Martin Keown hails Arsenal's 'magnificient' Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba as 'best partnership in Europe'
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Updated 09/04/2024 at 23:58 GMT+1
Arsenal are playing in their first UEFA Champions League quarter-final for 14 years against Bayern Munich in a first-leg clash at the Emirates. Martin Keown and Rio Ferdinand believe that the central defensive partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba has been integral to the Gunners' success, as they target both domestic and European glory this season.
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Martin Keown hailed Arsenal’s central defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba as the finest in Europe heading into the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich at the Emirates – live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Gabriel and Saliba have formed the bedrock of a Gunners side which has conceded only four goals in their previous 11 games across all competitions, and one that is yet to be breached at home in this season’s Champions League.
Speaking ahead of the kick-off, Keown told TNT Sports: “Gabriel and Saliba are the best partnership in Europe; they’re aggressive, contact players.
“He’s [Gabriel] a player who’s growing. He didn’t start the season and was on the bench in the first two Premier League games.
“Now he’s forming an outstanding partnership. He’s got character, scores goals as well from set-pieces and is really in form.”
Rio Ferdinand echoed Keown’s sentiments and praised Gabriel in particular for the way in which the Brazilian has raised his game after some criticism of his displays last season.
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“They've been magnificent in defence and it's the most impressive part of the team,” Ferdinand added.
“Last season there were questions asked of Gabriel especially in the run-in, but he's answered those questions and been magnificent.
“His partnership with Saliba is the best defensive partnership in the Premier League hands down. They’ve got so much confidence playing together.
“I'm seeing centre forwards try to play away from them rather than try to mix it with them. That tells you everything you need to know about their partnership.”
Ferdinand also made a cheeky comparison between Gabriel and Keown after the latter’s trophy-laden spell with Arsenal.
“He [Gabriel] is the Martin Keown of this era!
“He’s aggressive, he’s under the shirt trying to get at you and is tenacious.”
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