The psychological blow of two cup exits will be the biggest threat to Arsenal’s title challenge, Jamie Carragher has said.
Former Liverpool captain Carragher watched the Gunners get eliminated from the FA Cup by Watford, and expects Barcelona to have too much for Arsene Wenger’s team in the Champions League.
And he has claimed the double blow will make it tough for the London club to make up the eight-point gap on league leaders Leicester City.
“Psychologically these defeats and going out of the Cup and Champions League – they’re out of that, forget the second leg – and then to lift themselves with the form they’re in,” Carragher told Sky Sports News HQ.
“[Wenger] keeps talking about the spirit in the squad, but it’s more in hope and belief that it will come to the fore. The next home game is Watford and they’ve got two difficult away games in Everton and West Ham.”
Since beating Leicester through Danny Welbeck’s stoppage time goal last month, Arsenal have won just one of their seven matches in all competitions.
One point from three league games against Manchester United, Swansea City and Tottenham Hotspur – coupled with Leicester’s seven points from their meetings with Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion and Watford – has left the Foxes clear at the top, with Spurs bisecting the two title rivals.
