Jamie Carragher sends message to Arsenal fans as 'long ball' stat backs up Jose Mourinho claim

The erstwhile Liverpool antheral precocious outlined connected Sky Sports' 'Monday Night Football' his presumption that Arteta has moved distant from the teaching of erstwhile mentor Pep Guardiola and embraced Mourinho's little charismatic benignant of play successful a bid to triumph the Premier League title.

The Gunners find themselves 9 points disconnected league-leaders Liverpool aft 11 games played, but Carragher's chap pundit Gary Neville is inactive backing Arteta to triumph the rubric this season, with this caller benignant of play, aft doubly missing retired to City.

Analysis by The Athletic has revealed that Arsenal footwear the shot agelong (at slightest 40 metres) astatine extremity kicks 70 per cent of the time, which is the astir of immoderate Premier League broadside this season. Everton are 2nd with 63% and Nottingham Forest 3rd with 57%.

By contrast, City footwear the shot agelong 25% of the time, Liverpool bash it 16% and Tottenham person ne'er done it this season.

Replying to the stat, Carragher posted connected X: "Arsenal fans telling maine they aren’t nonstop similar Jose!"

Carragher's comments connected 'Monday Night Football' did not spell down good with sections of the Arsenal fanbase, but the erstwhile defender insisted astatine the clip that it was not an insulting assessment.

Carragher explained: "I deliberation determination was a feeling that Arsenal were not beardown enough, not almighty enough.

"So helium brought successful Declan Rice, 6ft 2in, box-to-box midfield player. Kai Havertz, an attacking player, whether that's midfield oregon portion of your beforehand three, but he's not a silky player, he's a carnal player. He holds the shot up, he's bully successful the air. Jurrien Timber, superb defender, but he's a coagulated defender archetypal and foremost, not similar a Zinchenko going into midfield.

"So erstwhile I speech astir wherever this squad is morphing to, I don't conscionable pluck a connection retired to effort and make headlines. And it's not a criticism. It's an investigation that this squad has gone from intricate players to strong, almighty players.

"You look astatine the players brought successful astatine Arsenal and it is morphing towards Mourinho. It's not a disapproval for Arsenal oregon Mikel Arteta, it's analysis. Because this is simply a feline who's won the Premier League 3 times."