Jamie Carragher blames Nuno Tavares for Arsenal’s failure to make Champions League after ‘costing them’ in run-in
JAMIE CARRAGHER has blamed Nuno Tavares for Arsenal’s failure to finish in the top four last season.
The Gunners narrowly missed out to bitter rivals Tottenham as their poor run of form late in the campaign saw them squander Champions League qualification.
Mikel Arteta‘s men lost two of their final three matches – a set of results which ultimately cost them dearly.
But just prior to that, Arsenal were beaten three times in a row at the hands of Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton.
Tavares, who completed a loan move to Marseille this summer, started the two matches against Palace and Saints following Kieran Tierney’s season-ending injury.
And he produced a pair of bad performances – particularly at Selhurst Park where he was hooked at half-time.
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Carragher feels that period of the campaign was crucial, and that a more accomplished left-back could well have seen Arsenal finish in the top four.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “Nuno Tavares has gone out on loan, I saw. I think if they had a better left-back, then you probably would be in the top four now.
“I don’t like singling one player out, but I just think he cost you in certain games.
“I remember that game at Crystal Palace last season, it was on Monday Night Football and I said on TV: ‘He has to come off at half-time’.
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“I think he [Mikel Arteta] put Granit Xhaka at left-back in the end.”
Arsenal kick off their 2022/23 Premier League campaign away at Palace on Friday night.
And Gunners fans will be optimistic about their chances this season after a healthy amount of summer transfer business.
Arteta has already signed five players – Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos and Matt Turner.