Garth Crooks has lauded Arsenal defender William Saliba after the centre-back’s Man of the Match display for the Gunners in their 1-0 win against London rivals Chelsea.
Writing in his Team of the Week column, the BBC Sport pundit was full of praise for the France international, with Arsenal’s defence the star of the show as the Gunners restricted Chelsea to just one shot on target as Mikel Arteta’s side yet again claimed all three points.
The result took Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League, and whilst it was centre-back teammate Gabriel Magalhaes who scored the winning goal, Saliba was the one who received most of the plaudits on the day, with BT Sport naming the defender Man of the Match.
Saliba’s performances have been quite spectacular for Arsenal this season, with the 21-year-old seemingly getting better with each passing Premier League game. And for many, the centre-back is a shoo-in to make France’s 2022 FIFA World Cup squad, including Crooks.
Indeed, Saliba has been arguably the best centre-back in the Premier League this season, and for the BBC Sport pundit, the defender was key to Arsenal’s massive win against Chelsea, with Gabriel and Ben White also winning praise from the former Stoke City forward.
Crooks said about Saliba’s performance against Chelsea: “This was a statement if ever there was one. Saliba, Gabriel and Ben White looked as solid as a rock with Saliba looking the pick of the bunch. This kid is a must for France’s World Cup squad.”
William Saliba’s Chelsea heroics must have confirmed his World Cup spot
Saliba continues to amaze supporters with his dominance from the back, and if it wasn’t obvious enough already for Didier Deschamps, the Arsenal defender looks like a guarantee selection for France to head to Qatar, where the 21-year-old could even be a starter for Les Bleus.
With their World Cup on the line, France will want a big showing out in the Middle East if they’re to retain football’s biggest prize. And for Saliba, the Arsenal star could now be in the mix to feature heavily for the European powerhouses based on his most recent form
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