Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has questioned Emiliano Martinez’s current level after blaming the Chelsea goalkeeper for Arsenal’s first goal in Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League victory over the Blues at the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea arrived at Arsenal hoping to maintain their perfect beginning to the new campaign and make an early statement in the title race against the reigning champions. Their plans got off to an excellent start when Morgan Rogers put Xabi Alonso’s side ahead inside the opening two minutes with a volley from the edge of the penalty area.

Arsenal, however, gradually grew into the contest and found an equaliser through Kai Havertz, who struck against his former club midway through the first half. Carragher believes Martinez should have done better to prevent the effort from finding the net at his near post.

The former Aston Villa goalkeeper, who joined Chelsea for £7.5 million, was later beaten again when Martin Odegaard scored shortly after the restart to complete Arsenal’s comeback and secure all three points.

Speaking while analysing Havertz’s goal on Sky Sports, Carragher acknowledged that Chelsea had secured what he considered a very good deal by bringing Martinez in for £7.5 million. However, the former England defender argued that the Argentine is no longer operating at the same level he displayed during his peak years.

“I think the goalkeeper saves that two or three years ago,” Carragher said.

He added that Chelsea had recruited an experienced goalkeeper who remains highly regarded, but insisted Martinez is no longer the same player who helped Argentina win the World Cup.

“You go and get someone who has been a great goalkeeper and who in the eyes is still one. But they’re not bringing in the goalkeeper who won the World Cup.

“It isn’t a mistake, it was a great deal for £7.5m and he’s still a really good goalkeeper and he’s better than Sanchez. It will make everyone feel a bit more confident as well.

“The first Arsenal goal isn’t a mistake, it’s just a goalkeeper who isn’t quite as sharp or quick as he once was to get down. There’s a difference between that and a keeper dropping a cross, it’s just a goalkeeper not reacting quick enough.

“Martinez has been a brilliant goalkeeper and he’s still a very good goalkeeper but he’s not the goalkeeper who won the World Cup, he’s not, and that was a little insight into that.”

Despite taking the lead through Rogers, Chelsea could not hold on as Arsenal established a slight advantage over the course of the match before Odegaard’s second-half goal settled the encounter.

Carragher’s assessment therefore focused less on Martinez making a clear technical error and more on what he sees as a decline in the goalkeeper’s speed and sharpness compared with the level he reached several years ago.