Jamie Carragher has given a fresh Premier League title verdict after Manchester City resumed their upturn in form with a 3-0 win over Manchester United.
Carragher has backed Manchester City to win the Premier League “comfortably” – and admits he doesn’t think Liverpool are “quite there” to go and lift the title.
Pep Guardiola’s side eased to a 3-0 success over Manchester United on Sunday as Erling Haaland struck twice, while Phil Foden also scored to put gloss on the scoreline. It was a victory that moved City up to third, level on points with second-place Arsenal and two behind leaders Tottenham.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are fourth after beating Nottingham Forest 3-0, with Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah scoring for Jurgen Klopp’s men. The Reds are one point worse off than City, having won seven, drawn two and lost one from their opening 10 top-flight matches.
Aston Villa sit in fifth following their comfortable 3-1 win over Luton, while five points separate them and Newcastle and Brighton, who remain sixth and seventh respectively. As for Erik ten Hag’s United, they are down in eighth having already lost five Premier League matches this season, while Chelsea are 11th.
Speaking after the Manchester derby, Carragher was quizzed about if City are title favourites. “I’ve got the feeling with City when I was coming up against Gary [Neville] and Roy [Keane], where even if Manchester United in years go by weren’t top at this stage, it’s almost if they are getting ready for the second half of the season,” he told Sky Sports.
“That today, a big game, put on a show to let people know how good they are, they are still the team to beat. I think they’ll win the league comfortably this season, I do! I don’t think Liverpool are quite ready to mount a serious challenge.
“Arsenal, of course did that last season, and even though they’ve made a good start, I don’t think they are playing as well as this time last season, so I don’t think everything is 100 percent there.”
This prediction from Carragher comes nine days after the ex-Liverpool defender said that the battle at the top will only be competitive if City continued to wobble following the international break. “The only way Liverpool – or anyone else – can win the Premier League is if Manchester City wobble,” he told The Telegraph.
“City’s recent defeats by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal have given the rest a glimmer of hope. If Liverpool are in a position to take advantage, that is beyond the pre-season expectations. Arsenal are considered the most likely to pip City. Are Arsenal better than Liverpool? We will know by Christmas.”
Since suffering back-to-back losses before the international break, City responded by beating Brighton 2-1, before their comprehensive victory at Old Trafford. When asked about his side’s performance at United and their response to losing at Arsenal earlier this month, Guardiola said:
“I always have a good feeling here. The players always give their best and I am really pleased for our fans and what it means to them.”
He added: “Arsenal won because they are a fantastic team. I would say my strategy was not good. We played in a different way because I thought the space would be in different positions and after that, I said it was not good but it happened.
“The players know the Premier League is tough. Brighton was important to break that defeat and after the way we played against Young Boys helped us a lot.”
