Jamie Carragher predicts when Liverpool will challenge for title again after Man City vs Arsenal

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool will have to wait until next season to challenge for the Premier League title, and has backed Manchester City to defend its crown.

The top of the Premier League table takes on a very familiar look after five games, with Liverpool trailing Manchester City by just a point after beating Bournemouth 3-0 on Saturday, while Pep Guardiola’s side drew in dramatic circumstances against Arsenal.

The Gunners came agonizingly close to landing a significant blow to City’s hopes of landing a seventh title in eight years at the Etihad, only for John Stones to grab an equalizer right at the death.

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City and Arsenal will be expected to battle it out between themselves for the title again this season, especially with Liverpool changing managers following Jurgen Klopp’s departure in the summer. The Reds though have shown plenty of encouraging signs under Arne Slot so far, and may have their own say.

Carragher though feels it will take a year – and some new signings – before Liverpool challenges for the title again.

Speaking on the after Sunday’s game at the Etihad, the Reds legend said: “I think it’ll be a little bit similar to last season where Liverpool are just slightly behind these two teams, and improving and looking to maybe really go for it next season when the manager knows everything about his squad and he looks at exactly who he wants to bring in.

“He hasn’t really bought anyone. [Federico] Chiesa’s more of a squad player, they bought a goalkeeper from Valencia but that’s more for next season, so it’s still last season’s team. I think Liverpool are the third-best team.”

Giving his verdict on City and Arsenal’s chances, Carragher added: “Always when I look at the squads, and I just look at that attack Manchester City have got. De Bruyne doesn’t play today, I know Odegaard doesn’t play as well, but I think they’ve just got a little bit more in those attacking areas.

“If Arsenal had held on, it would have been a set-piece goal. We know they’re amazing at set-pieces, we saw it last week, they win the game at Tottenham, but you can’t win the game on set-pieces every week. I think Manchester City have the edge there.”

Liverpool.com says: There won’t be many expecting Liverpool to challenge for the title this season. Given what we’ve seen so far though, they might be closer than a few are anticipating.

Carragher’s probably right though that the Reds are still third-best at the moment. They surely won’t finish as low as Gary Neville is suggesting anyway.