Gary Neville has once again snubbed Liverpool in predicting which team will become Premier League champions in May.
At the start of the campaign in August, Neville backed Arsenal to end their 21-year wait for domestic success and win the 2024-25 Premier League, while Carragher tipped Manchester City to clinch a fifth consecutive title.
The former Manchester United defender even omitted Liverpool from his top-four contenders, instead naming City, United and Chelsea in that order, with Arne Slot’s men in fifth – which represents the final Champions League qualification place. Carragher plumped for Arsenal in second, Liverpool third and Tottenham in fourth.
At the halfway mark, it’s fair to say both pundits made some spectacular errors with their predictions – with the Reds eight points clear of high-flying Nottingham Forest and nine ahead of Arsenal in third.
Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Neville said: “Liverpool, I thought they would have a real hangover with Jurgen Klopp leaving and that’s why you’ll see I’ve corrected that in a bit, Arne Slot’s been as the manager of the season so far.
“I did feel Liverpool would drop off and for them to be so far in front and now favourites for them, it’s an unbelievable performance – I didn’t expect that.”
Despite his complimentary words for the Merseyside outfit, Neville snubbed the opportunity to alter his prediction to Liverpool and stuck to his guns with Arsenal, while Carragher opted to put his faith in Slot’s men to collect their second Premier League crown.
Explaining his pick, Neville said: “Liverpool are massive favourites and they’re in great form, but there’s still a long way to go.
“Arsenal have been through the mill the last couple of years, it’s gone to the wire. Sometimes when you don’t win your first title, it doesn’t happen in the most expected way and things can happen.”
Liverpool were the main challengers to City during Klopp’s reign, but one season saw their title challenge fall apart when Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending injury. And Neville thinks a repeat could damage Slot’s chances of lifting the trophy.
“The thing that sticks out for me is that Van Dijk, if he got injured, that could be a completely different story,” he added.
“That six points that Arsenal could go to [win] in a couple of days’ time [against Brentford and Brighton], it could happen. It would dwindle away quite quickly [if he got injured], Virgil van Dijk has been such an immense player for them.”
When quizzed about Bukayo Saka’s long-term injury, Neville believes the Gunners have a collective strength to see them through the 23-year-old’s absence.
“Things are going against Arsenal at this moment in time, but they’re hanging in there. They’re the only team that can take it off Liverpool,” Neville said.
“I just think Arsenal have got a resilience to them, they’ve got a back four that can hold it together and get through games.
“I do think they’ll attack better in the next part of the season. I think they’ll hang in there, and if they can just get close towards the end, they could take Liverpool down. That’s what I’m… hoping for!”
