Arsenal would be worse off if Liverpool acted on Carragher suspicions

Jamie Carragher laughs at Gary Neville's political ambitions

Jamie Carragher has a suspicion that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp explored the possibility of recruiting Arsenal stars Bukayko Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. The pair have played integral parts in the Gunner’s successful Premier League campaign and boast a combined 25 league goals between them.

Without the duo’s firepower, Arsenal would be in a very different position. In fact, if you take all their goals out of the equation the north London side would be 15 points worse off and placed second behind Manchester City.

Luckily for Arsenal, this isn’t the case as they sit eight points clear at the top of the table. And both men will certainly be needed for this weekend’s crunch clash against Liverpool with City snapping at their heels with a game still left in hand.

Last season’s runners-up are struggling for form and find themselves in eighth place after a dull 0-0 draw with Chelsea last weekend and could do with an injection of flair from the likes of Saka and Martinelli.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph ahead of Liverpool vs Arsenal, Carragher gave his thoughts on the fixture and Arsenal’s bright youngsters.

“Arsenal will arrive on Merseyside with more belief than they have had since their last league win at Anfield since 2012,” he said. “Before Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea, I predicted Liverpool would beat Arteta’s side, purely because of home form. If this game was not at Anfield I would not be so confident Liverpool had any chance.

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“Jurgen Klopp has had little cause to be envious of other squads during his Liverpool reign. He does now. He must wish half of Arteta’s team were in his starting XI. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli bring the lightning pace and penetration that Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane introduced to Klopp’s 4-3-3 system five years ago.

“Not so long ago, Klopp must have investigated if it was possible to lure the Arsenal duo to Merseyside. Suffice to say that ship has well and truly sailed.

“The side Klopp is trying to get a tune out of for the last 10 games of this season are not so dissimilar in make-up to what Arteta inherited in 2019, full of ageing players on big contracts who need to be eased out so the promising youngsters and next signings can shine.

“The difference is Arteta was prepared to be more pragmatic based on the tools he had when he took over. What worries me about this game is how rigid Klopp is in believing that the team must play the same high-pressing way, no matter how good the opponent or whether his personnel are able to execute it.”

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