Jamie Carragher insists Arsenal are Champions League contenders and believes Manchester City are the only team better than Mikel Arteta’s side in the competition this season.

Despite a previous group stage defeat, the Gunners showcased an impressive comeback in the competition, with six players scoring in the crucial match at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, guaranteeing not just qualification but also securing the top spot.

“Today was the day to get it done. We did it in a beautiful way,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports after the victory over Lens.

Arsenal has clinched a spot in the Champions League knockout stage and guaranteed their position at the top of Group B by defeating Lens 6-0 on Wednesday night.

Since 2010, Arsenal has not progressed beyond the last-16 stage in the Champions League, with their journey halted by Barcelona in the quarterfinals.

Carragher is confident that Mikel Arteta’s team possesses sufficient quality to secure victory in the tournament this season. He suggests that, aside from Manchester City, no other team poses a more formidable challenge for opponents in the Champions League knockout phase.

‘I think they are contenders,’ Carragher told CBS Sports when asked about Arsenal’s chances.

‘They haven’t got that history that you can look back on in this competition of winning multiple-time European wins like Bayern Munich.

‘I wouldn’t say Bayern Munich are a better team than Arsenal but there’s something about when you see Bayern Munich in Europe you feel like they could do it because they’ve been there before.

‘Arsenal haven’t got that aura but you’ve got to get it sometime.

‘I think the competition right now, there’s only Manchester City who are better than Arsenal in this competition.’