“Best in England, arguably Europe”: Carragher praises Arsenal’s brilliant backline

Jamie Carragher believes the current Arsenal defence can be compared to the great backlines of past title winners.

Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a 1-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday. The Gunners withstood heavy pressure from the home side without conceding clear-cut chances, to seal the points through Kai Havertz's goal.

Arsenal have had the best defensive record in the Premier League for each of the last four seasons and have now recorded six clean sheets in nine games.

That record has come despite the absence of William Saliba, who has not featured this season due to a back issue.

Carragher believes the current backline are good enough to be compared to Arsenal's famous back four from the late eighties and early nineties. That defence, featuring Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn became the bedrock of two title wins for Arsenal under George Graham.

"Liverpool played really well obviously didn't do enough, but you are playing against, defensively, the best team in this country. Arguably, in Europe," he said to Sky Sports.

"And that is without arguably the best centre-back in the world in William Saliba. When you think of how Arsenal won titles, particularly in 1989 and 1991, with Tony Adams and the famous back four. I think we're getting to the stage where we can put this back four up against that, certainly in that conversation.

"To come to Anfield and be under that much pressure and Liverpool to not really create a big chance, considering what Liverpool have got in their attack in terms of money spent, absolutely outstanding from the back four."