The 2019/20 Premier League season has been unprecedented.
It’s been the longest, strangest campaign ever. It started on August 9, when Liverpool beat Norwich City 4-1, and will end 352 days later.
Predicting anything, even unrelated to football, has been nigh on impossible for the past seven months.
But, after a three-month hiatus, the top flight managed to return and Liverpool were finally able to end their 30-year wait to win the league.
The 2020/21 season will likely begin without fans in attendance but hopefully, the rest of the campaign will look more normal.
Back in August, when everyone was making their predictions for the season, nobody knew what the world was in for.
So don’t be angry at Jamie Carragher for failing to predict a global pandemic throwing everything upside-down.
However, some of his genuine predictions are certainly worth questioning.
In his column for the Telegraph, published on the day the 2020/21 Premier League season began, the former Liverpool defender made series of forecasts, including the champions, top four and cup winners.
They were horrifically off.
Premier League winners
Carragher’s prediction: Manchester City
Actual winners: Liverpool
Yes, Carra didn’t back his old team at the start of the season.
He predicted City would make it a hat-trick of titles under Pep Guardiola, which was obviously a pretty popular call.
But after winning the Champions League, we’re a bit surprised Carragher didn’t think Jurgen Klopp’s side would go all in the way in the league.
Premier League top four
Carragher’s prediction: Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal
Actual top four: Liverpool, Manchester City and two out of Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester City
Carragher thought Tottenham and Arsenal would both make the top four.
But the Gunners can finish no higher than eighth, while the best Jose Mourinho’s side can hope for is sixth place.
An awful prediction, this.
FA Cup winners
Carragher’s prediction: Liverpool
Actual winners: Arsenal or Chelsea
Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fifth round, losing 2-0 to Chelsea in March.
Another miserable Carra shout.
Carabao Cup winners
Carragher’s prediction: Tottenham
Actual winners: Manchester City
Carragher thought Spurs would end their long wait to win a trophy this season, backing them in the Carabao Cup.
But they didn’t make it past the third round, losing on penalties to Colchester United.
This is getting ugly.
Champions League winners
Carragher’s prediction: Manchester City
Actual winners: Manchester City face Real Madrid for a quarter-final spot
The Champions League gives Carragher a chance to redeem himself.
Man City are in a good position to reach the quarter-final after defeating Real Madrid in the first leg back in February.
Pep Guardiola will be desperate to win the competition, too, having failed to do so since 2011.
