And this performance appeared to confirm that Saliba is gradually entering Virgil van Dijk territory when the Liverpool star was at his peak. No player has successfully managed to dribble past the former Saint Etienne man so far this season, something Van Dijk prided himself on, which would suggest Arsenal may well already have a world-class defender of their own in the making.
He has already made over 150 appearances in his career and despite his youthful presence in the squad, Saliba already has the look of a senior player at the back, and it is difficult to understand why it took the club three years before deciding he was ready to start games.
But they will be glad they resisted offers to sell after loan spells with Marseille and Nice, and while their £27million investment back in 2019 seemed expensive at the time, few would deny it looks like a bargain.
If he can produce near-flawless performances of this kind while injured, Arteta and Arsenal will be eager to see just how good he can be when he returns to full fitness.
