Jamie Carragher says Leicester’s triumph is best feat in the Premier League era
While Liverpool‘s chances of securing a remarkable Premier League title with more than 100 points hang in the balance due to the ongoing coronavirus shutdown, Jamie Carragher believes even that feat would not match Leicester’s 2016 triumph.
Under Claudio Ranieri, the Foxes stormed to a stunning Premier League title despite being rated as 5000/1 outsiders and almost suffering relegation the season before.
For Carragher, that achievement ranks higher than Arsenal‘s 2004 Invincibles, Pep Guardiola’s 2018 and 2019 winners Manchester City and even the treble-winning Manchester United team of 1999.
Leicester’s Premier League remarkable title triumph in 2016 ranks as the best of all time
Jamie Carragher considers that victory to be the greatest of all triumphs in the Premier League
In his Telegraph column, Carragher said of Liverpool’s current side: ‘Their record this season is worthy of comparison with the best Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal sides.
‘But to me, none of these clubs are the most extraordinary Premier League champions.
‘Whenever that list is compiled, Leicester City’s 2016 title stands alone as the greatest achievement, certainly in the Premier League era.
‘At a time when money talks at the top, and the top six have such a financial advantage over everyone else, Leicester’s win was such a shock and an anomaly I am not sure how it can be beaten.
‘Of all the Premier League wins, Leicester’s is the only one no-one could have predicted. You would have to go back to Nottingham Forest in 1978 to find a club that so rapidly emerged from being recently promoted to champions.
Arsenal celebrate winning the Premiership title after going unbeaten during 2003/04 season
Jamie Vardy starred in that title-winning season for Leicester with 24 goals in the league
‘Every other Premier League winner was a contender before the start of the season, including Blackburn Rovers in 1995.’
That famous 2016 triumph saw the Foxes dominate all their rivals with Jamie Vardy topping the scoring charts.
Carragher added: ‘Leicester were relegation candidates. In 2015, they finished 14th, six points above the bottom three with 41 points with 19 defeats.
‘A year later they won the title with only three defeats having virtually doubled their points tally. That kind of improvement defies history and logic, especially as the club spent so modestly in the preceding summer.’
