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Prominent pundit and former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has revealed his admiration for a post-match argument between Gunners defenders William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Following a 1-0 away win over Leicester City in the Premier League last month, Gabriel and Saliba were seen having an exchange on the pitch. Despite the victory, the two players seemed to be discussing an error made during the contest.
Merson compared it to an incident he faced with Arsenal legend Ian Wright. The Sky Sports pundit wrote in a column for the Daily Star (as quoted by TBR Football):
“I loved the incident between William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes after the full-time whistle at Leicester. I don’t mind that at all. The two defenders were arguing with each other despite keeping a clean sheet and securing three points.”
He added:
“If I didn’t pass the ball to Ian Wright back in my day, it was like that. We had arguments at half-time and once away at Nottingham Forest when I didn’t slip him through for a chance and he made sure to let me know how he felt.”
Merson concluded:
“I’d rather see players doing that and showing they care about the game. It can only be a positive for [Mikel] Arteta in my view.”
The Gunners' defense, led by Gabriel and Saliba, notably restricted Leicester to an expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.02. The Foxes, despite playing on their home turf at the King Power Stadium, managed just one shot, which was off target, in 90 minutes.
Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have enjoyed superb Premier League campaigns so far for Arsenal
Arsenal currently hold the second-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, having conceded just 23 times in 25 matches. They are only behind Newcastle United, who have let in just 15 goals.
The Gunners' first-choice centre-back pairing of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba has been key to their defensive prowess. The duo have notably started every single league match for their side this season, helping them keep 11 clean sheets.
Gabriel has averaged 4.6 successful duels, 3.3 clearances, 1.3 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game. The Brazilian has also chipped in with two goals, while managing a superb 89% passing accuracy across 25 matches.
Saliba, meanwhile, has been caught out on a couple of occasions in recent matches, but has been impressive overall for Arsenal. He has averaged 4.0 successful duels, 3.0 clearances, 1.2 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game, while also netting two goals and completing 91% of his passes.
Their performances have undoubtedly helped the Gunners establish a five-point lead at the top of the standings.
