Liverpool were dumped out of the FA Cup on Sunday by Championship strugglers Plymouth, and Jamie Carragher believes the defeat could affect their hopes of winning the title
Jamie Carragher appears to have backed Liverpool to win the Premier League title despite their FA Cup exit at the hands of Plymouth.
Ryan Hardie’s second-half penalty sent the Reds crashing out in the fourth round of the competition on Sunday. A much-changed Liverpool side struggled to break down their hosts, who sit rock bottom of the Championship.
It means any hopes of a quadruple in Arne Slot’s first season are dead. But the Reds do remain top of the Premier League and can pull nine points clear of closest challengers Arsenal with a win over Everton on Wednesday.
They will have to quickly bounce back from their disappointment at Home Park, where it took them until the 70th minute to have a shot on target. But Reds legend Carragher believes the defeat could actually help his former side.
His reply to a Twitter post about Liverpool’s chances of winning the title have caught the eye. A fan had posted: “Probability to win the league has gone up.” Carragher replied with the ‘100 emoji’, suggesting he agrees with the comment.
The former defender has consistently backed Liverpool to win the title since they emerged as the frontrunners. Back in December, he admitted his only worry was if an injury crisis hits, something that exiting the FA Cup may help to avoid.
“It is between Liverpool and Arsenal. Arsenal’s biggest problem right now is their injuries. Mikel Arteta will find the answers to ensure the team improves in the second half of the season, and they have built valuable experience of a run-in,” Carragher told The Telegraph.
Arne Slot saw his side fall to a shock defeat to Plymouth on Sunday ( Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“If they can get to March still close, they will believe. But I am speaking with my head and heart when saying Liverpool will pip them to first place. Arne Slot ’s attacking options are the strongest in the Premier League.
“My only worry for Liverpool is if they pick up injuries to their big players. If they can avoid them, they will be difficult to catch. Chelsea will finish third and despite their issues I see Manchester City finishing in the last Champions League spot.”
Boss Slot is also confident the trip to Plymouth can have a positive impact on his side’s season. He pointed out the importance of handing out minutes to the players on the fringes of his squad.
“The result is obvious, it’s a big disappointment, and the way we played [there] wasn’t a lot to be happy about as well. The only thing I was happy about is that the boys kept on fighting for 100 minutes and probably the best part of our game were the last 10 minutes,” he said.
“I think today also showed why we played with the ones we played with today because these players need game rhythm as well. For them to be ready in the upcoming months, they need game time, and you saw today that some of these players really need games like this to be ready for the last three months of the season.”
