Jamie Carragher says William Saliba should be ’embarrassed’ as Arsenal star ripped apart after Liverpool clash

Add as preferred source on Google

Jamie Carragher did not hold back when discussing Arsenal centre-back William Saliba.

Carragher made a controversial prediction about Declan Rice before Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool, and the pundit’s comments kept coming post-match. 

The Gunners failed to end their misery at Anfield, as the points were shared on Merseyside to keep Mikel Arteta waiting to confirm a top-five finish.

Several Arsenal players had a tough outing at Anfield, one of which was Saliba, who had a busy afternoon against Arne Slot’s title-winning front line. 

• READ MORE: Arsenal fans are convinced one injured star is the reason for Liverpool nightmare as ‘carrying’ claim made

Jamie Carragher tears into William Saliba after Liverpool draw

If one wasn’t aware of the performance Saliba put in against Liverpool, all would be revealed by Sky Sports’ coverage of the draw.

Carragher spent some time analysing the Frenchman at full-time, where he blasted the 24-year-old for his inability to cope without the injured Gabriel Magalhaes. 

“For me, the great centre-backs, it’s not about how good you are and everything you can do, you want all of that, but you need to affect other people,” Carragher began. 

“Think of the great centre-backs, Tony Adams, Virgil van Dijk, they’re not just great players, they make everyone else around them look like great players.

“That’s the thing I think is still lacking about Saliba, without Gabriel, he doesn’t look the same player, and that’s not something you want to be labelled as.”

The Liverpool icon insisted that Saliba is missing the crucial ingredient of being self-sufficient, a trait that, in Carragher’s eyes, limits him from being regarded as one of the best.

What came next was rather harsh from the pundit, who went as far as to say he’d be ‘embarrassed’ if he were in Saliba’s shoes amid Gabriel’s absence. 

“I’d be embarrassed if I were playing as a centre-back for Liverpool and people were saying, ‘He’s not the same player without him next to him’.”

Criticism of Saliba is incredibly harsh

Given that Saliba is wanted desperately by Real Madrid, the France international must be doing something right, despite Carragher’s beliefs. 

The pundit was right to highlight the centre-back’s struggles at Anfield, and without Gabriel, but they came without sufficient context.

Saliba is still only 24, and is nearing the end of his third season in the Premier League, being a player who, while being exceptional, is lacking the experience of the greats Carragher listed. 

Virgil van Dijk is nine years Saliba’s senior, and the legendary Tony Adams spent 14 years of his career as Arsenal’s captain, making the comparisons rather sensationalised.

Added to that, the Frenchman has faced an adaptation test without Gabriel, with whom he’s built a remarkable partnership.

The Brazilian’s replacement isn’t at his level, which is something for Saliba to be mindful of, reflecting back to Arsenal’s lack of urgency when it comes to depth and Arteta’s game management.

For a player who’s started all but one of the games he’s appeared in this season for Arsenal, there must be a line drawn regarding rational and irrational criticism.