Arsenal enters their final Premier League match before the international break locked in a fierce title race with Manchester City, who will be without key player Rodri.
Jamie Carragher has weighed in on the competition, stating that if Manchester City could choose any Arsenal player to be sidelined, it would undoubtedly be William Saliba.
This season promises another exciting clash between the two teams, especially after Arsenal was narrowly edged out for the title on the last day of the previous campaign. The two sides faced off earlier this month at The Etihad, resulting in a dramatic 2-2 draw. As they prepare for their last fixtures before the break, both clubs sit even on points, with 14 each. City is in pursuit of an unprecedented fifth consecutive title.
However, City’s hopes have been significantly dampened by Rodri’s ACL injury, which has sparked discussions about whether Arsenal now has the upper hand in the title chase. On the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast, Carragher and his co-hosts delved into which Arsenal player City would prefer to see absent in their quest for glory. For Carragher, the answer was clear: Saliba.
He elaborated: “Saliba. I don’t think they’ve got much backup at centre-back, really. If [Declan] Rice went out, they’ve got [Thomas] Partey, they’ve got Jorginho. At centre-back, who would you bring in there if one of them is out? Left-footed, aren’t they [Riccardo Calafiori and Jakub Kiwior]? I think Saliba, definitely.
Saliba has formed a formidable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of Arsenal’s defense, earning widespread praise in the opening weeks of the season. Ironically, during a crucial stretch last year, Saliba was sidelined with a back injury, which coincided with Arsenal’s decline in form as they fell out of contention for the title.
Reflecting on that challenging period, Saliba said: “Unfortunately, I got injured during the year, in the final sprint. It’s clear that I was a little disappointed, but there you go, it’s a new season with new ambitions, I hope we will do better. It’s clear that with me, Arsenal could have been champions. But now, injuries are part of football, and we are focused on this season.”
