Arsenal superstar William Saliba could make club history in their opening PL clash against Wolves
William Saliba could etch his name into Arsenal's history books should they kickstart their 2024–25 Premier League campaign with a win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The two sides will face off at the Emirates on Saturday, August 17.
Saliba was a revelation for the Gunners last season as he formed a formidable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes. With the Frenchman at the heart of Arsenal’s defense, they were the best in the league defensively last season. They conceded the fewest goals (29) and kept the highest clean sheets (18).
The Gunners were one of three teams that won their last five games of the 2023–24 Premier League campaign. They will be keen to continue on that trajectory when they play against Wolves at the Emirates this Saturday.
Prior to the match against Wolves, William Saliba had made 65 Premier League appearances for Arsenal since he joined them from Saint-Étienne. In that time, he has won 49 games, which is an impressive win rate of 75.38%. This means he is one win away from reaching half a century of Premier League wins at the club.
Should Arsenal beat Wolves, William Saliba will become the fastest player to reach 50 league wins for the Gunners, doing so in 66 appearances. A win will see him beat Nacho Monreal’s record, which he achieved in 70 matches.
Apart from setting a new record, should the Gunners beat Wolves, Saliba will be 14th on the list of fastest players to 50 Premier League wins. Manchester City’s Phil Foden currently tops the chart, having achieved that feat in 59 appearances.
Meanwhile, Saliba has ample time to write his name in the club's history books should they don’t defeat Wolves in their Premier League opener. He will still achieve the feat in fewer games than any Gunners player if he does it in any of the first four games.
William Saliba reacts to Riccardo Calafiori's performance after Arsenal’s Emirates Cup triumph
William Saliba was full of praise for new summer signing Riccardo Calafiori after their Emirates Cup victory against Lyon on August 11. The Italian defender made his much-anticipated debut from the bench.
He replaced Oleksandr Zinchenko in the 64th minute and delivered an impressive performance in his 26 minutes on the pitch. He completed 7/8 passes, won 2/5 duels, and made two interceptions and one clearance.
After the match, Saliba was delighted with Calafiori’s performance. He said (via Arsenal’s official website):
“Yeah, I’m so happy for him. I think it’s only the beginning, he’s a really good player, young as well. We’re so happy to have him with us and I hope he’ll have a really good season with us.”
The Gunners defeated Lyon 2-0 in the Emirates Cup with goals from their defensive duo, Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.