William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes made it into the BBC and WhoScored Teams of the Week respectively for Arsenal’s win over Chelsea.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Aaron Ramsdale of Arsenal celebrates with teammate Gabriel Magalhaes following their side's victory in the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on October 30, 2022. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Aaron Ramsdale of Arsenal celebrates with teammate Gabriel Magalhaes following their side’s victory in the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on October 30, 2022. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Garth Crooks confirmed his BBC Team of the Week on Sunday, and Arsenal’s William Saliba made the cut for his performance against Chelsea.

Crooks wrote that this was a “statement” win for Arsenal, adding that “Saliba, Gabriel and Ben White looked as solid as a rock with Saliba looking the pick of the bunch”.

WhoScored went the other way, with Gabriel Magalhaes receiving a place in their side with a 7.7 rating. With a goal, three aerials won, four clearances, and an 85% pass accuracy, it’s not hard to see how the Arsenal centre-back made it in.

One of the most encouraging aspects of Saliba’s return to Arsenal has been the partnership he’s struck up with Gabriel this season.

After he won the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award last year, there was no doubt that Saliba was a talented defender. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be a perfect fit for every team he plays in.

Fortunately, it seems Saliba and Gabriel complement each other very well. Mikel Arteta addressed the pairing in a press conference just last week.

“I think there is a connection,” Arteta said. “A personal connection first, and you can feel it. There is a chemistry. I think they make each other better, the qualities that they have.

“And I think they’ve been really, really consistent in terms of performance as well. [They speak] a mix between French, English, Brazilian (Portuguese). Sometimes I don’t get it, but they understand each other, so it’s fine.”

Gabriel Magalhaes signs a new contract with Arsenal, alongside Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Gabriel Magalhaes signs a new contract with Arsenal, alongside Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar (Photo via Arsenal.com)

With Gabriel signing a new deal with Arsenal to 2027, the Gunners will now just be hoping for Saliba to do the same thing and make this partnership one for the long term.