Jamie Carragher admits Arsenal's desire to exceed their previous season's points tally is unlikely to happen this year as they chase a first Premier League title in more than 20 years. The Gunners have finished second in each of the past two campaigns, being pipped by Manchester City on both occasions. Mikel Arteta's side are again one place off the top, with Liverpool sitting at the summit for almost the entire campaign.
The Reds are many people's picks to land another Premier League success with Arsenal the only team realistically capable of stopping them. Arteta has led a renaissance at the Emirates and in the past two seasons they've registered points tallies of 84 and then 89.
Carragher cannot see the north Londoners exceeding last year's total having already dropped points in nine of their 21 games, but believes a lower points total will be needed to land the Premier League this term, even if Arsenal are in danger of taking backwards strides.
He wrote in the Telegraph: "Arsenal have taken significant strides every year since Arteta became manager. They have improved their points tally in four successive Premier League seasons and are aiming to become the first team to do so for a fifth. "To continue that run they need 90 points this time. To put that into perspective, Arsenal require 15 wins and two draws from their remaining 17 fixtures to reach that target. The bad news for them is I do not see them doing so.
