Jamie Carragher names Arsenal player Man City would most like to see out for season
Arsenal head into the final Premier League fixture this side of the international break level on points with title rivals Manchester City, who will have to do without Rodri
by Dan Marsh · The MirrorJamie Carragher believes Manchester City would select William Saliba if they had a choice of picking one Arsenal player to sit out the title race.
The Premier League champions and Arsenal are primed to battle for the domestic crown again this season after the Gunners were pipped to the title on the final day last term.
Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side and Arsenal played out a feisty 2-2 draw at The Etihad earlier this month and head into the final round of fixtures ahead of the international break level on 14 points apiece. The champions are chasing a record-extending fifth successive title triumph.
They have already been dealt a major a blow, though, with the news that Rodri will miss the season with an ACL injury. And City's record without the influential midfielder has already led some to speculate that Arsenal may now boast the edge in the title race.
Carragher and his colleagues on the Stick to Football podcast were debating the issue when it was asked which Arsenal player City would want to be absent in the title race. For Carragher, Saliba was the obvious choice.
He explained: "Saliba. I don’t think they’ve got much backup at centre-back, really. If [Declan] Rice went out, they’ve got [Thomas] Partey, they’ve got Jorginho.
"At centre-back, who would you bring in there if one of them is out? Left-footed, aren’t they [Riccardo Calafiori and Jakub Kiwior]. I think Saliba, definitely."
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Saliba has struck up an imperious partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the Arsenal defence over the past two years and the duo have received plenty of acclaim in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
Ironically, the Frenchman was missing during a decisive period towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign due to a back injury. His absence from the team coincided with a downturn in results for Arsenal, who slipped away in during the final weeks of the title race.
Reflecting on that 11-game period last year, Saliba said: “Unfortunately, I got injured during the year, in the final sprint. It’s clear that I was a little disappointed, but there you go, it’s a new season with new ambitions, I hope we will do better.
“It’s clear that with me, Arsenal could have been champions. But now, injuries are part of football, and we are focused on this season.”
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