“I couldn’t believe there was a way that West Ham could ever get back in the game.”
Jamie Carragher has stated that Arsenal have become complacent and cocky in recent weeks, which has led them to wobble in the title race against Manchester City.
The North London club had to settle for a point in a disappointing draw away to West Ham which saw the Gunners give up a 2-0 lead for the second week in a row.
The idea of Arsenal potentially “bottling” the league has been floated around the media this week, but Carragher insists their complacency has come from their control over games rather than nerves.
“When you’re in the run-in for that title, there’s always that question mark against a team who have not won it before of ‘have they got the nerve?'” said Carragher on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show.
“And when they lose a game like this or drop points two-nil up – last week, this week – have they bottled it? And this idea that Arsenal have bottled it or haven’t held their nerve, I think it’s completely the opposite.
"They've got cocky" 😤@Carra23 believes Arsenal dropped points because they got complacent… pic.twitter.com/heTO15ZnlK
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 17, 2023
“Because when you talk about someone maybe getting nervous in the run-in, you can’t play as well as they did in the first half an hour at Anfield, or the first half an hour in this game if they’re going into the game tense, worried about fixtures, worried that City won.
“The football was out of this world. The problem Arsenal have had in the last two weeks is they got complacent, they got cocky.”
Arsenal’s title challenge is starting to falter
Mikel Arteta’s side were two-nil up after ten minutes and looking extremely comfortable at the London Stadium, with goals coming from Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.
However, a Said Benrahma penalty brought the Hammers right back into things and the home side grew in confidence.
Bukayo Saka failed to capitalise after missing a penalty early on in the second half and Jarred Bowen quickly equalised soon after, ensuring David Moyes’ men came away with a point.
“That game is so easy,” continued Carragher. “I couldn’t believe there was a way that West Ham could ever get back in the game. The only way they could get back in the game was Arsenal doing something stupid.”
With City beating Leicester comfortably on Saturday, there is now just four points between the teams. Everything now points towards the match on April 26, which sees the two title-contenders face off in what could be the most important game of the season.
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