David O’Leary hails William Saliba and Declan Rice as Arsenal’s backbone.
David O’Leary, Arsenal’s all-time record appearance holder, has praised defender William Saliba and midfielder Declan Rice, highlighting their key roles in the team’s recent performances.
Speaking in the wake of Arsenal‘s match against Manchester City, O’Leary described Saliba as a “Rolls-royce” of a player, and alongside Rice, as the backbone the team needs to succeed this season.
“He’s a Rolls-royce,” David O’Leary said about William Saliba, who nullified Erling Haaland during the game at the Emirates and has yet to be dribbled past this season. “He’s quick, calm, reads the game well. He’s good in the air and he’s strong. He can be up with our very best if he continues the way he is.”
He added that Saliba, along with recent signings like Declan Rice, has been essential to Arsenal‘s current standing. “I think the teams that can push Manchester City are ourselves and Liverpool. You need big players in big games and Saliba and Rice give you that backbone,” O’Leary said.
Discussing the managerial style of Mikel Arteta, O’Leary sees a winner in the making. “I think Mikel [Arteta] is about winning things. A lot of people thought he had the job immediately after Arsene Wenger. But it did him the world of good to learn under Pep Guardiola,” O’Leary elaborated.
The Kroenke family, often criticised by some fans, also received a nod of approval from O’Leary. He argued that they have been “harshly” judged and lauded their non-interfering stance as ideal for any manager or executive.
The former player, whose Arsenal career spanned three decades and 722 games, also expressed optimism about the atmosphere at the Emirates. “I have never, since I have been at the club, seen a better atmosphere,” O’Leary noted.
“It was the first time in a while against Manchester City that I felt confident of getting a victory. It was like a concert atmosphere at the end.”
On a personal note, O’Leary recalled the early days of his Arsenal career and his emotional journey from Dublin to north London.
“When I made my debut [aged 17 in 1975], Liam Brady said, ‘You are good enough now to stay in this team’. At the end of the game, Bertie Mee said, ‘David, I want to bring someone into the dressing room’. It was my dad. I had no idea he was there. He was crying,” O’Leary remembered.
O’Leary, who was notably ahead of his time in both his playing style and off-field diligence, looks back at his 50-year association with the club with a sense of pride and fortune. “I’m 50 years hanging around the place on and off. I actually looked down on Sunday, with that wonderful atmosphere, and thought to myself, ‘Good God, Dave, you’re so lucky’,” he said.