Is the Premier League now a 'joke'? After Jamie Carragher's scathing analysis of how teams only seek to defend against the top six, our team of reporters weigh in on the argument

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Jamie Carragher was scathing in his analysis after Newcastle's overly-defensive performance in defeat by Manchester City, saying the Premier League has become 'a joke' for the way sides set up against the top six teams.

'Not just Newcastle but the Premier League in general, when they come up against the top six, certainly at home, it's becoming embarrassing,' said the former Liverpool and England defender.

'The Premier League now is becoming a bit of a joke league, with the top teams being so far ahead of the ones at the bottom. For those clubs, its almost like they are accepting they are going to lose the game, as long as it is only one or two-nil.

Jamie Carragher called the Premier League 'embarrassing' due to some sides' defensiveness

'The Premier League has been built on every team having a go, that's why everyone around the world wants to watch it. Will they keep watching if they keep seeing football like that?'

But is Carragher right in his assessment?

Sportsmail's team of football reporters have their say in the argument, based on their experiences of watching the Premier League this season.

IAN LADYMAN

No. He is not right. I was at the game and part of what made it so strange was that it was almost unprecedented. To see a team sit that deep and essentially refuse to engage at HOME was something I'm not sure I have seen before. I think it says as much about City and the aura they have created as it does about the Premier League.

There is nothing wrong with defending. It's a legitimate tactic and and can work. Southampton almost got a point by doing it at City as did Huddersfield by playing on the counter against them at home. Both were beaten by last-minute goals. At Newcastle it was different because there was no attempt to even break out when they had the ball. They didn't tackle, they didn't pressure City and they didn't attempt to influence the way the game was played. At all. I have rarely seen that before in 22 years of covering football. 

The Premier League remains competitive. Burnley led 2-0 at Manchester United on Boxing Day, for example. City are becoming a different proposition, however, and Newcastle's was simply the latest way to try and stifle them. They were, as it happens, lucky to lose 1-0 and I don't think anyone will copy it. If they do then we may end up with a situation like the one in France where some teams actually rest players for games against PSG as they feel they have no chance of getting a result against them. If that happens then maybe the league is in trouble...

Raheem Sterling scored the only goal as Manchester City beat Newcastle on Wednesday

MIKE KEEGAN

He is absolutely bang on - but don't blame Rafa Benitez for this game, blame Mike Ashley. How much TV money are these clubs getting? Yes, some spend ludicrous amounts, but you can only put 11 on the field and with the amount of cash floating around for everyone there should be no reason not to show some ambition. Southampton are among the worst culprits for me. Fire them off and get Celtic in.

CHRIS WHEELER

No. Manchester City have become an exception to the rest and this is just another example of that. Manchester United's undoing last season was their failure to beat Watford, Stoke, Burnley, West Ham, Hull, Bournemouth, West Brom and Swansea. That has continued to an extent this season with the shock defeat by Huddersfield and draws against Stoke, Leicester and now Burnley, so it's hard to agree that the smaller clubs are rolling over.

ROB DRAPER

I would like to see that stats on this. My feeling is that we tell ourselves anyone can beat anyone in the Premier League. I’m not entirely sure that was ever the case and my experience of time in Spain was that there was as many seasonal upsets against Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Where we are are lucky (in one sense) is that we have a big six now rather than a big two or three. So perhaps it is the case that six times a season sides with less financial muscle set up in this way at home rather than twice a season as it might have been in the past. Therefore it’s happening more often but only as reaction to the growth of the elite clubs from two to six.

Sergio Aguero found himself shut out by Newcastle's massed ranks of defenders

MATT BARLOW

Yes... more teams than ever are smothering games, and more games than ever are devoid of thrills. This hasn't happened overnight. It has been a creeping trend for years, with a couple of notable exceptions still trying to play open football (often at great expense to confidence and credibility). 

Just in the last couple of weeks I've seen Bournemouth concede four trying to attack Liverpool and Southampton concede five trying to play freely against Spurs. Both teams are in relegation trouble. And both teams have been torn to shreds by the TV analysts such as Jamie Carragher. 

SAMI MOKBEL 

No. Wholeheartedly disagree. I’ve seen Burnley win at Chelsea this season. Last weekend Burnley went within seconds of winning at Old Trafford. Crystal Palace have beaten Chelsea this season. Leicester and West Ham have beaten Tottenham. In my mind, the Premier League is just as competitive as it’s ever been. The results justify that. Is the gap between the top seven and the rest getting bigger? Yes, probably. But they can still be got. 

CRAIG HOPE

No, I think he has over-reacted to what was a unique first half, and he's not alone in that. I was covering the Newcastle-City game and I changed my opinion through the course of the night. At half-time I was in full agreement. It was surreal watching the first half and, from a Newcastle perspective, a little depressing at the thought of them being unwilling and unable to even venture from their own half. In the press room at the break, Carragher's comments were being lauded. 

Come full-time, however, I think the majority had changed their standpoint, including myself. Newcastle came within one shot, one deflection or one refereeing call of nicking a point, and that is closer than most. The last 20 minutes were enjoyable and it felt like City were nervous. Flip the game on its head and would Carragher be applauding Newcastle if they had a go in the first 20 minutes but then went on to get beat 4-0? Benitez did what he thought best to get a result, and it very nearly worked. So Carragher, for me, is wrong. 

I also think he's forgetting results such as the champions Chelsea losing at Crystal Palace and West Ham this season, and what about Burnley at Manchester United on Saturday? Or Arsenal losing at Stoke and Watford? I'm sorry, the Premier League is not a joke.

Crystal Palace sprang one of the shocks of the season so far by beating Chelsea in October

DOMINIC KING

Yes. I wouldn’t agree with the term of it being a 'joke' league but, without question, you can say there is a top six then a bottom 14. And Jamie is right when he says teams are turning up at stadiums now knowing they are going to lose: the essence of what made the Premier League so attractive is being removed. Isn’t it better to lose 2-0 having had a go rather than losing 1-0 and barely crossed your own halfway line?

ADAM CRAFTON

No. There is nothing wrong with counter-attacking football. It served Leicester and Atletico Madrid extremely well in recent years. On the whole, even those teams who sit in aspire to be courageous on the counter against most top-six teams. Burnley are a great example in the points they have taken from the established pack. Huddersfield did it against Manchester United, Brighton merited more at Old Trafford. Crystal Palace went after Chelsea. 

The problem with Manchester City is they have a paralysing effect on the opposition; they can outplay you through possession or hit you mercilessly if the game opens up, so teams become so fearful it can appear as though they doing nothing at all. This has happened to far better teams than Newcastle. People seem to be suffering a collective neurosis because City are now too good; the best response is to invest and be inventive on the training ground. 

Jose Mourinho saw his Manchester United side defeated by underdogs Huddersfield