Jamie Carragher identifies 'biggest obstacle' between Arsenal and Premier League title

Arsenal moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with victory over Palace (Picture: Getty)

Jamie Carragher says Arsenal are in a ‘great position’ to end their long wait for a Premier League title – and their most significant ‘obstacle’ this season could be Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

Not even in his wildest dreams could Mikel Arteta have imagined such a productive and momentum-shifting weekend for his team, in which Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all suffered shock defeats.

Eberechi Eze ensured Arsenal took full advantage with the only goal of the game in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday , just two months after leaving Selhurst Park to join the Gunners.

The result means the north Londoners hold a four-point advantage over second-placed Bournemouth after nine games, while boasting far and away the best defensive record having shipped a total of just three goals.

Arteta’s men – who have finished runners-up in each of the last three seasons – will be determined to tighten their grip on top spot when they return to Premier League action away to struggling Burnley in a week’s time.

The reigning champions, Liverpool, now sit seven points adrift of Arsenal down in seventh place on the back of a dramatic 3-2 loss at Brentford – the club’s fifth defeat in six games.

‘That’s the big difference to last season: whenever Liverpool dropped points, Arsenal didn’t capitalise,’ ex-Liverpool and England defender Carragher said on Sky Sports when reflecting on the weekend’s action.

Eze’s first-half strike proved the difference at the Emirates (Picture: Getty)

The league leaders have conceded just three goals all season (Picture: Getty)

‘We highlighted on Monday Night Football last week that Arsenal won a game when Liverpool lost and they’ve done exactly the same again right now.

‘They’re in a great position. The only thing for Arsenal and the supporters, because they want the Premier League so much and it’s been so long for them, is that it almost feels like such a long wait until May.

‘There’s a long way to go and things can go wrong, but right now, again I’ll reiterate it, the way the Premier League is this season in terms of long-throws, set-pieces, direct play, Arsenal are the best-equipped team to deal with that.’

Champions Liverpool are languishing down in seventh (Picture: Getty)

Carragher was critical of Palace attacker Yeremy Pino for giving away a ‘silly’ free-kick and gifting Arsenal a golden chance to score with yet another trademark set-piece.

‘Don’t be giving away silly free-kicks if you come up against Arsenal !’ he added.

‘We know the delivery is fantastic in Gabriel you’ve got someone who is really special at getting his head on it.

Arsenal find themselves in a ‘great position’ to end their wait for the title, says Carragher (Picture: Getty)

‘It was a really silly foul on Bukayo Saka from Yeremy Pino. You don’t need to make the challenge there, he’s going away from goal, he’s about to pass the ball back.

‘And then the delivery from Declan Rice is fantastic. They’ve got four giants at the back post but, again, it’s Gabriel and he does enough to make it difficult for [Ismaila] Sarr.

‘That is what you call a fantastic finish from Eze. Eze didn’t have his best game today and it might have been a bit difficult for him, certainly mentally, coming up against his former team.’

Arsenal have finished second in each of the last three seasons (Picture: Getty)

Carragher feels Arsenal are exceptionally well placed to get their hands on the Premier League trophy this term, thanks largely to their extraordinary dominance in set-piece situations.

‘Where the Premier League is right now this season, it feels like we’re going to be talking about set-pieces a lot, every weekend and a lot on Monday Night Football,’ he went on.

‘There is no team better in the league and primed to go on and win the Premier League if that’s where the league is going.

‘I mentioned my own team in terms of Liverpool and they don’t seem to be able to cope.

Carragher feels like are shades of Mourinho in the way Arteta sets up his team (Picture: Getty)

‘This Arsenal team has been built to cope in situations like this, in terms of the back four, the height of the team, the power that they get.

‘For a long time, I’ve said that Mikel Arteta is trying to win the Premier League like a Jose Mourinho team… or, as we saw him in the stands today, a George Graham Arsenal team.

‘There’s nothing wrong with that. The most important thing is winning and, right now, they look in a great position, certainly after the weekend’s results, to go on and win the Premier League.’

Haaland is the ‘biggest obstacle’ to Arsenal winning the league, according to Carragher (Picture: Getty)

Prior to Arsenal’s defeat of Palace, Carragher suggested that City’s talismanic striker, Haaland, was perhaps the biggest threat to the Gunners’ title hopes this year.

‘Arsenal came into this season worried about Liverpool being the major obstacle to ending a 21-year title wait. Now their biggest fear might be Erling Haaland,’ the 2005 Champions League winner said.

‘Where Arsenal have the best squad among the contenders and Liverpool must fix well-documented issues, Manchester City have the most influential player and dynamic attacker.

‘The Norwegian is the biggest reason why Pep Guardiola’s side have a great chance of reclaiming their crown. Without him, City’s most realistic target would be finishing in the top four.’

Gabriel has been in exceptional form for the Gunners (Picture: Getty)

According to Carragher, Arteta now has the Premier League’s ‘most influential player’ at his disposal in Gabriel Magalhaes.

‘I think he’s now the real leader in this team,’ Carragher explained.

‘I think William Saliba is a fantastic player. I always felt that Gabriel was maybe the junior partner if you like.

‘That’s changed for me now. I think Gabriel is a colossus at the back, he’s the leader for that team, he talks, he keeps Saliba in check at times in games.

‘We’ve seen him defensively but going forward at the other end, we’ve seen him on the goal, we’ve seen him hit the crossbar as well and this happens every game.

‘He’s the best defender in the team that has the best defensive numbers and he’s the best attacker in terms of set-pieces going forward at the other end.

‘That’s why, for me, right now, I think Gabriel is the most influential player in the Premier League.

‘I think if Arsenal are to go on and win the Premier League, I know it’s early, but I think he will be on course to go on and win the PFA Player of the Year because there’s nobody more influential for Arsenal Football Club.’