Arsenal legend Ian Wright has heaped praise on William Saliba following the Gunners’ win over Manchester City, saying he is good enough to walk into Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid team.
Mikel Arteta’s side secured a 1-0 win over reigning English and European champions Manchester City on Sunday afternoon. Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected strike in the 85th minute ended up being the difference between the two teams. It was their first league win over City since 2015, with them coming out second-best in their last 12 Premier League meetings.
Saliba Was Key To Restricting Erling Haaland
Arsenal’s center-back pairing William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were responsible for containing one of the best strikers in the world, Erling Haaland. It was not an easy task by any means, but the pair managed to get the job done, keeping the Norwegian from attempting even a single shot over the course of the game.
Saliba, who served as the leader of the backline, completed five recoveries, won all three of his duels, and made two clearances. The Frenchman was flawless in possession as well, completing 69 of 70 passes.
Wright Reserves High Praise For Arsenal Star
Shortly after Arsenal’s statement win over Manchester City, Wright took to his Apple Music podcast “Wrighty’s House” to react to the Gunners’ performance. He reserved special praise for Saliba, claiming he was good enough for Real Madrid‘s first XI.
The Englishman said:
“I think [Erling] Haaland will see William Saliba as the defender that, ‘I need to be on my game today’. I know we’ve had games where they’ve still scored against us but Saliba is just getting better.
“Two of the biggest signings was him and [Bukayo] Saka, obviously we knew Saka was going to sign. You have to look at him and think to yourself, he could play for Real Madrid right now, no danger. He could play for any of them, could play for anyone he wants.”
He concluded by saying:
“So, for us to sign him up because he’s at that age where you think, where are you going now?
“In the Premier League, I don’t care what anyone says it is the best league in the world and he’s here, he’s here for another four years, he’s only going to enhance himself and get better.”
Saliba joined Arsenal from St. Etienne in the summer of 2019 but became a regular only upon returning from a loan spell to Marseille. He has thus far played 44 games for Arsenal’s senior team in all competitions, scoring thrice and claiming two assists. The France international’s Arsenal contract expires in June 2027.
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