By Sumaiya Vawda
Stop the clocks, imbibe the moment, for our saviour hath arrived! William Saliba's Arsenal debut was a religious experience that had Arsenal fans in the stadium and online chanting in one voice.
Arsenal's 21-year-old centre-back looked natural in the Premier League. The statistics make for good reading: 100% take-ons completed, 100% aerial duels won, 94% pass accuracy, 7 ball recoveries, 6 clearances. He didn't commit a single foul, nor was he dribbled past. His passing was assured, and his positioning was intelligent. No longer does one's breath need to be held at the sight of Arsenal defenders on the halfway line or going to ground in tackles.
On the rare occasion that Zaha got past Ben White, Saliba was an impenetrable barrier. He stridently dealt with the Ivorian and dispossessed him with a penalty box tackle so clean an iRobot vacuum would be envious. The Frenchman even swept up behind his more experienced partner, Gabriel.
Saliba's athletic frame is coupled with dexterity and an air of presence. The boy from Bondy made neat line-breaking passes without showcasing flamboyant switches. His acceleration on the night was understated but powerful. And he walked away with the Man of the Match award.
While the Premier League's MOTM awards are basically cylinders with branding, it is an impressive feat to step into Selhurst Park and not put a foot wrong. Saliba's memorable night continued with an interview entirely in English, where he calmly met questions about his multiple loans. Arteta lauded the young defender as 'superb' against a tricky Palace outfit.
It's almost astonishing to think that Arsenal signed Saliba in July of 2019. Decisions from his signing to the current day may be argued to posterity, but his maturation as a player is undeniable. His showing on Friday night even caught the eye of one Virgil van Dijk who proceeded to follow him on Instagram. Gary Neville said Arsenal's starlet reminded him of a young Rio Ferdinand.
It's difficult to place constraints on excitement over a player and performance such as this. However, there will be further growing pains in his development. Fortunately, Arteta has the luxury of pulling Saliba out of the limelight when necessary, especially when Tomiyasu returns. He offers the Gunners manager great flexibility in the composition of the back-line. The next step is to extend Saliba's contract.
Saliba Magnifique!
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