- Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have reflected on their pre-season predictions
- The iconic duo picked a club to be in the top four, but they were wrong.
- Arsenal are the real deal regardless of what happens in the title race – Listen to the It’s all starting! podcast
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher reflected on their pre-season predictions during Sky Sports’ final Monday Night Football show of the season.
The Premier League will close another season dramatically on Sunday with City and Arsenal taking the title race to the final day, while the final relegation spot is also not officially assured.
The iconic Sky Sports duo previously gave their predictions for the campaign leading up to last summer and they were both right on some, while wrong on others.
Carragher predicted that Manchester City will be crowned champions, while Neville opted for Arsenal.
One of them will be right on Sunday, when Pep Guardiola’s men are favorites to win a fourth consecutive title.
Jamie Carragher (left) and Gary Neville (right) have reflected on their pre-season prediction
Exciting Premier League title race to be decided on final day of season
Both Carragher and Neville thought Manchester United would secure a top four spot.
Both Carragher and Neville thought Manchester United would finish in the top four, but Erik ten Hag’s men currently sit in eighth place after a dismal campaign.
“I think most people would have picked United in the top four. “It’s been a very poor performance and a bad season,” Neville said.
Carragher predicted that Chelsea and Newcastle will take fifth and sixth place, but that will not be the case this weekend. Neville was also wrong, as he had opted for Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The former Liverpool defender was right in his relegation predictions with Luton set to join Sheffield United and Burnley in being relegated to the Championship.
Neville got two of them right, but predicted that Bournemouth, currently in 11th place, would be relegated instead of Burnley.
He said: “I had gone to see Vincent Kompany and Craig Bellamy earlier in the season, Kompany when they came back from pre-season. “I never thought that with the money they spent and the way they dominated the Championship they would go down again.
Neville predicted Burnley would remain in the league but they have returned to the Championship
Declan Rice has lived up to the hype since his £105million move from West Ham to Arsenal.
“It’s been disappointing for Burnley. I mean, obviously it gives them a bit more peace of mind because it’s not easy for teams coming from the Championship, but I think they’ll be really disappointed with how it’s gone.”
Neville and Carragher predicted that Manchester City’s Erling Haaland will be this season’s top scorer. It looked like they were going to be right, with the Norwegian striker leading the table with 25 goals, currently four ahead of Cole Palmer.
Tottenham’s James Maddison was predicted to make the biggest impact as a new signing but proved inconsistent after a bright start to the season.
Meanwhile, Neville opted for Declan Rice, who lived up to expectations following his £105m transfer from West Ham.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was the only one Carragher had to follow and he has shown why that is, with the Cherries sitting mid-table despite a slow start.
Iraola signed a new contract earlier this week and has been nominated for the Manager of the Season award.
Andoni Iraola has proven to be a success at Bournemouth by taking the Cherries to mid-table
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was Neville’s choice, but the Cameroonian had a disappointing first season in English football.
“I think he struggled at the start, the Champions League really struggled obviously, but he’s had a decent second half of the season. I made the odd mistake, but I showed personality and character,” Neville said on Onana.
“I think you need that second season to come to terms, but I think there’s something there.”
