact it’s actually Liverpool they’re chasing and not Manchester City.”
Having already been knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties by Man United, and facing the unenviable task of overturning a two-goal deficit away at Newcastle in their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, some supporters believe the Gunners have regressed.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have improved under Slot and, having faltered in the latter stages last season, the Reds will hope to finish the job in the Premier League this time around.
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