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BBC pundit and former Tottenham Hotspur footballer Garth Crooks has lauded Arsenal's centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Crooks' comments came in the aftermath of the Gunners' 2-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday (November 12). The Englishman felt Saliba was targeted at times by Wolves at the Molineux, but received assistance from Gabriel to see those moments out.
Crooks went on to name the Brazilian in his Premier League Team of the Week for the latest round of fixtures. Saliba, however, wasn't awarded a spot and the former footballer explained his reasoning for the same in his column for the BBC:
"Last week, it was William Saliba who received the plaudits for an excellent performance against Chelsea. However, against Wolves, the Frenchman looked a little vulnerable and needed Gabriel to get him out of one or two rather tricky situations."
He went on to praise both centre-backs as well as the rest of the Gunners' defense, saying:
"It's always a good sign that, when one player is having a difficult time, his partner can raise his game and fill the void. Quite apart from Gabriel's performance, Arsenal's defensive line-up is the real strength behind their success."
Crooks concluded by stating that Mikel Arteta's team is firmly in the Premier League title challenge and explained why he thought so:
"Two consecutive clean sheets away from home tells its own story, and if you think Mikel Arteta isn't serious about this title challenge one look at his team selection against Brighton [& Hove Albion] in the Carabao Cup in midweek should tell you all you need to know about his priorities."
Prior to the win over Wolves, Arsenal hosted Brighton & Hove Albion in the EFL Cup. A much-changed Gunners side took the lead in the first half but eventually lost 3-1 to exit the tournament in the third round.
How did William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes fare for Arsenal against Wolves?
Arsenal put in a solid defensive performance against Wolves at the Molineux, though they weren't really tested by the hosts throughout the game.
Julen Lopetegui's side, currently bottom of the Premier League table, had scored only eight goals in 14 league matches coming into the game. They failed to add to that, recording just two shots on target over the course of the contest against Arsenal.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were key reasons for Wolves struggling in the final third with their resolute displays at the heart of the Gunners defense.
Saliba recorded a 92% passing accuracy to go with a block and an interception. Gabriel, meanwhile, had three interceptions, a tackle and a clearance, while completing 91% of his passes. Their displays helped Arsenal record their seventh clean sheet in 14 Premier League matches this term.
