Arsenal Need ‘Special’ Forward to Challenge Man City, Predicts Chelsea to Miss Top Six says Carragher

Jamie Carragher has highlighted Arsenal’s need for a “special” forward to compete with Manchester City for the Premier League title, while predicting that Chelsea will miss out on the top six this season.

As the 2024/2025 Premier League season kicks off, Manchester City aims for a fifth consecutive title under Pep Guardiola, after becoming the first team to win four English titles in a row last season.

Arsenal, who came close to toppling City last term, will be eager to end their 21-year Premier League title drought.

Liverpool, under Jurgen Klopp in his final season, also made a strong push for the title. With Klopp’s departure, Arne Slot faces a challenging task at Anfield, and the lack of summer signings has raised concerns among supporters.

Aston Villa’s unexpected success last season saw them secure a Champions League spot, while Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, finished fifth after a promising start.

Chelsea, Newcastle, and Manchester United finished sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively last season, failing to meet expectations.

Carragher predicts that City will once again dominate, with Arsenal finishing second for the third consecutive year. He also forecasts Liverpool to secure third place, with Tottenham moving into the Champions League spots ahead of Villa.

In an interview with FourFourTwo, Carragher explained his predictions: “I can only see Arsenal or City really.

Arsenal have come close twice and are very near making that next step, but I still see players like Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva as being superior to what Arsenal currently have. I think Arsenal are one attacking player short. While Bukayo Saka is excellent, the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, or Leandro Trossard may need additional support to challenge City.”

Carragher also speculated that Erik ten Hag could be dismissed from Manchester United by November, given the pressure to secure a top-four finish.

He remarked, “Ten Hag gone by November… international break.” For Liverpool, he believes a top-four finish would be a successful outcome for new manager Arne Slot, considering the team’s strong performance last season under Klopp. “Liverpool slightly overperformed last season,” Carragher said. “Another season like that would be a great start for Slot, but a title challenge might be out of reach.”