Picks: Jamie Carragher
Arsenal Football Newsletter
Arsenal players have dominated Jamie Carragher's team of the season so far.
The Gunners sit top of the Premier League table heading into Christmas Day, despite some less-than-convincing performances of late.
Arsenal have been heavy favourites to win the title - which would be their first in 22 years - due, in part, to the miserable form of Carragher's former side, Liverpool, who are not present.
Chelsea are also no-shows, while only Erling Haaland represents Manchester City, who sit just two points back from Arsenal in the standings.
Seven teams in total are represented, with Crystal Palace getting in two defenders, with Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs and midfielder Granit Xhaka getting the nod. Declan Rice completes the midfield two.
RB: Daniel Munoz
CB: Marc Guehi
CB: Gabriel Magalhaes
LB: Riccardo Calafiori
CM: Granit Xhaka
CM: Declan Rice
RW: Antoine Semenyo
AM: Bruno Fernandes
LW: Morgan Roger
"I would say the right-back position was most difficult," Carragher said.
"I was really close to putting Jurrien Timber in, who I’m a huge fan of. Also Reece James I think has been outstanding, but he’s played a lot of his football in central midfield."
"The other one to put in was [Moises] Caicedo and that was a really tough one,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to put all three because I think they’re almost, not defensive, but I wanted to put an attacking midfield player in there, I’ve obviously got Bruno Fernandes.
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"I’ve said I think Declan Rice just has the edge on Caicedo. I just felt the impact of Xhaka this season, he’s had the biggest impact of a signing or effect on a team, he’s so important to Sunderland, he had to be in the team.
‘"So I apologise to Chelsea fans, which I seem to do a lot, but I couldn’t find room for Caicedo."
The attack is completed by Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers and Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, sitting behind Haaland.
Asked for a player of the year so far, Carragher said: "Haaland, Declan Rice, they’d be certainly the two that would stand out right away. Morgan Rogers, I think, is sort of just on their coattails.
"If you’re talking about Player of the Year so far at the halfway point it would be a toss up between Declan and Erling Haaland."