WILLIAM SALIBA produced a sensational last-ditch tackle to stop Kylian Mbappe and thwart a Lionel Messi through-ball.
The Marseille defender – on loan from Arsenal – showed Gunners fans what they’re missing when he pounced to halt the Paris Saint-Germain striker.
Messi had found his PSG team-mate with a delicious pass that threatened to send him one-on-one with Pau Lopez in the Marseille net.
But Saliba turned on the afterburners and slid in with a goal-saving tackle that left Mbappe hopelessly appealing to the ref.
The tackle was all the more impressive with Saliba as the last man – had it gone wrong he would have surely seen red.
The intervention came as Marseille held rivals PSG to a 0-0 stalemate at Stade Velodrome.
The Ligue 1 leaders’ cast of attacking riches was blunted in Sunday’s ‘Clasique’, with Saliba playing a huge part in holding them off.
The 20-year-old produced a masterful performance at the back – and the stats back that up.
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS
The centre-back was solid in defence as he won five of six duels, three tackles, made an interception and a clearance apiece, and won his only aerial duel.
He also impressed with the ball at his feet as he played 57 passes with an accuracy of 96%.
Arsenal fans clearly liked what they saw as they dubbed Saliba a ‘Rolls-Royce’ on social media.
Fan ‘Finn_AFC’ tweeted: “William Saliba pocketed Messi, Neymar and Mbappé at the age of 20. Rolls Royce CB”
User ‘iBraa_Afc’ added: “Last ditch tackle by Saliba on Mbappe. What a player man. Get this boy back to Arsenal ASAP.”
⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from The Emirates
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
