Wayne Rooney firmly disagrees with Jamie Carragher’s ‘worrying’ Premier League claim
The Premier League is known for being one of the most entertaining leagues in the world, and yet, Jamie Carragher has claimed the opposite.
In the 2025/26 campaign, some interesting narratives are already brewing. Firstly, Arsenal are vying for their first Premier League title since 2004, with Manchester City their closest challengers as it stands.
Meanwhile, only one point separates the league’s surprise package, Sunderland, in fourth from Bournemouth in ninth position.
But whilst a fascinating battle for European football is emerging as we enter the international break, the relegation picture is just as thrilling, with 14th-place Newcastle United only two points ahead of West Ham in 18th.
It promises to be another Premier League campaign filled with drama and excitement until May, although not everyone agrees with that sentiment.
Jamie Carragher says standard of Premier League has ‘significantly dropped’
Football tends to go in cycles. In recent years, the league has witnessed Pep Guardiola’s possession-based style dominate the division, with many managers using the Spaniard as inspiration.
But there has been a huge shift towards a more direct approach in 2025/26, with even Man City playing more long balls to superstar striker Erling Haaland.
Long throws are even back in action, while Arsenal’s dominance from set-pieces proves teams are using every tactic in their armoury to score goals.
According to Jamie Carragher, the quality of the Premier League has ‘significantly dropped’ and that is ‘worrying’ the former Liverpool defender.
“Across the whole Premier League, the ball is in game play for 10 minutes less this season than it was when Liverpool travelled to the Etihad six years ago. That trend is worrying,” Carragher wrote in his Telegraph column.
“There is no dressing it up. The overall standard of the Premier League has significantly dropped since that 2019 high.”
He also cited Arsenal as an example when explaining how much the quality has dropped, with the Gunners scoring a huge bulk of their goals from set-pieces.
“This season it has gone too much in the opposite direction from top to bottom,” he added.
“Over 50 per cent of Arsenal’s goals have come from set-plays. They and their fans should not care, as their famous chant, “set-piece again olé, olé” demonstrates. There are no supporters of any club who would not celebrate possessing such a weapon.”
Wayne Rooney disagrees with Carragher
Whilst Carragher thinks more variation is a sign that the division is regressing, former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney thinks it’s ‘refreshing’.
“I know what Cara’s saying, but I think it’s refreshing,” Rooney said on his podcast. “I think we’re seeing, you know, we’re not seeing goalkeepers having, you know, a hundred touches of the ball, a game and stuff all the time now. And, you know, set pieces are so important.
“They always have been really important in the game. And long throws are back in favour as well. And so I actually enjoy it.
“I think I like it when, you know, it’s long-throwing and people are getting people in the box and set plays and stuff. And I want to see more runs in behind. I still don’t think players run in behind enough, but I’m enjoying it.”
A difference in opinions suggests the Premier League hasn’t become more boring, and is arguably creating more conversations and debates than ever.