sportbible
Jamie Carragher believes that only an injury crisis could hinder Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League title.
The Sky Sports analyst is optimistic that his former team will eclipse Arsenal by the conclusion of May.
4
4
Carragher devoted his entire 17-year playing career to Liverpool, clocking over 500 appearances for the club.
The 46-year-old was never able to lift the Premier League trophy during his time at Anfield.
Nevertheless, he firmly believes that Arne Slot’s team is nearly invincible this season, particularly following their recent decisive win against West Ham.
In a piece for The Telegraph, Carragher remarks, “Chelsea aren’t yet ready to be champions.”
He anticipates that “Liverpool will narrowly finish ahead of Arsenal for second place.”
Carragher also voiced concern, stating, “My primary worry for Liverpool is the risk of injuries to pivotal players.”
“If they can avoid injuries, they will be difficult to catch.”
The former England international is also hopeful that Manchester City will recover from their recent struggles to secure a fourth-place finish by season’s end.
Pep Guardiola’s team only managed to secure their second victory in 14 games against Leicester on Sunday.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Carragher is skeptical about whether Ruben Amorim has genuinely initiated a transformation at Manchester United.
The Portuguese coach has led his side to only four victories in 10 matches, suffering five defeats during that timeframe.
Gary Neville throws a drink at Carragher after Liverpool loses a lead to Newcastle, prompting fans to comment that ‘he was about to confront him there’
Carragher commented, “Ruben Amorim faces a considerable challenge with a blank slate.”
“He will need additional time and support, particularly to assist in transitioning underperforming players on large contracts out of the club.”
“What we’re witnessing at United is to be anticipated – a mix of decent results with reminders of why a new coach was essential.”
Despite the turmoil on and off the pitch for United, Carragher believes Amorim is the ideal candidate for the position.
4
Man Utd ratings vs Wolves
By Ken Lawrence
Wolves stunned Manchester United with an upset on Boxing Day as their struggles continued.
The 2-0 loss leaves Ruben Amorim with just two wins in the seven Premier League games he has managed.
United languishes in 14th place in the league, further hampered by Bruno Fernandes’ red card and Andre Onana conceding a goal directly from a corner.
Here’s how SunSport rated the players’ performances…
Andre Onana: 4
He made an important save against Jorgen Strand Larsen in the first half but misjudged a corner from Cunha, which led to the opening goal, with his claim of obstruction by Matt Doherty rejected.
Leny Yoro: 5
Returned to the team but received a yellow card after just four minutes for a foul on Cunha, placing him under pressure throughout the match. He was substituted shortly after the hour mark.
Harry Maguire: 6
The English defender worked diligently to keep United competitive during long periods of pressure, limiting the damage until the closing moments, even managing a header on target in stoppage time.
Lisandro Martinez: 6
He partnered well with Maguire to prevent Wolves from enjoying a more comfortable victory, performing critical tackles late in the match before being caught out on a counter-attack during the final play.
Noussair Mazraoui: 5
Tenacious and determined but faced a challenging matchup against the standout player on the pitch – Cunha.
Manuel Ugarte: 5
He found it tough against a lively Wolves attack and was dispossessed too easily at times, leading to his substitution following Fernandes’ sending off.
Kobbie Mainoo: 5
Started brightly by creating a few chances, but faded after receiving a yellow card in the second half, ultimately leading to his substitution.
Diogo Dalot: 6
He forced an impressive save from Jose Sa in the first half, marking one of the few highlights for United, but did little to affect an overall disappointing team display.
Amad Diallo: 5
At times, he displayed a lack of awareness of his teammates and looked very different from the player who helped turn the Manchester derby just two weeks prior.
Bruno Fernandes: 3
He received a red card early in the second half for a second yellow after a foul on Nelson Semedo, but was already a frustrated figure before this incident.
Rasmus Hojlund: 5
He expressed visible frustration due to a lack of service, had minimal impact up front, and was substituted with ten minutes left.
SUBSTITUTES
Casemiro (for Mainoo, 63 mins): 6
Christian Eriksen (for Ugarte, 63 mins): 6
Antony (for Yoro, 63 mins): 6
Alejandro Garnacho (for Amad, 79 mins): 5
Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 79 mins): 5
Carragher believes that Manchester United will evolve into a “better, more consistent team by December 2025, especially once Amorim has completed a full pre-season and brought in new players to implement his vision.”
The 2005 champion stated that either Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, or Real Madrid could claim the trophy in May.
4
Carragher added, “No one wants to draw Real Madrid in the knockout stages; they invariably find a way to progress regardless of their current form.”
“Bayern Munich also looks formidable and consistently competes deep into the tournament.
“And of course, there’s Liverpool, who are currently maintaining a flawless record.
“These four teams will be ones that everyone hopes to avoid.”
