Arsenal duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have now agreed upon the identity of the best centre-back in the Premier League.
Two Arsenal defenders have now given their verdict on who reigns supreme in the Premier League.
The Arsenal defence has been in a class of its own this season. The Gunners produced another terrific team performance at the back on Sunday as they held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
Mikel Arteta clearly set his team up with a safety first mindset, and this approach paid off as the Gunners earned a valuable point and put an end to their losing streak at that ground. Arsenal also ended a streak of Manchester City’s, as Pep Guardiola’s side failed to score at home for the first time after 57 games.
Gabriel and Saliba name best Premier League centre-back
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were vital to this rearguard effort. Gabriel won his physical battle with Erling Haaland, whilst Saliba produced a dominant individual performance.
Saliba and Gabriel have previously been hailed as the best centre-back partnership in the Premier League, and in typically cohesive fashion the duo have now agreed upon which individual best represents their position in the top flight of English football.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the pair were asked who the best current centre-back in the Premier League is. They both settled on the same name, that being of Gabriel himself.
Saliba then said of his teammate, “it’s true…of course.”
How Gabriel Magalhaes has developed at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta
The Brazilian has certainly developed into an elite-level defender in his time at Arsenal. When he first arrived at the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2020, the 26-year-old was somewhat error-prone and was not always the most comfortable on the ball.
Under the guidance of Arteta, though, the six-cap Brazil international has cut mistakes out of his game and now looks confident when passing the ball around at the back under pressure. He is now flourishing as the senior partner alongside the 23-year-old Saliba.
Gabriel has been described as the most “underrated” player in the Arsenal squad. However, he clearly isn’t underrated by those in the Arsenal squad, and Saliba obviously holds him in especially high esteem. What’s more, Gabriel apparently does not lack confidence in his own abilities, as he named himself the best centre-back in the division.
Meanwhile, Saliba himself has been named the “best” Premier League centre-back before now, and has a strong claim to that title. As do the likes of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool, and either John Stones or Ruben Dias at Manchester City.