Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola next to the club badge and, inset, Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher has big hopes for Liverpool this season
Jamie Carragher feels Liverpool could have a big season, but is also of the belief that one of their stars has been hit very hard by an Andoni Iraola decision which could wreck him.
The Reds face Premier League champions Arsenal, who begin the day level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table. Liverpool themselves, only six points back and in good form, have a great opportunity.
Now that some of their big names look to be finding form alongside one another, club legend Carragher feels they could be onto big things.
He told Sky Sports: “Liverpool, as Daniel [Sturridge] has just mentioned, are bubbling along nicely. We go back to the game here about three weeks ago against Manchester City, lost the game, but it was an encouraging performance when it was 11 v 11.
“And they’ve gone on from there and picked up a lot of results.
“Now, this will be the acid test. If Liverpool were to win today, you can’t say about a team with the name of Liverpool and who have won a title just over a year ago that you’re not in the title race or you’re not going to try and push Arsenal as much as you possibly can.
“If they were to lose today, I couldn’t see that, I know it’s still early days.
“But if Liverpool win today, they won’t say it themselves but I will, and they should, you’re going for the league.”
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Ryan Gravenberch hit hard at Liverpool
Carragher also feels that the side that Liverpool manager Iraola selected, with Trey Nyoni in place of Ryan Gravenberch, will be a big knock to the Dutchman’s confidence.
He said: “The one thing that has stood out with the manager so far is he’s not afraid to make big decisions.
“He dropped Gravenberch really early, after the first game of the season, away at Newcastle.
“He’s left [Milos] Kerkez as out, a player who he knows before as well. He’s changed the wingers in and out at different times.
“What I would say is, I think we all go back to being a young player; the first time as a youngster when you’re ever picked ahead of what you is an established player.
“It’s always difficult, I think, for the senior player to ever recover from that.
“Not that he can’t come back, but Iraola’s saying he’s got more trust in a 19-year-old kid who’s only getting better and his career is going one way.
“I think that will be a mighty blow for Gravenberch.”