Carragher emphatically agrees with Thierry Henry on Arsenal transfer failure

Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal have missed a trick by not signing a striker despite their emphatic victory against Manchester City.

The Gunners secured a stunning 5-1 victory against Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday evening. The win left them second in the Premier League table, just six points behind Liverpool. Only Arne Slot’s side have scored more than the North London side in the league this season. But ex-Liverpool star Carragher believes they still need a new forward to be considered bonafide title challengers.

Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "This is exactly what Thierry Henry said after the [Arsenal vs Man City] show - he said because Arsenal have won so emphatically, the talk about them bringing in an attacking player or a striker will go.

"He felt they still needed one. Not so much because they scored five goals, but that's the kind of game where you really respect Kai Havertz. When you're playing against one of the top teams you want your striker to come back and help defend.

"I think it's in the games they're expected to win where they may create chances and they're not finishing. You think about Kai Havertz in the first half [vs Man City].

"What we saw of Kai Havertz in the second half, that's what you want. They're leaving it late and I'm not quite sure the player who improves Arsenal - there are very few in Europe - one of the best teams in the Premier League, one of the best teams in the Champions League, there are very few players who can improve what they've got.

"I think it'll be difficult to bring somebody in but without another special player in attack I don't think they've got enough to win the Premier League."

Carragher’s point is a very similar one made by Henry after Arsenal’s thumping win against City. He suggested that fans should still make their desire for business be known, albeit was aware that the January window was potentially not the right time to invest heavily.

Speaking on Sky, Henry said: "Always Arsenal fans say to me, we need a nine. Nobody is going to ask for a nine after this game.

"Yeah they should still ask. It's not because you won 5-1 that you don't need a nine. We've been, as Arsenal fans, asking for a nine for two years, four transfer windows. We still didn't see it. You can't be calling for a nine when you can't put the ball in the back of the net and then when you do, forget it.

"You call for a nine all the time. I don't often believe in the January transfer window, that's only me. I keep saying all the time, sometimes you don't get the player you want, wait for it, and go and get it in the summer. We haven't done that yet."

Even ahead of deadline day, Arsenal had been linked with a number of forwards including Viktor Gyokeres and Mathys Tel. The latter was available on a deal within the closing days of the window and still looks set to be moving to North London but instead to Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham.