Football pundit and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has issued a public apology to Chelsea fans after making a brutal selection call in his Premier League team of the season so far. The Sky Sports analyst revealed his best XI on Monday Night Football, sparking debate with several notable omissions.
The Midfield Dilemma: Rice Gets the Nod Over Caicedo
Carragher's most contentious decision came in midfield, where he selected Arsenal's Declan Rice ahead of Chelsea's Moises Caicedo. The former defender admitted it was a close call but gave the edge to the Gunners' star. "I apologise to Chelsea fans," Carragher said. "Declan Rice just has the edge on Caicedo."
His three-man midfield was completed by Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Granit Xhaka, who has impressed since his summer move to Sunderland. Carragher explained that his desire to include an attacking midfielder in Fernandes was the decisive factor, noting that Caicedo would have been a "shoe-in" otherwise. He praised Fernandes for creating the most chances in the league this campaign.
Carragher's Full Best XI and Surprise Picks
The former England international's team featured a mix of established stars and breakout performers. In goal, he selected Sunderland's Robin Roefs, who has prevented a league-high 2.8 goals according to advanced metrics. "I've been really impressed with him," Carragher stated. "He's had a brilliant start to his Premier League career."
The defence was split between Crystal Palace and Arsenal. Palace's Daniel Munoz and Marc Guehi were chosen at right-back and centre-back respectively. Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori earned the left-back spot alongside his teammate Gabriel Magalhaes. Carragher noted that Gabriel, currently recovering from a hamstring injury, has been a "huge miss" for Mikel Arteta's side.
In attack, Carragher's front three raised eyebrows. He selected Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo on the right, Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers on the left, and Manchester City's Erling Haaland as the central striker. He described Rogers as "the most in-form player in the Premier League", acknowledging that City's Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden were close contenders for the left-sided role.
Player of the Year Favourites Named
Looking at the individual awards, Carragher proposed his leading candidates for the Premier League's top honour. He suggested the main battle is between Erling Haaland and Declan Rice, with Morgan Rogers "on their coat-tails" following his exceptional form for Aston Villa. The selection underscores the impactful seasons enjoyed by both Haaland and Rice at their respective clubs.
Carragher's team, which notably included no players from his former club Liverpool, reflects his analysis of performance data and impact over sentiment. His explanation for omitting Caicedo, despite the Ecuadorian's stellar season at Stamford Bridge, highlights the fierce competition for places in any symbolic team of the season at the campaign's midpoint.
