Jamie Carragher insists Champions League success for Arsenal will ensure “nobody remembers or even cares about” them coming up short in the Premier League. The Gunners’ season hinges on how they perform in Europe, but they have one foot in the last four.
Mikel Arteta’s side produced a season-best showing in midweek as they saw off Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates to put themselves in control of their quarter-final tie. Arsenal have known for several weeks that it would take a monumental collapse from Liverpool for them to win the title.
It means that the north London outfit are set to finish second for the third straight season having twice been done by Manchester City. Questions have been asked of Arteta despite the forward strides that have been taken during his Arsenal tenure.
City’s dip opened the door this season but Liverpool have been far more consistent than Arsenal, who have dropped too many points. Carragher though insists a European triumph would render their near misses redundant – much like it did for his Liverpool side.
He said in the Telegraph: “When you become European champions, that’s all that matters, especially if you have beaten Real Madrid along the way. Nobody remembers or even cares about the league performance when you win the biggest trophy. Mention the 2004-05 season to any Liverpool supporter and all they will talk about is beating AC Milan, Chelsea and Juventus. Our 14 defeats in the Premier League have been erased from most people’s memory.”
Arteta has been a huge part of Arsenal’s renaissance but his trophy haul has continually been held against him. The Spaniard delivered the FA Cup in 2020 but since then those in north London have failed to land any silverware despite some heavy investment.
He has led the Gunners back to the Champions League and they reached the last eight 12 months ago before being edged out by Bayern Munich. A year on and they’re in control of their quarter-final tie with Real needing to overcome a three-goal deficit for the first time.
Carragher claimed: “Arsenal need a miracle to win the Premier League. So long as they prevent Real Madrid celebrating one of their own on Wednesday, they will have the consolation of being three games from one of the club’s greatest achievements.”
The Gunners have been to just one European Cup final – that coming back in 2006 when they were beaten by Barcelona in the Stade de France. A victory for the Premier League outfit would likely eclipse anything they have achieved in the past and rid of their recent domestic disappointment.
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