‘Unbelievable’ William Saliba replacement contender impresses for Arsenal again in win over Everton

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Arsenal’s under-21s beat Everton 2-1 on Merseyside in Premier League 2 on Friday night.

The Gunners eased past the Toffees courtesy of a brace from Nathan Buler-Oyedeji, who has been included in several senior matchday squads this season.

Aled Thomas scored for Everton shortly after the break, but it wasn’t enough for the home side as the North Londoners moved up to ninth in the English top flight’s reserve league.

Several Arsenal players impressed on the night, including Butler-Oyedeji and an emerging young centre-back.

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Marli Salmon impresses for Arsenal against Everton

Marli Salmon became the third player under 16 to play for Arsenal’s under-21s when he made his debut at this level against Middlesbrough last month.

The central defender has kicked on since, as fans were wowed by an ‘unbelievable’ Salmon display against Manchester United in the FA Youth Cup a few weeks ago.

In his third appearance for the under-21s on Friday, the 15-year-old impressed once again.

While he received a booking, Salmon produced a commanding performance, dominating Everton’s striker and distributing the ball with precision and composure.

Mehmet Ali entrusted the centre-back to start at the heart of the Gunners’ defence, alongside Will Sweet, and he stood out in this role.

If he continues to deliver at this level, talk of first team opportunities may begin to emerge for the youngster within the next 12 months or so.

Marli Salmon could be William Saliba’s long-term replacement

While this is a long way off, Salmon has the potential to replace William Saliba in the mid to long-term for the Gunners.

Possessing a similar frame to the Frenchman, the starlet boasts similar composure on the ball and an ability to defuse dangerous situations in his own third with an immaculate touch and imposing defensive play.

Salmon certainly needs significantly more time developing at youth level before he makes an impact for the senior team, but he has a similar set of attributes to his first team counterpart.

Saliba continues to be linked with Real Madrid, and thus, Arsenal may need to be readying a Hale End gem to step in for the 23-year-old, and Salmon appears the most likely at the moment.