Sunday 3 May 2015 21:32, UK
Manchester City have the best squad in the Premier League, says Jamie Carragher, so they don’t need to make wholesale changes in the summer.
Chelsea became champions with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, taking the title away from Manuel Pellegrini’s men, who beat Tottenham by the same scoreline.
Last year’s champions lie 13 points behind the Blues in second place, but Sky Sports expert Carragher insists they shouldn’t have to make many changes in personnel.
“It’s not about City needing a major overhaul,” he said on Super Sunday.
“At the start of the season we’d all agreed – maybe even now – they’ve still probably got the best squad.
“Chelsea have won the league and they’ve been the best team, no doubt, but for the last few months they’ve had Drogba at 36, Remy whose had injury problems and isn’t top drawer.
“You compare that to the strikers City have got and the squad players they have – they’ve got the better squad.”
City go into the final three fixtures of the season with doubts over the future of manager Manuel Pellegrini, who avoided questions on his future after the game at White Hart Lane.
But Thierry Henry believes it is more important the club makes a decision on Yaya Toure, who has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium, and where the midfielder is deployed if he stays put.
“The massive key for me is Yaya Toure,” he said. “What is he going to do next season?
“If he stays, there is no way he can play in front of the back four any more. He has to play higher. I think it becomes really difficult for him to play there.
“They have to keep David Silva and Sergio Aguero, and Wilfried Bony you would like to think will do a bit more for them next season.
“I’m sure they have some ideas over who they’re going to bring in, but for me Yaya Toure is the key.
“If he does leave then they’ll get some money and try to get some other players to replace him, but if he stays then he has to play higher than in front of the back four.”
City’s win at Spurs essentially guarantees Champions League football next season as they sit nine points ahead of fifth-place Liverpool with a vastly superior goal difference.
