The on-loan Arsenal defender seemed to struggle on Sunday night.
Arsenal have conceded 84 Premier League goals since the start of the 2018-19 campaign
The Gunners’ defence is as poor as it’s been for quite a number of years and that’s one of the reasons why they’re 10th in the table with 15 games left.
Despite their propensity to leak goals, Arsenal only signed two centre-backs last summer and one of them was immediately loaned back to Saint Etienne – the other was David Luiz.
At only 18, Saliba is considered one of Europe’s most promising young defenders who has been labelled the ‘new Raphael Varane’ [The Sun].
He has been in great form in Ligue 1 for the French side this season, but not on Sunday.
Saliba played the 90 minutes as Saint Etienne lost 3-1 away to Metz.
The young centre-back looked somewhat erratic throughout and was fortunate not to directly cause a goal when Habib Diallo robbed him of the ball, but his goalkeeper spared the Arsenal man’s blushes.
Here’s how fans of the North London club reacted to their player’s performance on Twitter:
Clearly Saliba does need work, but that’s a given. He doesn’t look or play like it, but the fact is that he’s only 18 and there’s undeniably going to be bumps in the road in terms of his development.
If he can take those knocks and keeping improving, though, then Arsenal still a top talent on their hands.
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