In a performance that was described as “unbelievable” by Arsenal supporter Piers Morgan, Saliba shone the brightest at Villa Park. The Frenchman was closely followed by David Raya and Trossard however, no one could usurp the centre-back’s individual brilliance on Saturday evening.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
William Saliba vs Aston Villa
4 clearances
4 tackles
1 last man tackle
7 duel wins
104 touches
99% pass completion
100% long balls completed
100% dribbles completed
Figures provided by Sofascore
It was a phenomenal display from Saliba, who simply performed at a level that many have become accustomed to seeing week in week out.
The France international’s world class ability was on display for the entirety of the 90 minutes he played, portrayed by the single pass he misplaced during the fixture.
From defensive perfection to being an assured distributor of the ball, the 23-year-old did not put a foot wrong in the cauldron that is Villa Park.
Saliba is Arsenal’s best player
Arsenal saw during the 2022/23 campaign what happens when Saliba is not present in the squad, as Arteta’s side crumbled in the defender’s absence.
It’s easy to forget that the Frenchman is only 23, playing at a level of peak consistency to earn his imperious status in North London.
The centre-back’s performance against Villa was no different, with him prevailing as Arsenal’s best on the day and reinforcing that he is Arsenal’s best in general.
Last week against Wolves, Saliba became the fastest Arsenal player to reach 50 wins in the Premier League, maintaining a remarkable win rate of 75.4% from the 66 games he’s represented the Gunners.
It would be difficult to imagine Arteta’s plan coming to life without several players, but none anywhere near as important as the stellar central defender who has truly raised the bar at the Emirates.
