'You've talked me into it now': Jamie Carragher swayed by former rival over Premier League prediction

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 21: Former Liverpool player now a Sky TV pundit Jamie Carragher before the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at Vitality Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jamie Carragher has been swayed over where he believes Liverpool will end up this season, following their strong start to the season and performances under Arne Slot.

Currently top of the Premier League after six games, Liverpool have won five and lost just once in a positive start to life with new management at Anfield. Prior to the start of the season, though, Carragher predicted Arsenal to be the biggest challengers to Manchester City, with the pair expected to run away in a title battle.

Liverpool, meanwhile, were tipped for third - a prediction he might have now changed following the comments of one of his former on-pitch rivals...

Jamie Carragher changes Liverpool prediction after Paul Scholes backing

Paul Scholes working as a pundit ahead of a big game at Wembley Stadium with Jamie Carragher

Scholes made some interesting comments about the Premier League title race

For Paul Scholes, the former Manchester United midfielder believes that Liverpool have got a better chance to win the Premier League title this season than Arsenal. Suggesting that Arne Slot's new-look side are more exciting than the Gunners, he also believes the quality of squad is better to compete with Manchester City.

"Liverpool have got a better squad, and possibly team [than Arsenal]," Scholes said on the Overlap's Fan Debate. "They excite me more. It's not nice saying that, but honestly Liverpool do excite me more when I watch them, when I see their players.

"Everything they've got, it feels better than Arsenal. I think Pep could be more worried about Liverpool than he is Arsenal."

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 06: Paul Scholes of Manchester United clashes with Jamie Carragher of Liverpool as Nani lies injured during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on March 6, 2011 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Scholes and Carragher clash on the pitch (Image credit: Getty Images)

Jamie Carragher clearly took notice of what Scholes argued. Previously, the Liverpool legend has always ruled the Reds out of the title race, suggesting that Arsenal and Manchester City simply have too much firepower for them to content with.

But, when reflecting on the 2023/24 campaign, Carragher realised that, had Liverpool not suffered so many injuries, their title challenge could certainly have continued.

"I think last season surprised us all, and Liverpool were actually top of the league with about seven or eight games to go," Carragher highlighted. "The one thing I would say though is we had so many injuries last season, it was unbelievable how we kept it going. The Carabao Cup final, Joe Gomez at left back.

VIDEO: How Arne Slot Fixed Liverpool's Biggest Problem Against Milan

"A lot of that was probably down to how Jurgen Klopp played and how he trained, it was really high intensity. The new guy, he brings a different way of doing things, if Liverpool don't have the injuries they did last season and they mirror what they did, they will be in with a shout.

"You've talked me into it now! What they did last season (with the injuries) was unbelievable, if they can be fitter they might be there or thereabouts."

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.