"Anyone watching him every week knows the guy's like a Rolls Royce who just purrs across the pitch. He's very solid, very consistent, and they have kind of a unique partnership, they're massive friends off the pitch and on it. I suppose the next stage for him is that leadership element. Gabriel looks to me to be the leader, but that's the next step."
"Keown, who played 449 times for Arsenal across two spells, winning seven trophies, played alongside some top defenders during his career, but admitted he would have loved to have rubbed shoulders with Saliba and Gabriel, particularly due to how football is played nowadays."
William Saliba has become a cornerstone of Arsenal's defence since breaking into the first team in 2022. The 24-year-old French centre-back scored his first goal of the season in Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Chelsea, helping the Gunners open a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League. Martin Keown praised Saliba's consistency and solid performances, comparing him to a Rolls Royce. While fellow defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber have scored three goals each this season, Saliba's value extends beyond goal-scoring. Keown highlighted Saliba's mobility as particularly valuable in modern football and suggested his next development stage involves embracing a leadership role alongside Gabriel.
#william-saliba #arsenal-defence #premier-league-title-race #centre-back-performance #martin-keown-analysis
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