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Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has hailed Gunners centre-back William Saliba, calling him a 'man mountain'.
The English shot-stopper spoke about the north London outfit's impressive start to the campaign under manager Mikel Arteta in an interview with ESPN. He reserved special praise for his Arsenal teammate, who has been exceptional this campaign.
Arsenal have secured statement wins over the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this season.
The Gunners head into the World Cup break at the top of the league table, having won 12 of their 14 fixtures in the English top flight. The north London outfit are five points clear of second-placed Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
Ramsdale and Saliba have been at the heart of a stalwart defense this term. Arteta's outfit have conceded just 11 goals in the league and kept the joint-highest seven clean sheets.
This is a testament to not only the defensive solidity implemented by the Spanish boss but also the quality of the goalkeeper-defender duo.
The English shot-stopper spoke very highly of the France international (via Sport Bible):
“Ah, [he's a] man mountain honestly. He glides across the pitch, he doesn’t really seem to sprint. He gets his big arm across people. So, the guy's got everything, honestly, and he’s showing it on the pitch. He’s keeping some of the best strikers in the league quiet at the minute and all the credit goes to him.”
Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 from Saint-Etienne but struggled to break into the first team. He spent loan spells at various clubs over the past few years as a result. The Frenchman has finally found his way into Arteta's starting XI and has made 17 appearances across competitions this season.
Aaron Ramsdale lauds Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's vision
The goalkeeper also lauded his manager for his excellent vision in terms of creating a powerful squad. The Englishman insists that Arsenal are reaping the rewards of having invested in a manager by giving him sufficient time to build the team.
“He’s [Arteta's] created this squad, this young team. A young man himself. He’s creating the environment which was his vision. He needed time, which he got given, which is always great to see as a football club, and we’re showing what he wants us to do now."
He added:
"Listen that could end in something great, it could end in something normal. It’s just been giving him time to produce what he’s done with the squad. The young talents which we’ve got are a reflection of him.”
Arteta was appointed the Gunners' manager in December 2019. He started poorly as Arsenal finished eighth twice and then fifth under his reign. However, he has completely changed the dynamic now as they sit on top of the league and are playing some impressive football.
