Rio Ferdinand says Arsenal have already unleashed their new Martin Keown ahead of Man City clash

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Arsenal’s back line has not been ideal so far this season, but two players have still stood out as top performers.

Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal already have a new Martin Keown as they look to go one better with their Premier League title bid this season. The Gunners have fallen just short in the last two seasons, and many have pondered over the key reasons as to why.

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Last season, Arsenal’s lack of alternative up top was blamed, but Mikel Arteta’s men only scored five goals less than champions City, while the year before they conceded 10 more than their title rivals. Last season they conceded five less, only conceding 29 goals in 38 games and a key reason for that was William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes finding their feet as a partnership.

Both players have gone from strength-to-strength, and they have arguably been the standout players so far this season, both putting in superb displays during last weekend’s North London derby win over Tottenham.

Asked about their performances, legendary former Man Utd centre-back Ferdinand said on his podcast when asked if the pairing is one of the best in the world: “Yeah, definitely. I think they are. They proved that the last couple of seasons now. 

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“They’re resolute. They’re hard. They can do it in different ways. You’ve got a great blend. Saliba is a little bit more calm and wants to cover and sweep a little bit. Gabriel’s on the front foot, more of a Martin Keown type. [He’s an] aggressive-type player. They complement each other so well.”

Duo ready for Man City test

Overall, Arsenal’s back line has not been ideal so far this season, conceding six in five games, but there is a feeling that Gabriel and Saliba are bailing out the midfield much more often than that baseline stat suggests. They will, however, face a new kind of test on Sunday when they go up against Erling Haaland and Manchester City’s mean attack.

Asked if his back-line are ready for City’s free-scoring front line, Arteta responded on Thursday night: “They are in a great moment and have been very, very consistent for the past two seasons together. There is an unbelievable chemistry there and you can sense it. They have both been exceptional.

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“When you see the stats and the number of goals that Haaland scores then you can tell that he is one of the main sources. We always look at the individuals and the strengths that they have and how we can nullify that. We need to stop him from scoring.”

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