Arsenal 22-year-old slammed for ‘overplaying’ vs Sevilla with ‘wasted’ chance

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Scott Minto criticised Arsenal centre-back William Saliba for overplaying in the early stages of Tuesday night’s trip to Sevilla as it cost Gabriel Martinelli a chance to score.

The Gunners visited the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to resume their Champions League season after losing at RC Lens last time out. Mikel Arteta made slight alterations to his line-up away to the La Liga side. But Saliba kept his integral presence in the heart of the Arsenal defence.

Saliba has started all but one of the Emirates Stadium natives’ 14 fixtures in all competitions so far this season. The 22-year-old has only missed their 1-0 win at Brentford in the Carabao Cup. He is also one of just two Arsenal players to play all 810 Premier League minutes so far.

Minto slams Saliba’s ‘overplayed’ pass in Sevilla vs Arsenal

Arteta elected to retain Saliba in the Arsenal backline at Sevilla despite his sub-par display at Chelsea on Saturday. He was unfortunate to concede a penalty when referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR Jarred Gillett felt he handled the ball. But he struggled without any strikers to mark.

The atrocious conditions at Stamford Bridge did not assist Saliba, either. And the Frenchman faced similarly horrendous conditions at Sevilla, which Minto felt may have played into Saliba struggling to make use of Declan Rice winning the ball when he might have freed Martinelli.

“The ball was overplayed by Saliba,” Minto said on talkSPORT (24/10, 20:40). “I don’t know if it’s these conditions but it was a wasted opportunity there.”

Martinelli got a goal not long after Saliba’s ‘wasted’ pass

Rice did well to snatch possession just after the half-hour mark at Sevilla as the 24-year-old caught Djibril Sow napping. But Saliba would not capitalise on their chance as he overhit his pass to Martinelli. His ball bounced out of play when Martinelli was in a dangerous position.

Martinelli would get a goal right before the break when Arsenal again caught Sevilla on the counter-attack. Gabriel Jesus turned two defenders to free his Brazil teammate through the centre. Martinelli would not waste his chance with the 22-year-old rounding Orjan Nyland.