Ferdinand: "Saliba may struggle to win his place back from Konsa when he returns"

Former Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand believes William Saliba could struggle to reclaim his place in Arsenal's starting XI, even once he is fully fit and back in the squad, because of Ezri Konsa's outstanding form.

Ferdinand feels Konsa has slotted in seamlessly since his move from Aston Villa. Saliba had been sidelined since suffering a back injury in France's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. Although the star defender turned out for the under-21s last weekend as part of his preparations to return, Mikel Arteta's side have barely felt Saliba's absence thanks to the flawless understanding Konsa has struck up with Gabriel Magalhães.

Arsenal, who have won nine of their first 10 Premier League matches and sit five points clear at the top, are also sending a warning to their rivals with their defensive record. The north London club have conceded the fewest goals in the league so far (5), have the lowest expected goals against (7.6 xGA) and have faced the fewest shots on target (26).

Konsa, who has featured in nine league matches, is Arsenal's joint-leading player for interceptions (9) alongside team-mates Gabriel and Declan Rice, while his 32 ball recoveries leave him behind only Rice (35) in that category.

Stressing how quickly Konsa has adapted to the team, Ferdinand gave this assessment:

"Mikel Arteta has a massive problem now. What does he do when Saliba is fully fit? Because Konsa has settled into that back line as if to say, 'I've been here for 10 years and I'm not budging now'. He has made the message clear: 'This is my place, it belongs to me now'. He has made some really crucial last-ditch interventions to keep the team in games and carry them to victory."

Praising Konsa's presence on the pitch, Ferdinand said: "He looks extremely dominant, aggressive and completely at home in an Arsenal shirt. He carries himself as if he has always been there. But we can't forget Saliba either, what he does when he is on the pitch and how brilliantly he has played. It's a problem, but hopefully it will be the kind of welcome headache Arteta enjoys. To have two top-class centre-backs at the peak of their form, and for someone like Saliba to be the one left out... It's an incredible luxury for a head coach."

After the international break, Arsenal travel to Newcastle United before hosting Manchester City, one of their main rivals in the title race, the following week.