Jamie Carragher has sparked fury among Arsenal supporters after penning a column suggesting Mikel Arteta's squad could surpass Manchester United's legendary 1999 Treble-winning side.
The former Liverpool defender wrote on Friday that the question surrounding the Gunners is "no longer a question of if Arsenal will win a trophy this campaign, but how many," backing them for a potential quadruple.
His glowing assessment arrives before Arsenal welcome a resurgent United to the Emirates on Sunday.
However, rather than embracing the praise, nervous Arsenal fans have accused Carragher of employing deliberate mind games designed to pile pressure on their team.
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One fan declared: "This is a jinx of an article. This JC waffle is so that he can write in the future that Arsenal lacked the mentality to go all the way if they lose."
Another accused him of duplicity, while a third suggested: "Again, this is what him and Gary Neville do. They drive narratives so now if Arsenal win just one trophy, they can label them bottlers for that."
Further posts urged fellow supporters to ignore "gaslighters" attempting to heap unnecessary pressure on the squad.
Jamie Carragher has sparked fury among Arsenal supporters after penning a column suggesting Mikel Arteta's squad could surpass Manchester United's legendary 1999 Treble-winning side
|PA
One simply wrote: "Carragher doing the reverse psychology thing. We see you."
Supporters also pointed to Carragher's previous commentary as evidence of his shifting stance on the club.
Arteta's men currently boast a flawless Champions League record, having secured victories in all seven of their group stage fixtures.
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Five facts about the Premier League | PA/GETTY/REUTERS/GBNEWSThe north London club also appear well-placed to reach the Carabao Cup final and face Wigan Athletic in what should prove a straightforward FA Cup fourth-round tie.
Carragher drew direct comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson's historic treble campaign, writing: "I recently watched a documentary about United's treble, and what stood out was that few believed winning the three major trophies was possible halfway through that campaign.
"Arsenal are in a far stronger position right now and have fewer obstacles in their way than United in January 1999."
The pundit insisted his prediction was "not intended to increase the pressure on Arsenal," acknowledging they already face immense expectation as they attempt to end a 22-year wait for the league title.
Despite Carragher's caveats, supporters on X remain convinced the former England international is deliberately setting their club up for failure.
In his Telegraph column last January, the pundit suggested Arteta's tenure at Arsenal may have already reached its zenith.
Arsenal secured a flawless Champions League league phase campaign with a commanding 3-1 triumph over Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday evening | GETTYMore recently, in November, Carragher questioned whether the squad possessed the mental fortitude required to claim the title.
"The only team that can stop Arsenal winning the league is Arsenal; they are the best team. They are the best squad," he stated on Sky Sports.
"The only thing that can stop them is their own heads, their own mentality."
One supporter sarcastically remarked: "Liverpool are very lucky to have Jamie. He's absolutely genius at this."