"I think they’ve been really good" - Mikel Arteta lauds Arsenal duo's performances this season

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on the telepathic relationship between centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba this season.

The defensive duo played a crucial role in the Gunners' valiant effort at the Etihad Stadium where they came out with a 0-0 draw on Sunday (March 31). The result saw Saliba pick up the Man of the Match award whilst his partner Gabriel earned huge plaudits from the media.

This meant that Arsenal became the first side in 57 matches to prevent Manchester City from scoring on their home turf.

Arteta too jumped in and showered his centre-backs with some much-deserved praise. The Spanish tactician was quoted as saying the following ahead of their game against Luton Town on Wednesday, April 3 (via TBR Football):

“Sometimes there is that chemistry between the two players to work with each other and it just flows. I think they’ve been really good."

Despite an excellent display against Manchester City, Arsenal eventually dropped two points in the race for the Premier League title. As things stand, they have amassed 65 points from 29 matches and are now two points behind league leaders Liverpool.

The Gunners will therefore hope to return to winning ways against Luton on Wednesday (April 3). The visitors are coming on the back of a defeat against Tottenham Hotspur which should make Arsenal the favorites for the game.

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Saliba and Gabriel have contributed immensely towards Arsenal's solid performance this season

Arsenal's defensive partnership between Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba has been a major factor is seeing the Gunners compete for the Premier League title.

In the 29 games they have played in the league, Mikel Arteta's side have only conceded 24 goals which is the lowest tally this season. They have conceded three fewer goals than Liverpool and four fewer than Manchester City.

Saliba and Gabriel have been rock-solid in defense. The pair have played 37 times together this season and have contributed 14 cleansheets together across all competitions.

The north London outfit are not only competitive in the Premier League but are also in some good form in the UEFA Champions League. They defeated FC Porto in a penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium to book a place in the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

The Gunners have now been drawn against German giants Bayern Munich in the last eight of the Champions League. The first leg of the tie will be played in London on April 9.