Jamie Carragher has suggested that Arsenal's pursuit of the Champions League title could be severely compromised if they fail to secure the Premier League crown first. The Gunners are on the verge of a historic double after defeating Atletico Madrid to reach their first Champions League final since 2006. Mikel Arteta's team will face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest later this month.
Premier League Priority
Before the final, Arsenal must navigate a crucial league fixture against relegation-threatened West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday. Manchester City's costly draw with Everton on Monday has left Arsenal in pole position, but Carragher believes the West Ham match is pivotal. Speaking at the 2026 Women's Football Awards, he told Metro: 'That's the game that can go either way, but if Arsenal get over the line against West Ham, I can't see them messing it up from there.'
Carragher emphasised the broader implications: 'When you think about it, it could arguably be the biggest game of the season. But for lots of other teams, it's probably the biggest game for West Ham. They have to get something. It's a huge game for Tottenham, because of the angle of West Ham. It's a huge game for Man City, because of Arsenal's situation.'
Emotional Toll
However, Carragher cautioned that failing to win the league could drain Arsenal's emotional reserves ahead of the Champions League final. 'That game will be a real problem if they don't win the league. I think that'll be a problem. Yes, you want to win everything, but I think Arsenal really want to win the league,' he said.
Drawing parallels to Liverpool's recent history, Carragher added: 'They wouldn't turn their noses up at the Champions League, but I think Liverpool were in that situation a few years ago, where they'd gone so long without winning the league that they just wanted it done. For me, more often than I always say, the Champions League is a bigger trophy to win. But I think when you've gone so long without the league, they'll be desperate for that.'
Carragher concluded that a league win would provide a significant boost: 'I think if they win it, which they should do, the position that they're in right now, I think it'll give them a huge boost. They will need that going into the final. I think we all know PSG are the better team, but that doesn't mean Arsenal can't win a one-off game.'
