Is 'scary' William Saliba underrated?! Arsenal legend Martin Keown heaps praise on 'night watchman' defender for keeping Gunners safe in Premier League title bid

Saliba, who turns 25 later this month, scored his first goal of the season in Arsenal's 2-1 victory at home to London rivals Chelsea on Sunday, opening up a five-point gap to Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, though having played one game more than Pep Guardiola's side. Given the Gunners' proficiency on set pieces and that fellow defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber have scored three each in the league this term, it was a surprise to many that it's taken until March for the towering Frenchman to open his account.

Keown, speaking exclusively to GOAL, was asked whether Saliba had become underrated as he wasn't in the headlines for scoring goals like his fellow defenders.

"Anyone watching him every week knows the guy's like a Rolls Royce who just purrs across the pitch," Keown replied. "He's very solid, very consistent, and they have kind of a unique partnership, they're massive friends off the pitch and on it. I suppose the next stage for him is that leadership element. Gabriel looks to me to be the leader, but that's the next step. But he's still young and that's something that he will develop as he as he gets older, there's no doubt."

Keown, who played 449 times for Arsenal across two spells, winning seven trophies, played alongside some top defenders during his career, but admitted he would have loved to have rubbed shoulders with Saliba and Gabriel, particularly due to how football is played nowadays.

"I wouldn't mind playing with either of these two if they'd have allowed me!" he added. "I was lucky I had good partners in Sol Campbell and Tony Adams for a lot of years, a lot of games.

"For me, that central defensive bit is really very important now. It always has been, but I think the full-backs, when they're building up play, are so often not in the back four. So then that's the call, that's what they have to be monitoring. They're like the night watchmen to guide people back in to help and get the numbers right in that in central defence. So often, Saliba's so mobile that he can go into midfield and deal with most players. He's still developing, he still can get better. That's the scary thing."

Arsenal return to action on Wednesday night with a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion, with title rivals City hosting Nottingham Forest elsewhere that evening - a rare occasion of the two heavyweights playing their respective matches at the same time. The Gunners haven't lost at the Amex Stadium since June 2020 during the first weekend back of 'Project Restart' during the coronavirus lockdown. Keown is, however, wary of the threat posed by the Seagulls.

"They were in a little bit of trouble, weren't they, Brighton. They were on a shocking run, weren't they? So, it's interesting that [James] Milner is coming to the team now to sort of steady the ship a little bit, an older experienced head coming. They're coming into form just at the wrong time for Arsenal, really. [I'm] not scared, but you know, respectful of what they put together," Keown added, before concluding that playing at the same time as City would be of benefit to Arsenal.

"I think actually it's kind of an equal pressure. If they're playing the same day as you earlier than you, I never really liked that. If it's a whole 24 hours later, as we've heard in the last couple of matches, then I think you can have a clear mind of what you're doing, your preparation. So to put them back-to-back is... You know, the media tries to sort of to drag it out. I think that's an interesting situation when they're playing in another garden nearby."

Martin Keown will be providing punditry and analysis for TNT Sports this midweek. Every Premier League fixture on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.