Carragher defends 'rather cheat and win' comments amid Man City hypocrisy claims

Jamie Carragher has pushed back against accusations of hypocrisy after a resurfaced clip of the former Liverpool defender saying he would ‘rather cheat and win’ drew widespread attention online, just as he has been among the most vocal voices calling for serious sanctions against Manchester City.

The clip originated from a 2022 appearance on the Diary of a CEO podcast, where Carragher made the remark in the context of his playing career. It quickly went viral after Manchester City were found guilty by an independent commission of 114 Premier League charges, with some fans and pundits pointing to it as evidence of double standards.

Carragher responded directly on social media, drawing a clear distinction between on-pitch deception and the financial misconduct alleged against City. “No it’s not hypocritical,” he wrote. “I’m talking about my striker diving for a penalty, me stopping a ball going over the line with my hand! I’m not talking about 900M in fake sponsorship over a number of years.”

Simon Jordan, the former Crystal Palace chairman, addressed the clip on talkSPORT alongside Jim White. Jordan acknowledged the optics were awkward for Carragher but argued they did not undermine his broader position on City. “He’ll feel that perhaps he shouldn’t have said that because it wasn’t totally necessary,” Jordan said. “Most people in life are hypocrites — they just might not admit it. And he’s been caught in a hypocritical moment.”

Jordan was nonetheless careful to separate the personal embarrassment from the substance of Carragher’s argument. “It doesn’t alter the veracity or the efficacy of what he’s saying,” he added. “All of us are being constantly put in the situation where we have to talk about Manchester City because it’s constantly part of the media cycle.”

Carragher has been a prominent commentator throughout the City case, consistently arguing that the club should face severe consequences if their appeal against the commission’s findings fails. City have denied all charges and are contesting the verdict.

The episode illustrates the pressure public figures face when past remarks are re-examined through the lens of a major ongoing story — and the fine line between gamesmanship, which football has long tolerated, and the systemic rule-breaking at the core of the Premier League’s case against City.